ok everyone, I am asking this out of desperation and hoping one (or more) of you may have also eaten this dessert and remember the general ingredient list. I have been searching the web for a few week to see if I can find this recipe anywhere. Before I break down and buy a Roy Yamaguchi cookbook I am wondering if any one can help me out. A few years back, I had a dessert at Roy's Waikoloa that was incredible. I thought it was the pineapple upside down cake but then when I ordered it on a return Hawaii trip in Oahu(roy's) I was surprised that it wasnt even close to the dessert I had in Waikoloa. I am a total foodie and pride myself on being able to remember most of meals I have on vacations, special occasions etc so this is driving me crazy. It was sooo good, like you grandmother made it but also rich and elegant, I am thinking it might have been a coconut caramel type of upside down cake BUT I am not sure, just know it was phenomenal! I am not talking about the chocolate souffle that they are famous for either. Can any of my fellow Hawaii-fodorites help? Any ideas are helpful as they may trigger my memory-I am even thinking of emailing the waikoloa location but thought I might start here-mahalo in advance

Ok here goes and don't mind the typos. I have Roy's Feasts from Hawaii signed cookbook. I don't know if one of these is what you are looking for so the titles w/ coconut are:

Coconut Mousse w Hanabayrum soaked pinepaple coconut touiles
Taro and Coconut Pudding
BI Cheesecake w/ coconut crust
Haupia Cake - sponge cake w coconut milk filling- traditional dessert

Look online at the Southern Living recipe for Nanny's Favorite Coconut-Pineapple Cake. It's not Roy's, but it is wonderful. It is the magazine's most requested recipe.

Thanks for your replies so far-I wonder if it is the Haupia Cake that Kealalani has posted, thanks so much for taking the time to look for me! I will look that up-has anyone had Haupia cake in Hawaii? I thought Haupia was a kind of pudding but maybe not-any thoughts?

Is this it?
http://biggestmenu.com/rdr/CA/Los-An...own-Cake-30913

If so, here's the recipe -
http://patti-cakes.blogspot.com/2010...down-cake.html

I didn't include that recipe as it does not contain coconut.

oops Haupia cake is a sponge cake with a coconut cream puddinglike filling - so not close to your description either. Either way it looks like its not in my cookbook so no use ordering it. Good luck.

Thanks Starrs-that is the dessert I ordered in Oahu thinking it was what I had in Waikoloa but it wasnt-even though the pineapple upsidedown cake was terrific it wasnt the same thing I had on Big Island. I am going to try the recipe just for fun tho! Thanks for all the help so far gang!

I thought the coconut ice cream on the side may have been what you remembered. Good luck finding the recipe

Check out Carolynn's suggestion too -
http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/re...10000000257289

this is bugging me now so I emailed Roy's! I will post if I get a reply-thanks for all the input...

In regards to the cookbook - it is one of the most beautiful I own. Worth the price just for the amazing pictures. To be honest, I haven't used many recipes as they are often fussy with too many ingredients. Although I loved the original Roy's, I have not been a fan since he franchised. But the book is beautiful, and worth the price just to look thru occasionally. It's also possible that the particular pastry chef just created something and took the recipe with them when they moved on. I'm pretty sure he allows his chefs a good bit of latitude with the specials menus.