Every year, Tom Cruise sends his famous friends a special gift in the post — and it’s not what you’d expect.
The Hollywood heavyweight gifts former co-stars and colleagues a giant white chocolate coconut bundt cake to celebrate the festive season.
Last year, the likes of Glen Powell, Kirsten Dunst, Renée Zellweger, and James Corden were among the chosen few to receive the special sweet treat through the post — and to rave about how great it tastes.
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Speaking about the viral cake during an April 2026 appearance on The Graham Norton Show, Dunst declared: “It’s the best coconut cake I’ve ever had in my life.”
In fact, it’s so good that actor Jay Ellis flew the viral cake to Mexico to tuck into over the holiday season.
“This year, my family, we all met in Mexico to spend Christmas together,” he said during an interview with Jennifer Hudson in 2023. “And I was away filming a movie, and I was like, ‘Mom, can you freeze the cake and take it to Mexico?’ My whole family was like, ‘Yes, freeze the cake’.
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"Whatever it is - dry ice, ice cubes, whatever it is - we froze the cake. We took it to Mexico, thawed it out and we had it on Christmas Day.”
But while Cruise makes new additions to the list every year, he also makes cuts.
And Brooke Shields was one of the people to be struck off the list.
Speaking to People a while back, she said: "I was on the list for a while. I had a good 10-year run, and I got the coconut cake every year, which I was very happy [about]."
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But the actress isn't exactly sure what happened between the two.
"And then the cake stopped," she added.
"I want to get back on that cake list. It's the best cake."
What’s the story behind the Tom Cruise cake?
According to multiple sources online, Cruise was introduced to the cake by none other than actress Diane Keaton back in 2008. The duo were filming Mad Money at the time alongside Cruise’s ex-wife Kate Holmes.
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Doan’s Bakery in Los Angeles is behind the cultural phenomenon and remains a family business to this day, despite its newfound celebrity status. Founded by Karen Doan back in 1984, it’s now run by Karen and her son Eric, and the coconut cake has become their signature.
What is the 'Tom Cruise cake'?
Ever wondered what the Tom Cruise cake tastes like? According to the bakery, you can expect a ‘pillowy’ coconut bundt cake with sweet chunks of white chocolate. To finish, it’s topped with a layer of rich cream cheese frosting and dusted with toasted coconut flakes.
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It's received rave reviews online too. One customer wrote, "This is the second time we have had what we call the 'Tom Cruise Cake', and it does not disappoint. It's one of the best cakes ever and we don't like coconut."
Another shopper agreed, as they said: "It was the best coconut feather cake I’ve ever had! Even my family who never liked feather cake enjoyed this one!"
A third simply wrote, "Best cake ever!!!"
Where can I buy the real Tom Cruise cake?
You don’t have to be a celebrity to get involved. You can order the real deal from Doan’s Bakery via the Goldbelly website. The cake serves 12 to 16 people and if you don’t manage to finish it, you can freeze leftovers for up to four months.
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The cake is currently available to purchase on the site for $129.95. Catch you at the checkout?
Topics: Food and Drink
Danielle Fowler