Tiki Cocktail Cake

I saw a cake like this in Food Network Magazine and had to try making it.  It turned out to be a lot of fun but definitely a challenge.  I would need to make it a couple more times to perfect it.  It really helped to put a crumb layer on it before frosting it for real. (that's when you freeze it for a little while and apply a very thin layer of frosting all over and freeze again before applying the final layer.) 

I made this just like the coconut halves cake.  I used dried pineapple and papaya, a maraschino cherry, and fresh mint for the garnish.  I used two ice cream bowls to bake the cake in and put the two halves together with frosting.  After you finish frosting i,t press the toasted coconut onto the outside of it.  I think adding the coconut extract to the cake mix and the frosting really made a difference.  Everyone at work thought it tasted really good and were begging for a second piece.