‘Twas the weeks before Christmas, when all through Hollywood, every celebrity was stirring, even Glen Powell.
Their assistants and publicists checked the mail with care, in hopes that the famous “Tom Cruise Cake” would soon be there.
We may have taken some creative liberties with the iconic “A Visit from St. Nicholas” poem, but there’s no denying that Cruise’s annual gift has become the stuff of legends.
Every year, the “Mission: Impossible” star sends white chocolate coconut bundt cakes from Doan’s Bakery in Los Angeles to a select group of friends and former costars. It’s a list that every celebrity wants to be on.
For those not on the list or local to LA, the famous cake is also available on Goldbelly for $140. Of course, I had to order one for the holidays to see what all the hype was about.
Katie Holmes introduced Tom Cruise to his favorite Christmas gift.
Karen Doan, the self-taught baker behind the famous cake, revealed during a 2021 interview with Spectrum News 1 that Holmes, who was married to Cruise from 2006 to 2012, had learned about Doan’s Bakery from Diane Keaton while they were working on the 2008 film “Mad Money.”
“When Tom and Katie had a big party at their new home in Beverly Hills, we did all the cakes,” Doan said. “They loved it.”
Cruise and Holmes’ marriage didn’t last, but his relationship with Doan’s Bakery has continued for over a decade.
“This has become so popular that I would say when the phone rings, 80% of the people, that’s what they want,” Doan said about the coconut cake in 2021.
The “Tom Cruise Cake,” as it’s since been nicknamed, has become a status symbol in Hollywood.
Whether it’s a bouquet of flowers from Beyoncé or some Meghan Markle marmalade, the A-list loves to show off their exclusive gifts on Instagram. Celebrities, they’re just like us!
The “Tom Cruise Cake” is no different. Stars like Mindy Kaling and Glen Powell have posted pictures of their cakes, and the famous dessert is a frequent discussion on the talk show circuit. Celebrity gossip blogs even publish lists detailing which celebrities — including Jon Hamm, the Fanning sisters, and Angela Bassett — make the cut every year.
The cake itself has also won high praise. Kirsten Dunst told Graham Norton in 2016 that it was the “best coconut cake I’ve ever had in my life,” and Tom Hanks called it “off-the-scale fantastic” during a 2023 video for Mythical Kitchen. The actor loves the cake so much that he said it would be one of the dishes he’d want for his last meal on earth.
I don’t think I’ve ever tried a cake with so much hype. Clearly, it had a lot to live up to.
My cake arrived two days after I ordered it on Goldbelly.
I ordered the cake on December 18 and selected two-day shipping, which was an additional $35. There were also options for five-day delivery ($20) and six-day delivery (free). Unfortunately, due to high demand, you now need to join a waitlist for the cake on Goldbelly, although those in LA can still purchase it from Doan’s Bakery for the much cheaper cost of $66.
The dessert, which ships nationwide, was delivered frozen with dry ice. The cake itself was individually wrapped in plastic, topped with a bright-green bow, and tucked inside a Doan’s Bakery box.
I unwrapped the cake and stuck it in the fridge to defrost overnight.
The hefty 10-inch cake — which serves 12-16 people and weighs 3 pounds — can last in the refrigerator for up to five days or in the freezer for four months.
Cobie Smulders told Jimmy Fallon in 2019 that she’ll “slowly chip away” at the dessert until March.
When my family and I first tried the cake, it was still pretty frozen.
With its generous dusting of coconut flakes, the bundt cake makes for an angelic and festive centerpiece. But, at first, it was hard to appreciate the flavor.
This is already a dense and buttery cake, and it hadn’t fully defrosted after 24 hours in the fridge. Paired with the cream cheese frosting, the texture was really heavy. My parents and I weren’t super impressed, but we decided to hold our opinion and give the cake another day to fully defrost.
With each passing day, we liked the cake more and more.
This is definitely a maximalist cake — something Doan said was always part of her ethos.
“I don’t skimp on ingredients,” she said during the Spectrum News 1 segment in 2021. “Everyone says, ‘Less is more, Karen,’ because I want to put more white chips. I want to put more coconut!”
I’m glad she didn’t listen when she created this cake recipe, especially when it came to the white chocolate chunks. Their texture adds just a hint of delicious crunch to the cake, and there’s a warmth to the flavor that helps cut through the intense punch of sweetness. The toasted flakes are also a nice touch, adding depth without giving each bite an overwhelming coconut flavor.
When I woke up for breakfast one morning this week, I found myself craving another slice of the cake. It had surprisingly grown on me. My parents agreed, although they’re not convinced it’s worth the price.
“I’d eat it again, if someone sent it as a gift,” my dad said.
You heard him, Tom!
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