Baking

Drommekage (The Danish Dream Cake That Won a Contest)

3 min

Pull the cake out while the center is still a little soft, around the 22-minute mark. That half-baked base is what lets the coconut topping sink in and set together with it during the second blast at 400°F. Whip the eggs and sugar a full three to five minutes first, until they're pale and hold a ribbon, because that's the only lift this sponge gets. The topping is just butter, dark brown sugar, milk, and desiccated coconut cooked down and poured on warm.

By Nora Calloway

A little backstory

The favorite story is that drømmekage, "dream cake," came up through a Danish baking contest mid-century and spread from there into cafes and birthday tables across Denmark. The contest details get polished in the retelling, but the cake itself is genuinely a fixture of Danish home baking, known for its coconut-caramel top.

In 1960, a young Danish woman named Jytte Andersen entered her grandmother’s cake recipe into a national baking competition. She won. Today, that cake—Drømmekage, or “Dream Cake”—is everywhere in Denmark: birthday parties, office coffee breaks, bakeries, and hygge-filled afternoons. It’s a simple vanilla sponge topped with a sticky, caramelized coconut layer. Pure Danish magic.

Serves 10-12.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Prep the Oven and Pan

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).

Grease a 9-inch springform or round cake pan and line with parchment paper.

Make the Batter

Whisk eggs and sugar together until light, pale, and fluffy (about 3-5 minutes).

In a separate bowl, sift together flour and baking powder.

Mix milk with melted butter.

Gently fold flour mixture into egg mixture alternately with milk-butter mixture until just combined.

Bake the Base

Pour batter into prepared pan.

Bake for 20-25 minutes until cake is almost done but still slightly soft.

Make the Topping While It Bakes

In a saucepan over medium heat, melt butter with brown sugar, milk, and salt.

Bring to a gentle simmer for 1-2 minutes until sugar dissolves.

Stir in shredded coconut until fully coated.

Add Topping and Finish Baking

Remove cake from oven. Spread coconut topping evenly over the top.

Return to oven. Increase temperature to 400°F (200°C).

Bake for 5-10 more minutes until topping is golden and bubbly.

Cool and Serve

Let cake cool in the pan for 15-20 minutes.

Serve warm or at room temperature with coffee or tea.

Summary

Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 30-35 minutes | Total Time: 50 minutes

Yield: 10-12 servings

Difficulty: Easy

Storage Notes

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. The topping stays wonderfully gooey. Do not refrigerate—coconut topping hardens. This cake does not freeze well (texture changes). Serve slightly warm for the full dreamy experience.

The Ingredients

Everything you need.

Prep

15 minutes

Cook

30-35 minutes

Total

50 minutes

Yield

10-12 servings

For the Cake:

3 large eggs
1 cup (225g) granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla sugar
1½ cups (225g) plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
⅔ cup (165ml) whole milk
85g unsalted butter, melted

For the Coconut Topping:

100g unsalted butter
1 cup (250g) dark brown sugar, packed
⅓ cup (80ml) whole milk
3 cups (210g) shredded coconut (desiccated)
Pinch of salt

Instructions

1
Prep the Oven and Pan. Prep the Oven and Pan. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Grease a 9-inch springform or round cake pan and line with parchment paper. 2 2
2
Make the Batter. Make the Batter. Whisk eggs and sugar together until light, pale, and fluffy (about 3-5 minutes). In a separate bowl, sift together flour and baking powder. Mix milk with melted butter. Gently fold flour mixture into egg mixture alternately with milk-butter mixture until just combined. 3 3
3
Bake the Base. Bake the Base. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes until cake is almost done but still slightly soft. 4 4
4
Make the Topping While It Bakes. Make the Topping While It Bakes. In a saucepan over medium heat, melt butter with brown sugar, milk, and salt. Bring to a gentle simmer for 1-2 minutes until sugar dissolves. Stir in shredded coconut until fully coated. 5 5
5
Add Topping and Finish Baking. Add Topping and Finish Baking. Remove cake from oven. Spread coconut topping evenly over the top. Return to oven. Increase temperature to 400°F (200°C). Bake for 5-10 more minutes until topping is golden and bubbly. 6 6
6
Cool and Serve. Cool and Serve. Let cake cool in the pan for 15-20 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature with coffee or tea

Swaps & Substitutions

Whole milk → any dairy or unsweetened plant milk works in both batter and topping; the topping just wants enough liquid to stay pourable.
Unsalted butter → if you only have salted, use it and skip the pinch of salt in the topping.
Dark brown sugar → light brown works but gives a milder caramel; for a deeper note add a teaspoon of molasses.
Plain flour → a 1:1 gluten-free blend with xanthan gum holds up, though the crumb is a touch denser.
Desiccated coconut → sweetened shredded coconut works if you cut the topping's brown sugar by a couple tablespoons so it isn't cloying.
Vanilla extract → vanilla sugar or the seeds from half a pod, the more traditional Danish choice.

Questions & Answers

How do I know when to take the base out before adding the topping?

Pull it at 20-22 minutes, when the top is set but the very center still jiggles slightly and a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs. It finishes cooking under the topping during the second bake.

My topping turned out greasy or split. What happened?

The butter and sugar were probably cooked too hard or too long. Simmer it only 1-2 minutes until it's glossy and combined, then stir in the coconut off direct high heat so it doesn't seize.

Can I make it ahead?

Yes, it keeps in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Don't refrigerate it, since the cold makes the coconut caramel hard and brittle.

Can I freeze drømmekage?

It's not great frozen. The coconut topping loses its texture and weeps when thawed, so it's best eaten within a few days of baking.

Warm or room temperature?

Either. Warm from the pan the topping is soft and almost chewy; at room temperature it firms into more of a set caramel layer. Let it cool in the pan 15-20 minutes before slicing so it holds together.

Drommekage (The Danish Dream Cake That Won a Contest)