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Tropical Sea Turtle Beach Cake

A stunning pineapple coconut sheet cake decorated with a buttercream sunset, ocean waves, graham cracker sand, and a realistic fondant sea turtle.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 2 hours
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 45 minutes
Servings: 24 slices
Course: Cake, Dessert
Cuisine: American, Hawaiian
Calories: 650
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Pineapple Coconut Cake
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 tbsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 4 eggs large, room temperature
  • 1 cup canned coconut milk full fat
  • 0.5 cup sour cream
  • 1 tsp coconut extract
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 cup crushed pineapple well-drained
Vanilla Buttercream & Decor
  • 3 cups unsalted butter softened
  • 8 cups powdered sugar sifted
  • 0.25 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 1 tbsp vanilla extract
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 1 set gel food coloring various colors
  • 0.5 cup graham crackers crushed
  • 1 cup white fondant for sculpting

Equipment

  • 9x13 inch baking pan
  • Stand Mixer
  • Piping Bags and Tips
  • Offset spatula
  • Sea turtle fondant mold

Method
 

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9x13 sheet cake pan.
  2. Whisk dry cake ingredients together. Beat in softened butter until crumbly.
  3. Whisk wet ingredients together and gradually add to the dry mixture. Fold in drained pineapple.
  4. Pour batter into pan and bake for 35-45 minutes. Cool completely.
  5. Whip butter for frosting until pale. Gradually add powdered sugar, heavy cream, and vanilla. Whip until fluffy.
  6. Divide and color frosting. Apply a crumb coat to the cooled cake.
  7. Pipe and blend orange, yellow, and pink frosting on the top half for a sunset. Pipe and texture blue/teal frosting on the bottom half for waves.
  8. Add crushed graham crackers for sand. Pipe palm trees and borders. Add fondant flowers.
  9. Mold, paint, and place the fondant sea turtle on the sand to finish.

Notes

Ensure cake is completely cool before applying buttercream, otherwise the sunset gradient and waves will melt.