This is an unbelievably decadent sweet treat for your week! This cake is rich with butter and loaded with vanilla wafers, coconut, and toasted pecans. It’s an old recipe, a bit unusual and oh, so wonderful!
Vintage recipes are some of the best. This gem comes from my Mom’s vast collection.
It’s a short list of ingredients, eggs, butter, and sugar with sweet coconut and crunchy pecans. And in place of flour you’ll find gorgeous crumbs from vanilla wafers.
The result is a dense, gooey dessert with a taste that’s over the top!
Crushed vanilla wafers replace the flour in this cake and lend a note of their wonderful and familiar flavor. Tossing the vanilla wafers in a food processor makes this a quick task with fine, evenly ground crumbs. You’ll need about 12-ounces of vanilla wafers or about 6 cups for 3-¼ cups of crumbs.
I tweaked the vessel for baking, moving it from a tube pan to a classic cake pan, ensuring it’s clean removal after baking. The cake is a bit sticky so lining with a sheet of parchment is double the insurance that you have a clean release.
Serve it warm or at room temperature – and a dollop of whipped cream doesn’t hurt!
Coconut Pecan Cake
6 extra-large eggs, separated
1 cup butter, room temperature
2 cups sugar
3-¼ cups finely ground vanilla wafers*
2-½ cups sweetened coconut flakes
1 cup chopped toasted pecans
This cake bakes at 300-degrees, a slightly lower temperature than most cakes.
Place the egg yolks in a small mixing bowl and the egg whites in a medium size mixing bowl. Beat the egg yolks on medium speed until they are thickened and pale yellow in color.
Combine the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl and cream together on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 to 4 minutes.
Add the beaten egg yolks and blend into the butter and sugar on medium speed, about 1 to 2 minutes.
Toss in the vanilla wafer crumbs, the coconut, and the chopped pecans.
Blend together on medium speed until well mixed. The batter will be very stiff.
Beat the egg whites on medium high until stiff peaks form, but the egg whites are not dry in appearance, about 3 minutes.
Using a large rubber spatula, fold the beaten egg whites into the cake batter.
Spray a 9” x 13” cake pan with a cooking spray, line with a sheet of parchment paper and spray the paper. Spoon the batter into the pan and bake in a 300-degree oven for 55 to 60 minutes or until the cake tests done with a toothpick and is light golden in color.
Let the cake cool in the pan on a rack for about 15 to 20 minutes before cutting. For ease in cutting on the parchment paper let the cake cool completely in the pan. Then use the parchment paper to gently lift it out of the pan, supporting it underneath with your hands. Don’t worry if the cake cracks slightly. Transfer the cake to a cutting board and use a sharp knife to cut into squares.
*You’ll need about 12-ounces of vanilla wafers or about 6 cups for 3-¼ cups of crumbs.
Coconut Pecan Cake
Equipment
- Electric mixer
- 9" x 13" baking pan
Ingredients
- 6 extra-large eggs, separated
- 1 cup butter, room temperature
- 2 cups sugar
- 3-¼ cups finely ground vanilla wafers*
- 2-½ cups sweetened coconut flakes
- 1 cup chopped toasted pecans
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300-degrees.
- Place the egg yolks in a small mixing bowl and the egg whites in a medium size mixing bowl. Beat the egg yolks on medium speed until they are thickened and pale yellow in color.
- Combine the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl and cream together on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 to 4 minutes.
- Add the beaten egg yolks and blend into the butter and sugar on medium speed, about 1 to 2 minutes.
- Toss in the vanilla wafer crumbs, the coconut, and the chopped pecans.
- Blend together on medium speed until well mixed. The batter will be very stiff.
- Beat the egg whites on medium high until stiff peaks form, but the egg whites are not dry in appearance, about 3 minutes.
- Using a large rubber spatula, fold the beaten egg whites into the cake batter.
- Spray a 9” x 13” cake pan with a cooking spray, line with a sheet of parchment paper and spray the paper. Spoon the batter into the pan and bake in a 300-degree oven for 55 to 60 minutes or until the cake tests done with a toothpick and is light golden in color.
- Let the cake cool in the pan on a rack for about 15 to 20 minutes before cutting. For ease in cutting on the parchment paper let the cake cool completely in the pan. Then use the parchment paper to gently lift it out of the pan, supporting it underneath with your hands. Don’t worry if the cake cracks slightly. Transfer the cake to a cutting board and use a sharp knife to cut into squares.
