Coconut Chocolate Marjolaine

Coconut Chocolate Marjolaine is a delicious little twist on the traditional, with layers of cake, ganache, and glaze all topped with toasted coconut!

Recipes like my Chocolate Bread Pudding and Chocolate Mocha Mousse are great for when you want a fancy chocolate dessert for a special occasion. This is one of my Dessert Recipes you’ll want in your recipe box!

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Marjolaine Cake

Have you ever heard of Marjolaine Cake? It’s a really special cake that’s typically a nut meringue (called a dacquoise) layered with buttercream, and has seven beautiful layers.

It’s usually a rectangle shape because of the way the dacquoise is baked in a large sheet, cut into smaller pieces, and then stacked.

This Coconut Chocolate Marjolaine is a delicious little twist on the traditional, and I am lucky to say that my wonderful husband made this Coconut Chocolate Marjolaine for me for my birthday treat this year!

This chocolate version also inspired us to make a lemon version. Check out this amazing Coconut Meringue Cake with Lemon Curd Filling.

Dan and I first had Marjolaine when we were taste testing wedding cakes (many years ago!). We fell in love with Marjolaine, and decided to have it in our wedding cake.

Wedding cake

I thought I’d share a picture of my wedding cake with you. Blue fondant on the outside with a cascade of white sugar flowers. Inside, the different layers are different flavors of cake, including Marjolaine.

So, this year when Dan asked what I wanted for my birthday dessert we decided on this Coconut Chocolate Marjolaine. I had clipped this recipe out of Bon Appetit magazine, and when we flipped to the picture we just knew this was the recipe for this year.

Classic French Layer Cake

In this version of the classic French layer cake, soft coconut meringue alternates with dark chocolate-rum ganache filling. Part of this needs to be made ahead so that it can be whipped. See below the recipe for detailed pictures.

This beautiful dessert does take some effort (a labor of love!), but in the end you have a wonderfully rich chocolate dessert. It’s perfect for a special occasion dessert (like my birthday!).

Rich chocolate cake

This recipe makes a soft meringue, which we loved. The ganache was very rich and chocolaty.

Dan wants to make the meringue again and use some lighter flavored filling, not a chocolate layer. I’m totally on board with that! I’ll definitely share that dessert with you if it works. I’m really interested in trying it.

How to make this dessert

There’s a recipe card with detailed ingredients and instructions lower in this post.

This is the coconut meringue just out of the oven, still in the 11×17 pan

The first slice of meringue has been cut and is placed on the foil covered piece of cardboard (notice how thin it is)

Here are the other pieces of meringue ready to be layered (they are upside down on this sheet because they have been flipped)

Layers of coconut goodness and whipped chocolate ganache. Dan is spreading the whipped ganache on top.

Chocolate glaze which will be spread over the whole cake, and then the cake will chill for 30 minutes.

Also, you’ll notice that Dan took a small plate, turned it upside down, and used that to elevate the cake so it was easier to reach and spread the glaze around.

After this step, it’s just the final glaze and pressing the toasted coconut onto the cake. And then eat!

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Coconut Chocolate Marjolaine Recipe

Coconut Chocolate Marjolaine

Debi

Coconut Chocolate Marjolaine is a delicious little twist on the traditional, with layers of cake, ganache, and glaze all topped with toasted coconut!

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 2 hours hrs

Cook Time 40 minutes mins

Resting time 9 hours hrs 30 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine French

Servings 12 servings

Calories 497 kcal

Ingredients

  

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Ganache

• 4 ounces bittersweet not unsweetened or semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1 tablespoon dark rum

Coconut-meringue layer

• 1 ½ cups unsweetened shredded coconut about 4 1/2 ounces
• 2/3 cup sugar divided
• 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
• ¼ teaspoon fine grain sea salt
• 6 large egg whites
• ½ teaspoon cream of tartar

Glaze

• 12 ounces bittersweet not unsweetened or semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 2 tablespoons dark rum
• 1-2 cups unsweetened wide-shred coconut coconut chips, lightly toasted

Instructions

 

For ganache

• Place chocolate in medium metal bowl. Bring cream to simmer in small saucepan. Pour cream over chocolate; whisk until chocolate is melted and smooth. Whisk in rum. Cover and chill at least 6 hours. (Can be prepared 2 days ahead. Keep chilled.)

For coconut meringue layer

• Position rack in center of oven; preheat to 325°F. Line 17×11-inch rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Mix coconut, 1/3 cup sugar, flour, and salt in medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat egg whites and cream of tartar in large bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining 1/3 cup sugar; beat until stiff but not dry. Fold coconut mixture into meringue just until incorporated. Spread meringue evenly over parchment on prepared sheet, covering completely. Bake until light golden and just springy to touch, about 20 minutes (meringue will be soft). Cool completely on baking sheet. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover tightly with foil; store at room temperature.)

For glaze

• Place chocolate in medium metal bowl. Bring cream to simmer in small saucepan. Pour cream over chocolate; whisk until chocolate is melted and smooth. Whisk in rum. Let glaze stand at room temperature until thickened and spreadable, about 1 hour.
• Place sheet of waxed paper on work surface. Cut around edges of meringue to loosen. Invert meringue onto waxed paper. Peel off parchment. Cut meringue crosswise in half, then cut lengthwise in thirds, forming six 8 1/2×3 2/3-inch rectangles. Cut piece of cardboard into 8 1/2×3 2/3-inch rectangle; cover cardboard with foil. Place 1 meringue rectangle on cardboard.
• Using electric mixer, beat ganache just until lighter-colored and firm enough to spread. Using offset spatula, spread 3 generous tablespoons ganache evenly over meringue. Top with second meringue rectangle; press to adhere. Spread 3 tablespoons ganache over. Repeat procedure with 3 more meringue rectangles and remaining ganache. Top with remaining meringue rectangle. Chill cake until ganache is firm, about 1 hour.
• Place cake on rack set over rimmed baking sheet. Spread top and sides of cake with some of glaze. Chill 30 minutes.
• Place bowl with remaining glaze in skillet of barely simmering water and rewarm just until instant-read thermometer inserted into glaze registers 90°F. Pour glaze over top of cake, allowing glaze to drip down sides, spreading evenly over sides. Using spatula, scoop up excess glaze on sheet; spread over sides of cake to cover. Press toasted coconut onto glaze. Transfer cake to platter. Chill until glaze is set, at least 1 hour. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and keep chilled. Let cake stand at room temperature 30 minutes before serving.)
• Using serrated knife, cut cake crosswise into 12 slices. Transfer to plates.

Notes

Adapted from Bon Appétit

Nutrition

Calories: 497kcalCarbohydrates: 36gProtein: 6gFat: 37gSaturated Fat: 24gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 57mgSodium: 97mgPotassium: 354mgFiber: 5gSugar: 26gVitamin A: 602IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 54mgIron: 3mg

Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations, and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary based on brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes, and more.

Keyword cake, chocolate, coconut

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