For three decades, Mission: Impossible fans have watched Tom Cruise take on death-defying stunts as Impossible Mission Force agent Ethan Hunt. From iconic action sequences to heart-stopping car chases, the franchise has delivered nonstop thrills—but now, it’s coming to an end. The eighth and final installment, Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, has officially hit theaters.
If you’re a longtime fan of the series, or just love seeing Cruise perform his own jaw-dropping stunts, you might be feeling a little down that it’s all over (unless, of course, you start streaming from the beginning again).
But we have a good idea of what Cruise himself would want you to do to lift your spirits: eat coconut cake.
In Hollywood circles, it’s well-known that Tom Cruise has a thing for coconut cake. It’s his signature way of showing affection and appreciation for his friends. Everyone from Kirsten Dunst to Glen Powell to Tom Hanks has received one, usually around the holiday season.
So we thought: what better way to mark the final chapter of this iconic franchise than by whipping up some celebratory vegan coconut cakes? Keep reading to find some of our favorite Cruise-inspired recipes.
What coconut cake does Tom Cruise send?
If you’re picturing Cruise in his kitchen, apron on, whipping up coconut cakes for all his famous friends, sorry to disappoint. The truth is, this iconic A-lister doesn’t bake the cakes himself (at least, not the famous coconut ones). Instead, he orders them from Doan’s Bakery, a small, family-run shop in Woodland Hills, CA.
Now affectionately known as the Tom Cruise Cake, it’s a rich coconut Bundt cake filled with chunks of sweet white chocolate, topped with a thick layer of cream cheese frosting, and finished with a generous coating of shredded coconut.
Vegan coconut cake recipes inspired by Tom Cruise’s favorite gift
Is your mouth watering? Ours too. While we don’t have an exact vegan replica of Cruise’s go-to dessert, we do have some delicious recipes inspired by it.
Nora Cooks
1One-Bowl Vegan Coconut Cake
Cruise may not bake his own coconut cakes, but let’s be honest, most of us don’t want a complicated recipe either. We want something quick, easy, and delicious. This one-bowl wonder checks all the boxes: soft and tender on the inside, topped with a velvety vegan cream cheese–butter frosting, and packed with coconut flavor from both the milk and the extract.
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Healthy Crunch
2 White Chocolate Coconut Crunch Cake
A key part of Cruise’s favorite cake is the white chocolate, and this recipe delivers. It also features a hint of orange zest and juice, adding a bright, citrusy lift that perfectly balances the richness of the coconut and white chocolate. Light, moist, and bursting with flavor, we’re pretty sure Cruise would give it a thumbs up.
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Fragrant Vanilla
3Coconut Macadamia Carrot Cake With White Chocolate Frosting
If you’re looking for a plant-based showpiece, you can’t beat this recipe. It’s packed with wholesome ingredients like medjool dates, quinoa flour, shredded coconut, and macadamia nuts, and gets a naturally sweet lift from carrots. The creamy white chocolate frosting—made with coconut butter, cacao butter, and macadamia nut butter—is perfectly indulgent, too.
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Addicted to Dates
4Coconut Cake With Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting
This tasty cake is ultra-moist and full of layered coconut flavor thanks to the magic combination of shredded coconut, coconut yogurt, and evaporated coconut milk. The frosting is dreamy, too, thanks to a whipped coconut cream cheese combo that’s both light and indulgent at the same time.
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The Cheeky Chickpea
5Coconut Loaf Cake
If you want an easy, low-fuss, coconut cake recipe, this is the one for you. It’s soft, moist, and made with simple pantry staples like plant milk, vegan yogurt, and coconut extract. The sweet coconut cream glaze adds a silky finish, while a sprinkle of shredded coconut brings all the right texture.
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Charlotte is a VegNews editor and writer based in sunny Southsea on England’s southern coast.
