Tom Cruise’s Holiday Tradition: The Famous Coconut Cake Gift

The Mission: Impossible Star’s Sweet Generosity

When the holiday season arrives, Tom Cruise embarks on perhaps his most beloved mission: delivering his now-famous White Chocolate Coconut Bundt cakes to friends and family across Hollywood. At 63, the “Mission Impossible” star meticulously maintains a special list of recipients who will receive these coveted treats from Doan’s Bakery in Woodland Hills, California. During a 2018 appearance on “The Late Late Show with James Corden,” Cruise revealed the heartwarming irony behind this tradition—though he loves sugar, he can’t actually eat it himself due to his strict dietary regimen. Instead, he finds joy in sharing these delectable desserts with others, a gesture that has become one of Tinseltown’s most cherished holiday traditions. The cakes have become so legendary that being added to Cruise’s “cake list” is considered a mark of status in Hollywood circles.

The Celebrity Cake Recipients Club

The exact members of Cruise’s cake recipient list remain as closely guarded as classified information from his “Top Gun” days, but many high-profile friends have proudly announced their inclusion. Jon Hamm, the charismatic star of “Mad Men,” has enthusiastically shared his delight at making the list, expressing his pride in being among the chosen few. Similarly, Cobie Smulders, who worked with Cruise in “Jack Reacher: Never Go Back,” revealed to Jimmy Fallon (another lucky list member) that the cake is so exceptional that she keeps it in her freezer, slowly savoring it until spring. “It’s so good. I leave it in my freezer, and it lasts until like March. I just slowly chip away at this thing,” she explained. These testimonials speak to both the cake’s deliciousness and the special feeling that comes with being remembered by one of Hollywood’s most iconic figures during the holiday season.

A Luxury Treat Made Accessible

The original White Chocolate Coconut Bundt cake from Doan’s Bakery comes with a premium price tag—a staggering $125.95 including shipping—putting it out of reach for many ordinary fans. However, the good news is that you don’t need to be on a Hollywood A-lister’s gift list to experience this legendary dessert. With a copycat recipe, anyone can recreate the magic of Tom Cruise’s favorite holiday gift in their own kitchen. While it may not come with the cachet of being personally sent by the action star, the flavors and experience can be remarkably similar. And who’s to say you can’t tell your guests that “Cruise sent it” when you serve this spectacular dessert at your own holiday gatherings? The joy of sharing something special—something that connects you to a beloved cultural tradition—is very much in keeping with the spirit behind Cruise’s annual gesture.

The Recipe: Creating Hollywood Magic at Home

The copycat version of Tom Cruise’s famous gift cake begins with a rich, moist base that perfectly balances sweetness with texture. For the cake itself, you’ll need three cups of flour, a teaspoon each of baking powder and salt, two and a half cups of sugar, and a cup of butter as the foundation. Six eggs provide structure and richness, while two teaspoons of vanilla extract and one teaspoon of almond extract add depth of flavor. A cup and a quarter of sour cream ensures the cake remains tender and moist, even days after baking. The signature ingredients—two cups of sweetened flaked coconut and a cup of melted white chocolate chips—are what transform this from an ordinary Bundt cake into something truly special. The frosting combines five ounces of cream cheese with a quarter cup of butter and nearly three cups of powdered sugar, creating a creamy canvas for the final two cups of flaked coconut that provide the cake’s distinctive appearance and texture. The preparation is straightforward but requires attention to detail: creaming the butter and sugar until light and fluffy takes a full five minutes, eggs are incorporated one at a time, and the dry ingredients must be folded in gently to maintain the cake’s delicate crumb.

Baking Instructions: The Path to Perfection

The process begins with preheating your oven to 325 degrees and thoroughly greasing a 10-inch Bundt pan—a crucial step to ensure your masterpiece releases cleanly after baking. After preparing the batter according to the instructions, it’s spread evenly in the pan and bakes for approximately 90 minutes, though you’ll want to verify doneness with a toothpick test. Patience is key; the cake must cool completely before you apply the luscious cream cheese frosting. For the distinctive finishing touch that makes this cake instantly recognizable, half of the coconut topping is lightly toasted to a golden brown before being mixed with the remaining untoasted coconut and sprinkled generously over the frosted surface. This creates a beautiful contrast in both color and texture that’s visually stunning and adds complexity to each bite. The long baking time is well worth the wait, as it allows the flavors to meld perfectly and ensures the cake has the proper structure to support its rich ingredients.

The Spirit of Holiday Giving

What makes Tom Cruise’s cake tradition so endearing isn’t just the quality of the dessert itself, but the spirit behind the gesture. In a world where celebrity gifts could easily trend toward the extravagant or impersonal, there’s something wonderfully nostalgic and genuine about sending food—especially something as comforting as cake. It harkens back to a simpler time when homemade treats were the currency of caring and community. Though Cruise doesn’t bake these cakes himself, his careful curation of recipients and consistency year after year transforms what could be a simple corporate gift into something more meaningful. By recreating this recipe at home, we participate in that same tradition of thoughtfulness and care. Whether served at a holiday gathering, gifted to a special friend, or enjoyed alone with a cup of coffee on a winter morning, this cake represents more than just a delicious dessert. It embodies the joy of giving, the pleasure of sharing something special with those we care about, and perhaps even a tiny connection to the glamour and warmth of Hollywood’s most enduring holiday tradition.