My favorite Girl Scout Cookie of all time has always been the Samoa
And now the Girl Scout Samoa Cookie Cake is my favorite cake!
Buttery shortbread with toasted coconut, caramel, and chocolate
This cake captures the classic Samoa cookie: buttery shortbread, toasted coconut tossed in caramel, and a chocolate finish on the bottom. It’s an authentic-sounding, indulgent vegan version inspired by the Girl Scout favorite.
But that’s just the cookies—wait until you see the cake!
Tall chocolate cake layers are filled with a caramel-coconut buttercream and finished with a cookie-butter icing. A ganache and caramel drip plus toasted coconut garnish complete the look and flavor.
This website may contain affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you make a purchase at no extra cost to you.
Notes for Success
Make it gluten free if needed
The chocolate cake recipe works well with a gluten-free blend such as Bob’s Red Mill (not sponsored). If you prefer 8″ pans, make a two-layer cake instead and keep the ingredient amounts the same.
Make components ahead
Most elements can be prepared in advance to reduce day-of work. Caramel and ganache both keep well in the refrigerator for up to one week—caramel will thicken as it cools, which can be helpful. Cookies also freeze beautifully for up to one month.
Girl Scout Samoa Cake
Pin Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 batch Chocolate Cake (see linked recipe)
- 1 batch American Buttercream (see linked recipe)
- 1 jar (~10 ounces) Biscoff Cookie Butter
- 1 batch Vegan Girl Scout Samoa Cookies (see linked recipe)
- ½ batch Vegan Ganache (see linked recipe)
- ½ batch Caramel Sauce (see linked recipe)
- Toasted unsweetened coconut flakes — 1½ cups
Instructions
- Prepare each component according to its recipe: chocolate cake, buttercream, cookie butter, vegan ganache, caramel, and Samoa cookies.
- Bake the cake in three 7″ pans (or two 8″ pans as noted in the success tips).
- Reserve roughly ¾ of the finished buttercream and blend in the jar of cookie butter to make the cookie-butter icing for the outer finish.
- Fold 1¼ cups of toasted coconut and about ¼ cup of cooled caramel into the remaining buttercream to make the coconut-caramel filling.
- Reserve the final ¼ cup of toasted coconut for garnish.
- Use the remaining caramel and the ganache to create drips along the top edge of the cake and finish with toasted coconut and cookie pieces as desired.
Video
Notes
The iced cake will stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to one week when covered to prevent drying of slices. An uncut cake stays fresh even longer because the buttercream seals in moisture.
Let us know how it was!