Tommy Bahama's Pina Colada Cake: Evidence that Tommy does Everything with Flair

In Palm Springs, CA, there is a Tommy Bahama's store and cafe. If you are ever there, you should probably get the coconut shrimp and perhaps the goat cheese with mango salsa. Actually, everything on the menu is good, get whatever you want.

But for dessert, you have to get THIS cake. Pina Colada cake.

Look at the back of that. All layered in coconut. And the pineapple. My gosh.

It is a personal favorite of mine. I am constantly trying to recreate the flavor combination- case and point these cupcakes and this citrus dump cake. My parents actually went to California without me once and brought it back to Chicago for my birthday. An entire, four layer cake. They had to carry it on and, apparently, this cake weighs a ton.

You wouldn't think it from the light fluffy cake and mousse.


Also, that's my friend Adam creeping over the cake. He lives in California... I am pretty jealous. Especially since he could always drive and get this cake. 


If he wanted to drive 5 hours or so. Which. For tihs cake... I might.

Each forkful is like a floating piece of summer. It's like eating a tropical cloud.

If that sounds appealing.

The pics seen above are taken in Tommy's from my latest trip there. With my family and Adam, we had a big lunch at Tommy's, finished off with this cake. It was an amazing amazing trip. It may have been winter but, I promise you, in Palm Springs it is still 80 degrees. Tropical cake is more then applicable.

Clearly, no one else liked it.

I doubt the REAL recipe in the Tommy cafe' uses cake mix. I don't know why that's what the Tommy's website uses but, since I would likely have made a mix cake anyway to save myself the time and a dime, (all about the rhyme!), I am not complaining. However, I think when I make this, I will be making my own white chocolate mousse. Mousse is completely underrated and is exceptionally fun to make. While I always make a mess, it is always a really fun mess.

I'll let you know how this all turns out.

Make it yourself and enjoy :)

Pina Colada Cake Recipe (Straight from the Tommy's Website)

1 box Pillsbury Deluxe White Cake Mix

1 box Swiss Chalet White Chocolate Mousse

1 Quart Heavy Cream

½ Cup Tommy Bahama Golden Sun^TMRum

8 oz Crushed Pineapple-drained

½ Cup Toasted Coconut

Bake cake as directed in 2 - 9" x 12" rounds. Cool. Slice off rounded top level with baking pan and cut each cake into 2 layers (4 cake layers in total). Make Mousse according to the directions. After the mousse mixture is complete, slowly add heavy cream. Increase speed until mousse and heavy cream are incorporated. Continue whipping until stiff. Assembly: Generously brush each layer of the cake with Tommy Bahama Golden Sun^TM Rum. Spread the mousse mix evenly ¼" thick on the first layer. Sprinkle with some of the pineapple. Top with next cake layer and again, spread with mousse then pineapple. Continue with each layer. The layers of the cake and mousse should be the same height. Coat the sides and top with the mousse mix. Sprinkle toasted coconut over the finished cake.