Moana Island Jelly Cake

Let's get started!

1. Coconut Cake: Preheat oven to 325F° and line two 6-inch pans.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.
3. In a large bowl, using a hand mixer, cream together the butter, sugar, and extracts until very light and fluffy, about 6-8 minutes. 
4. Add both eggs to the butter mixture and mix. 
5. Alternate adding the flour mixture and coconut milk in thirds, starting and ending with the flour. Do not over mix. 
6. Pour the batter evenly into the prepared pans.
7. Bake for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick in the center comes out clean. 
8. Pineapple Filling: In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar and cornstarch until combined. Add the pineapple and stir to combine. 
9. Cook the mixture over medium heat, while stirring until the mixture thickens, about 4-6 minutes. 
10. Pour into a medium bowl and let cool completely. 
11. White Chocolate Rum Ganache: Place chopped white chocolate in a medium bowl.
12. In a small saucepan, heat the cream until it reaches 180F°-190F°. Pour over the chopped chocolate and let sit for 30 seconds. 
13. Stir the mixture with a spoon until the chocolate is melted and fully combined. Add the rum extract and stir in until blended. Cover with plastic wrap and let cool to room temperature. 
14. Milk Chocolate Ganache: Repeat steps 11-13 (with milk chocolate & without the extract). 

Assemble the Cake:

1. Level the tops of the cakes and place excess in a medium bowl. Cut each cake into 2 even layers (4 cakes). Cut the cakes into mountain shapes to stack & place extra into a bowl. 
2. Spread the white chocolate ganache on the cake board.
3. Stack the cut cakes into mountains, by piping a boarder along the edge and fill the center with pineapple filling in between cake layers. Crumb coat the finished mountains with white chocolate ganache. 
4. Mix the excess cake & tops with a small amount of white chocolate ganache and form mountain peaks. Place shaped peaks on top of mountains. Chill for 1 hour. 
5. In two separate bowls, mix the milk chocolate ganache and white chocolate ganache to create a light brown color (island), and tan color (sand). 
6. Above the water line, use an offset spatula to spread the light brown ganache (island) on the top of the cake island. 
7. Below the water line, use an offset spatula to spread the tan ganache (sand) on the bottom of the cake island and the cake board.

Chocolate Sea Decorations:

1. Sea Anemones: Melt the white chocolate & mix with purple, scoop into a piping bag and pipe anemone shapes onto parchment paper. 
2. Coral: Melt the white chocolate & mix with orange, scoop into a piping bag and pipe coral onto parchment paper and let cool. Using the melted chocolate, stack the cooled coral decorations together. 
3. Fish & Shells: Melt the white chocolate and mix with red, yellow, pink and leave some white. Fill the fish & shell silicone molds with chocolate and let cool. Carefully pop out of molds. 
4. Marbled Shells: Melt white chocolate and add a small amount of brown oil based coloring, mix partially, then fill silicone shell molds and let cool. Carefully pop out of molds. 
5. Marbled Rocks: Melt white chocolate and add a small amount of black oil based coloring, mix partially, then place various sized blobs onto parchment paper. Optional: When hardening, roll in your hands to create more realistic look.
6. Moss Covered Rocks: Melt white chocolate & mix with green, using a toothbrush apply green on cooled rocks on a side.
7. Place decorations around cake under water line.

Coconut Jelly:

1. In a large glass heat-proof bowl, add the sugar, coconut extract and 2 cups of water & stir to combine.
2. Add the cut gelatin sheets, and stir until all the gelatin is coated in water. Let sit for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. 
3. In a large pot bring 1-inch of water to a low simmer. Place the large glass gelatin bowl on top and stir until the gelatin completely melts, about 5 minutes until 150F°.
4. Remove from heat, pour hot gelatin mixture into the 3 cups of cold water. 
5. In a small bowl, mix 1 drop of green & 4 drops of blue. Slowly add to the gelatin mixture until desired ocean color. 
6. Place acetate strip inside the cake ring and place around the cake. Pipe ganache round the outside base to seal the ring. 
7. When gelatin mixture reached 90F°, place the cake into the freezer for 10 minutes. Remove and pour 1/3 cup of gelatin mixture into the bottom of the cake and refrigerate for 3 minutes to set the base. 
8. Remove cake from the fridge and slowly pour the gelatin mixture into the ring. Remove any bubbles with a spoon. Place back into the fridge for 8-hours to overnight to set.
9. Remove the sealing the ring, and the ring. Slowly & carefully peel off the acetate.

Beach & Boat Decorations:

1. Boats: Mold the brown and tan fondant into Moana's boat and canoes.  Use red icing for red swirl on the sail. Spread milk chocolate ganache on bottom for barrier on jelly. Once set, place on top of jelly. 
2. Waves: Using a small paintbrush and white gel food coloring, paint fine water lines on the top of the jelly for waves. 
3. Sand: Use a spoon to carefully place crushed crackers around the base of the island on top of the jelly for sand details. 

Sponge Cake:

1. In a medium microwave-safe bowl, use a hand mixer with whisk attachment to whip the egg until foamy, about 1 minute. Add the sugar and while until light and fluffy, 1-2 minutes. Add the honey and gel color (4 drops green, 1 drop brown, 1 drop yellow) and whip until combined. 
2. Sift in the flour and baking powder and stir gently until combined. Scrape down the sides and cover with food-safe plastic wrap with a small hole in the center.
3. Microwave for 1:30-2:00 minutes and let cool completely. Tear apart and attache onto the island peaks using ganache.