A traditional treat from Denmark! Drømmekage or Danish Dream Cake is a delicious, soft cake with coconut caramel on top. Every bite has the right balance of sweetness from the cake and the topping. Try it for your next coffee break!
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They call this dream cake because they say it ‘tastes like a dream.’
Yep, I smiled too the first time I heard that. 🙂
You can make this on a standard springform round cake pan, but since they’re generally cut into squares, I find it easier to use a square cake pan.
Danish dream cake could also work as a sheet cake — you just have to adjust this recipe. Or, you’ll end up with a slightly thin layer of cake.
Regardless of what pan or tray you want to use, expect a delightfully tasty treat that’s excellent with coffee or tea.
IF YOU LIKE MORE CLASSIC NORDIC DISHES, THEN YOU WILL LIKE THESE POSTS!
Ingredients
- Flour – you only need all-purpose flour for this dream cake recipe.
- Butter – unsalted butter.
- Brown sugar – I usually use muscovado sugar for making drommekage.
- Vanilla sugar – just use your favorite brand.
- Sugar – this is for the cake batter, so regular white sugar would be great.
- Desiccated coconut – unsweetened, dried coconut.
- Baking powder – use whatever brand you have on hand.
- Milk – full cream milk, if possible.
- Eggs – medium-sized eggs (63 to 73 grams each or 2.2 to 2.5 ounces each), and at room temperature.
Preparation
Start preparing your dream cake by preheating the oven to 180°C (350°F).
Line your cake pan with baking paper.
Sift and mix flour, vanilla sugar, and baking powder in a medium-sized bowl (photo 1).
Set the sifted dry ingredients aside for later.
Using a large mixing bowl, combine eggs with sugar (photo 2).
Use a hand mixer to combine until it becomes creamy.
Add the sifted dry ingredients, melted butter, and milk (photo 3).
Mix everything until you get a smooth dream cake batter.
Pour batter into the lined cake pan (photo 4).
Tap the pan on top of the counter to remove bubbles.
Place the pan in the oven for about thirty minutes or until the top turns golden.
Ten minutes before you remove the cake out of the oven, start preparing the coconut caramel topping.
Using a small saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat, and add milk (photo 5).
Add brown sugar.
Mix until the sugar has completely dissolved while bringing it to a slow boil.
Remove the pan from the heat.
Add desiccated coconut and mix to combine (photo 6).
Pour the coconut and sugar mixture on top of your dream cake (photo 7).
Use a spatula to level the coconut caramel on top (photo 8).
Place cake back in the oven for ten to fifteen minutes.
Set cake aside for coconut caramel to solidify (about twenty minutes).
Slice your Danish dream cake into portions and serve!
Helpful tips
- Remember to use a baking sheet on top of your cake pan with some extra hanging on the sides.
It makes it easier to lift drømmekage out of the pan before slicing.
- You can use a metal whisk to mix if you don’t have a hand mixer.
- I use unsweetened coconut in this recipe. If you are using sweetened ones, you might need to adjust the sugar in the topping to avoid making it too sweet.
- Be careful when taking your dream cake out of the oven for the last time.
The caramel on top is extremely hot, and the bubbles are completely normal.
Recipe variation
- Brown sugar. You can use any type of brown sugar — muscovado, turbinado, etc. The trick is to make sure it’s completely dissolved before mixing with the coconut.
However, if you want the topping to be darker, you must use dark brown sugar, not the lighter ones.
Looks so tempting, right? Then give this drømmekage recipe a try this weekend, and let me know how it goes! 🙂
Danish Dream Cake Recipe (Drømmekage)
Equipment
Ingredients
For Cake Batter:
- 1 & 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (250 grams)
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 5 tbsp butter, (50 grams), unsalted & melted
- 3 medium eggs (63 to 73 grams each; or 2.2 to 2.5 ounces each)
- 3/4 cup & 2 tbsp milk
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp vanilla sugar
For Coconut Caramel Topping:
- 1 stick + 1 tbsp butter, (125 grams)
- 5 tbsp milk
- 3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
- 3/4 cup desiccated coconut, heaping
Instructions
Preparing equipment:
- Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F).
- Line your cake pan with baking paper.
Preparing dream cake batter:
- Sift flour, baking powder, and vanilla sugar into a medium-sized bowl.
- On a separate large mixing bowl, mix eggs and sugar until creamy.
- Add the sifted dry ingredients, melted butter, and milk. Mix until you get a smooth batter.
- Pour the cake batter into your lined pan.
- Tap the cake pan on top of the counter to remove bubbles.
- Place pan in the oven for 30 minutes or until it has turned golden.
Preparing topping:
- About 10 minutes before removing the cake out of the oven, start preparing the coconut caramel.
- Using a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium-high heat.
- Pour the milk and mix.
- Add the brown sugar and mix until it has completely dissolved while bringing it to a slow boil.
- Take the saucepan off the heat.
- Add the desiccated coconut and mix to combine thoroughly.
Serving drømmekage:
- Take the cake out of the oven and pour the caramel on top.
- Use a spatula to spread it evenly on top of your dream cake.
- Place the cake back in the oven for 15 minutes.
- Set it aside for about 20 minutes to cool — or until the topping solidifies.
- Slice your dream cake into squares and serve.
Notes
- Cook’s Tip #1: This drømmekage recipe is perfect for an 8-inch round cake pan (or its equivalent square cake pan).
- Cook’s Tip #2: You can use any type of brown sugar. Just remember that the color of the sugar will determine how dark the coconut caramel topping will be.
- Cook’s Tip #3: Do not skip the baking sheet on top of your cake pan with some extra on the side. It makes it easier to remove the cake out of the pan before slicing.
- Cook’s Tip #4: A metal whisk is an excellent alternative if you don’t have a hand mixer.
- Cook’s Tip #5: I use unsweetened coconut in this recipe. If you are using sweetened ones, you might need to adjust the sugar in the topping to avoid making your dream cake too sweet.
- Cook’s Tip #6: Be careful when taking drømmekage out of the oven for the last time. The caramel on top is extremely hot — the bubbles are completely normal.
Novice Baker says
Hi, greetings from Malaysia…
I noticed that eggs are not listed in the recipe ingredients. I assumed it’s 3 eggs based on your photo? And may i know how many gram is your cup of flour if i measure with a scale?
I just bought fresh dessicated coconut to try out this recipe, can’t wait to make it 🙂
Neriz says
Hello :). Yes, you are absolutely right. I now added ‘3 large eggs’ in the recipe card.
Thank you so much for bringing it to my attention!
Neriz says
Hello again 🙂 Sorry, I did not see the question about the flour, it was too late here in Stockholm. At any rate, I updated the recipe card now.
Hope you like it!