Polo Bar Coconut Cake Copycat Recipe & A Look Inside the Restaurant

This is one of those special blog posts where interiors intersects with food. A couple weeks ago, while in New York City, I somehow managed to snag a reservation at Ralph Lauren’s Polo Bar. I’ll admit, I solely wanted to go for the interiors, decor, and equestrian art. While I’d heard decent things about the food, the designer in me was going for the aesthetic. While the food was good and the cocktails were top notch, I have to say- the one thing I haven’t been able to stop thinking about (aside from the beautifully decorated restaurant) was the dessert we almost didn’t get… the coconut cake. By the end of dinner, we were feeling quite indulged, but asked our server what the most popular item on the menu was. To our surprise, he immediately responded with the cake- telling us it was a must try. Thankfully, we followed his recommendation and I’ve been trying to recreate their recipe since. Click through for my Polo Bar coconut cake copycat recipe (complete with the passionfruit sorbet), and a look inside the stunning restaurant! I did promise interior inspiration after all…

I invited a few friends to tag along… fellow design enthusiasts, Kyla and Sarah, and Kristin. Upon arriving home from NYC, Kyla immediately text me saying she was dreaming of the cake (as was I). Kristin, then sent images from her kitchen, attempting Ina Garten’s coconut cake recipe. I decided to try to recreate the recipe in my own kitchen. I have to say- attempting to recreate this cake has kept me entertained while I’ve been unable to leave our house. I know everyone is making pumpkin or fall treats at the moment, but I had to nail this before I could mentally move on. It’s that memorable. Give it a try whenever the mood strikes or pin it for later- and be sure to let me know what you think whenever you do!

Polo Bar Tour

First, let’s talk design… I snapped as many images of inspirational vignettes as I could without looking like an obsessed tourist, so hopefully you enjoy this little tour. It’s difficult to get a reservation here, so I wanted to make sure to properly document my interior inspiration for later review.

Take it from a horse girl with a traditional interior aesthetic, Ralph’s team really knows how to design a classic space. My major interior takeaways? Lean into darker tones- specifically hues of green (check out my favorite green paint colors here), embrace cherry wood for what it is, really layer art (and use functional objects as art- like the polo vignette above), and focus on timeless layered lighting (see my tips for layering lighting like a designer here). If you ever have the opportunity to visit, it really is a visual treat!

I loved the dark green tile in the moody bathroom, but most of all- I admired the art. It’s like walking a gallery filled with equestrian works.

I also noticed their flooring is nearly identical to our own herringbone hardwood floors! Same pattern, same color, same scale, etc. It’s always validating to see something you’ve done in a particularly inspiring space.

Coconut Cake Recipe with Mango Passionfruit Sorbet

Alright, let’s dive right into the recipe. I tested this a couple times and finally landed on a version that seems pretty close- and is absolutely delicious.

Polo Bar Inspired Coconut Cake

A light and sweet five layer coconut cake

Prep Time 1 hour hr

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 2 hours hrs

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Coconut Cake

• 2 1/2 cups cake flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/3 cups buttermilk
• 1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp coconut emulsion or extract
• 1/2 tsp almond extract
• 1/2 cup salted butter softened to room temperature
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 egg whites
• 1 cup shredded sweetened coconut finely chopped processed in food processor

Coconut Cream Frosting

• 1 cup salted butter softened to room temperature
• 2 8 oz packages cream cheese softened to room temperature
• 2 16 oz bags confectioners sugar sifted
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 tsp coconut emulsion or extract

Cake Decorating

• 1 package unsweetened shredded coconut

Coconut Cake

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Line round cake pans with parchment paper and spray well with nonstick oil. Set aside.

• In a medium bowl, sift the cake flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

• In a liquid measuring cup, whisk together the buttermilk, vanilla, coconut extract, and almond extract. Set aside.

• In a large (separate) bowl, mix together the butter, oil, and sugar until well combined. Add in the eggs, one at a time, mixing for one minute after each addition. Follow with the eggs whites, using the same method. Scrape the sides of the bowl and mix until pale, light, and fluffy.

• Alternate adding the flour mixture and buttermilk mixture to the creamed sugar, scraping the sides of the bowl as you go. Once you have a smooth, well combined batter, fold in the finely ground shredded coconut.

• Divide the batter amongst 5 round prepared cake pans. Tapping gently on the counter to remove any air bubbles.

• Bake the cakes for about 25 minutes, or until an inserted toothpicks comes out clean. Don’t over bake these cakes… keep a close eye during the end of the baking window.

• Allow the cakes to cool for 15-20 minutes in the pans, before turning them out onto a cooling rack. Cool completely on the racks before assembling and frosting.

Coconut Cream Frosting

• In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter and cream cheese using the paddle attachment. Once it looks light and fluffy, add in the vanilla and coconut extracts- mixing well. Add the powdered sugar one cup at a time, mixing well after each addition.

• Depending on your desired consistency, add more or less confectioners sugar. You can easily thin the frosting with a tablespoon of milk.

Cake Assembly

• Toast 1/2 cup of shredded coconut in the oven at 350 degrees for 2-3 minutes or until it begins to turn golden. Once cooled, mix it into the remaining (non toasted) coconut.

• Stack and frost each layer, before coating the entire cake in frosting.

• Press the prepared coconut flakes onto the entire cake exterior, until looks as desired.

• Serve chilled, or freeze to keep for up to 8 weeks.

Keyword cake, coconut, coconut cake

This cake is best served slightly chilled… they served it cool on a warm plate at Polo Bar- though I’m not sure if that was intentional. I also added dollops of frosting to the top simply because I had excess, but their cake didn’t include those.

Mango & Passionfruit Sorbet

An easy, fruity, and creamy sorbet

• 2 cups frozen cubed passionfruit & mango
• 1/4 cup fat-free condensed milk

• Measure the frozen cubed fruit mix and toss into your blender. Add the condensed milk and blend until very smooth and creamy (adding more condensed milk if needed). Spoon the mixture into a loaf pan lined with parchment paper, cover, and freeze for at least 4 hours. Scoop, serve, and enjoy!

Keyword ice cream, mango, passionfruit, sorbet

Cake Comparison

Given it has now been a couple weeks since I’ve consumed the coveted Polo Bar coconut cake, and I’ve been under the influence of drugs from my surgery (ha), maybe take this loosely, but I think my recipe is pretty spot on! I’m obviously not a professional baker, so the construction and cake cutting isn’t as clean or beautiful- but it does taste divine.

The RL cake has a more condensed sponge / crumb, and my version is a bit more fluffy. I also think my cake is a bit sweeter… so it may be wise to use unsweetened coconut flakes (which I’ve adjusted in the above recipe). Otherwise, it’s quite close! I added mango to my passionfruit sorbet, so that flavor profile can be adjusted to your liking- which is why the coloring looks different.

FAQ

Related

I’ll admit, I look to Ralph Lauren for inspiration often. If you’re interested in more, I’ll link some of my favorite relevant posts for you below (with the same aesthetic)…

I’ll also share some of my go-to cake recipes. I’m a big fan of cake… behind ice cream, it’s my favorite dessert.

I hope you enjoyed this post! I was so excited to visit the Polo Bar while in New York, and the coconut cake was the best surprise… obviously, I knew the aesthetic would be dialed. While autumn does bring pumpkin treats, I do think there would be a special place at the table for this cake during the holiday season! It’s an impressive and delicious five layer cake, that is quite easy to make. Here’s to an inspiring week ahead, friends. Cheers!