Happy birthday, My New Roots! We’re celebrating 15 years strong with a Danish dreamcake, and I am so grateful to you, dear reader, for following along. Whether you’ve been here since the beginning, or this is your first post, thank you for being here and supporting my vision of a healthier, happier world.
I could say something cliché, like “I cannot believe it’s been 15 years already” but I CAN! Haha, I’ve packed so much into this last decade-and-a-half, that I’m actually shocked it hasn’t been 30 years! Two cookbooks, countless international cooking classes and workshops, an online membership platform, a TV show, a TED talk, a wellness retreat business, and a global community of hundreds of thousands of fine folks just like yourself. WOW.
This space has seen me through two overseas moves, four restaurant jobs, a marriage, a baby, home renovations, major health challenges and triumphs, and the personal evolution that comes along with all of it! I knew I needed to create a recipe that celebrated all of it and I’m so excited to share this Coconut Dreamcake with you.
Honouring a Classic
It was pretty fun deciding what I was going to bake for this anniversary and how I was going to photograph it. Those over-the-top layer cakes I made for previous birthdays felt fun and celebratory, but I also wanted something nostalgic and reverent for this one.
I have been wanting to try making a Sarah B-version of the classic Danish dessert, drømmekage (translation: “dreamcake”) for a very long time. When I lived in Copenhagen, this was one of my favourite treats because it is just so darn delicious and satisfying. The sponge is a moist and tender vanilla cake, with a topping of gooey, coconut caramel. Typically baked slab-style, and served in squares at bakeries all over the country, dreamcake is one of the most ubiquitous and well-loved desserts for a good reason – it truly is a dream!
Playing with an a time-honoured recipe is challenging, because why mess with a good thing?! But I’ve built a career on making healthy-ish, more nourishing swaps in traditional dishes, so why not attempt a drømmekage of my own?
Happy Hemp
If you’ve been here a while, you know that one of my favourite ingredients to work with is hemp! These light-tasting and creamy seeds are the perfect addition to so many meals, boosting the Omega-3 fat and protein content. They also contain good amounts of magnesium, iron, and zinc, and we could all use more minerals! Best of all? They’re grown locally here in Canada!
I love hemp seeds sprinkled onto my Revolutionary Pancakes and granola, blended into a rich and delicious milk, made into a mock-parmesan cheese, and of course blended into hemp butter. I knew I had to include hemp seeds in this celebratory dessert since I feel it’s my *signature move*. So I incorporated them in two ways: first as part of the flour mix for the vanilla sponge; this adds a beautiful tooth and moisture to the cake, keeping it fresh for days! And I made a hemp cream to replace the dairy cream in both the cake and the topping (just for fun – nothing against dairy cream!).
Celebrating Coconut
Other notable variations include toasting the coconut for the topping, which really brings the coconut flavour to the max! I used two kinds of coconut, since I love having just a few larger pieces for a textural change-up, but if you only have finely desiccated coconut, that’s *fine* too 🙂 Using coconut sugar in the topping adds an incredible depth of flavour and complexity that I suggest you don’t miss out on – it brings so much more to the party than plain old brown sugar.
Helpful Notes
I used unbleached cane sugar instead of coconut sugar in the dreamcake because I wanted to maintain the light colour of the cake. If you want to use another granulated sweetener, go for it! Substituting with a whole food liquid sweetener is a different ball game and I haven’t experimented with that yet. If you do, make sure to share in the comments and let us know how it goes!
You can use whole or light spelt, or a combination of those flours for the sponge – the combo was my favourite, a mix of half and half. You can substitute these with any other gluten-containing flours, or with a gluten-free mix that mimics all-purpose flour for baking (or make your own!).
Now I gotta tell you about the topping, because there is a moment when you’re making that caramel that I know will make you think you’ve failed and you haven’t! The butter and coconut sugar are stubborn to meld. The whole thing will split and look chunky and strange, and the excess butter will be oozing around, not wanting to play with anyone. THEN! it will magically come together if you just keep stirring. Make sure the heat is very low, and stick with it. If you’re going on 8 to 10 minutes even… just keep stirring – you got this (and it’s SO worth it)!
Coconut Dreamcake
Ingredients
Sponge:
- ⅓ cup / 50g hemp seeds
- 1 cup / 150g wholegrain or light spelt flour
- 2 tsp. baking powder
- ¼ tsp. fine sea salt
- 50 g salted butter preferably organic
- 4 eggs preferably organic
- 1 cup / 250g unbleached cane sugar
- ⅓ cup / 80ml hemp cream see recipe below
- 2 tsp. vanilla extract
Topping:
- 100 g salted butter preferably organic
- 1 ⅓ cup / 200g coconut sugar
- 3 Tbsp. hemp cream see recipe below
- ½ tsp. vanilla extract
- 1 tsp. flaky salt such as Maldon
- 1 ½ cups / 150g unsweetened desiccated coconut
- ½ cup /25g unsweetened large flake coconut
Hemp Cream:
- 1 cup / 250ml water
- ⅓ cup / 50g hemp seeds
Instructions
- Start by preheating the oven to 400°F / 200°C. Prepare a 7” / 18cm round springform cake pan by greasing the interior with a little butter, and placing a parchment paper circle in the bottom (I find it easiest to trace the bottom of the cake form, then cut it out to fit perfectly).
- Make the hemp cream by placing the hemp seeds and water in a blender and blend on high for 30 seconds, or until the cream is smooth. Set aside.
- In a food processor, blend hemp seeds until they’re the texture of sand (but don’t blend too much or you’ll end up with hemp butter!). Add the flour, baking powder, and salt. Pulse to blend and set aside.
- Melt the butter over low heat and let cool. Meanwhile, beat the eggs and sugar together until light and fluffy (either with an electric mixer or your arm muscles!). Stir in the flour mixture, then fold in the butter, hemp cream and vanilla. Pour batter into the prepared springform pan and place in the oven to bake for 20 minutes. Then reduce oven temp to 350, and bake for another 20 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- While the sponge is baking, make the topping by toasting the coconut in a large skillet over medium heat (work in batches if necessary, and toast the two types of coconut separately). Once golden and fragrant, set aside. Melt the butter over low heat, then stir in the coconut sugar. Stir frequently until they combine into a thick caramel (this make take a few minutes, but keep stirring!). Add the hemp cream and vanilla, stir to incorporate. Remove from the heat, then add the flaky salt, toasted coconut, and fold to thoroughly combine.
- Once the sponge is baked, remove from the oven and spread the topping over as evenly as possible. Place back int the oven for another 5 minutes, just until the topping is bubbling. Remove from oven and let cool completely, then place in the fridge to firm up, at least 2 hours. Remove cake from the fridge, then using a sharp knife, cut around the edge to release caramel that is stuck to the sides. Unlock the springform to reveal! Slice, say thank you, and enjoy. Leftovers can be stored covered, at room temperature for about a week.
Photographing this dreamcake was just as much fun as eating it. Since I was re-creating a Danish recipe, and those flavours got me all nostalgic for my Copenhagen home, I decided to try emulating that very special Nordic light that I truly miss. I feel like I succeeded! This was not an easy feat, but after 15 years of teaching myself how to take photos of food, I think I figured it out. This is all to say, that I’m still challenged by this ongoing project, and in love with everything I’ve learned along the way. What a trip!
And one final thanks to you, for being here, for the time and energy you’ve spent here on the blog, engaging on social, on Grow, in my cooking classes and retreats, zoom hangs, or even those passing moments on the street when you come up and say hello (don’t ever NOT do that by the way. I love meeting you!). The thing I value most from the last 15 years of creating this space, is the people that I’ve had the privilege of connecting with inside of it. Words could not describe how big and full my heart feels when I remember the meaningful conversations, hugs, high-fives, tears and smiles that we’ve shared, while navigating this wild ride of life, and trying our best to look after our miraculous, individual bodies, together as one.
Immense gratitude and love. Your friend always,
Sarah B
This is AMAZING! Just a head’s up – don’t open the oven whilst the cake is baking! I opened it up for about 3 seconds to check on it as I’m using an oven that tends to run hot and burn cakes – big mistake! Flopped in the middle. Doesn’t affect the taste…just my pride 😉
Oh no!! You’ll just have to try it again 😉 Thanks for writing!
Looks amazing! Can you substitute the hemp cream for coconut cream?
Hi Robyn, yes! Hemp cream should work great 🙂
Hi Sarah,
I have been following your blog since 1 years and wanted to let you know that I am big fan of your recipes.
Everytime I share your recipes with my food blogger friends, I receive positive feedback
Keep up the good work:)
Louis
This recipe is absolutely delicious and definitely one of my new favorite dishes! Thank you for sharing this amazing recipe, I will definitely be making it again and again. Keep up the good work!
This looks like a great recipe Sarah! I need to make this for my birthday, coconuts are my favorite!
Hey Sarah! Am making this today for my niece & nephews birthday! It’s a stunner. Just so you’re aware, it seems that step 1 is duplicated in step 4. Thanks for everything.
Hi Jamie! Thanks so much for the note, all fixed. Appreciate you letting me know and giving the recipe a try, hope it went well!😊
Happy Birthday, Sarah!! This Cake Looks SO DELICIOUS! I need to make this!!
Happy belated birthday. MNR What a wonderful journey. I am glad I found you. Cheers for more fulfilling experiences.
Thank you so much, Maritza! I am so grateful to have found YOU ❤️
This looks fantastic, and I’m looking forward to trying it. It still has some proofreading errors: some instructions are included in Step 1 that shouldn’t be there (they are correctly in Step 4), and Step 6 has a few words missing and at least one letter in a word missing (int should be into). Anyway – thanks for your creativity and inventiveness. I appreciate all you do, and hope this little bit of proofreading will help you.
Hi Debra, thank you so much for letting me know! The recipe is updated and should be fixed. I hope you enjoy it! Sending love, xo. ❤️
happy birthday.. it looks great…
happy birthday.. it looks great mmm… 🙂
Hi everyone, I’ve been following MNR for many years and enjoy experimenting with these recipes. With some tinkering I’ve been successful making so many of them. I’m hoping to get a bit of advice on this one from others that may have baked it. I used a 7” springform as noted in the recipe and my cake rose a good 1-2 inches over the top, making it impossible to layer on the coconut. I’m wondering if my problem could have been overheating the egg/sugar or perhaps using double acting baking powder. Anyone else have this issue and resolved it? I cut the top so I could layer on the coconut, but there was so much topping is sunk the cake significantly. Another thought I had was halving the recipe for the 7” cake size. Any thoughts from fellow bakers would be much appreciated. The flavor profile of this cake was delicious and I’d love to bake it again with better results. Thanks Sarah and everyone here for the continuous inspiration, it’s a joy to follow MNR!
Congratulations, Sarah and Thank you!
I am grateful to have come across your blog some 10 years ago and have been delighting in so many of your recipes (still waaaays from my ambition to cook every recipe from your blog, but getting closer). Your authenticity, honesty , kindness, joy de vivre and grace come through in all your interactions and work and it’s refreshing and comfoting. Yes, there were times when I would put pressure on myself, trying to measure up to your standards in eating and wellbeing; your sharing of your healing journey and bringing attention back to listening to our bodies and doing what is best for us at whatever stage of life we are at was humbling, reassuring and empowering all at once. Thank you again for all you do and share.
Hi Stanislava,
Yes, thank you for catching the error! I have since corrected it 🙂 I hope you enjoy the recipe!
xo, Sarah B
Hi Lucia,
Great question!
Most of the hemp, being encased in the cake mixture, will retain all of its protein and fibre, but may lose a little of its Omega-3s due to heat exposure.
I hope you enjoy! And feel free to sprinkle extra hemp on top, if you’re feeling wild 😉
xo, Sarah B
Hi there! There was an important step missing at #4, but I have just fixed it! Thanks for letting me know <3
Enjoy the cake!
xo, Sarah B
Hi! I’m trying out this recipe … looking forward to some dreaming! I think that the instructions are a bit out of order 🙂
Dear Sarah, this coconut cake looks so delicious and tempting that I wanted to make it right away! Could you please check the steps of the recipe because I got confused by the order they are given – it is written that the flour mixture is made after the batter is placed in the oven, the eggs are beaten after that as well, also a butter should be melted – when and how to incorporate it. Looking forward to your reply – I will be happy to prepare it at home 🙂
Hi Sara, thank you for the delicious recipe. I just wondered wether the steps are in the right order? It does not make sense in a way …
Hi Sarah, thanks for this beautiful post! I was wonderning, the hemp seeds don’t loose their nutritional properties after baking?
Happy Blog Birthday, dear Sarah! Thank you very very much for all the time you have put in over time , for all the Things you taught me, and some of my favorite recipes! (Comfy Sweet potato, warm forestwalk salad, mac n Tease to name just a few)… Many happy returns!