Peter Paul Mound Cake

If you love Mounds candy bars, this cake is basically a giant version of one. Chocolate cake layers split and sandwiched with a sticky, sweet coconut filling, then wrapped in chocolate frosting. That’s it. Simple concept, huge payoff.

The filling is where the magic lives. Marshmallows melted with evaporated milk and sugar turn into a stretchy, gooey base that binds the coconut together. When you bite through the chocolate frosting and hit that coconut layer, it’s pure Mounds bar territory.

Splitting a single cake into four layers instead of the usual two means more coconut filling in every slice. Use a long serrated knife and turn the cake as you cut for even layers. Don’t rush this step.

Chef Tips

• Let the coconut filling cool to warm (not hot) before spreading it on the cake layers. Hot filling melts the frosting and makes the layers slide.
• Use a cake box mix as directed. This recipe is designed as a semi-homemade shortcut, and a good box mix gives you consistent results every time.
• Chill the assembled cake for 30 minutes before frosting. Cold layers are easier to frost without pulling up crumbs.
• Toast half the coconut in a dry skillet and fold it in with the regular coconut for a mix of chewy and crunchy texture in the filling.

Variations

• Add a handful of chopped almonds to the coconut filling to turn this into an Almond Joy cake instead.
• Use dark chocolate frosting for a more intense, bittersweet contrast against the sweet coconut.
• Spread a thin layer of ganache between the frosting and cake layers for extra fudgy richness.