Yes! You can use them. Use at least a cup. Nothing terrible will happen if you use and make extra, too!

You can only use creams that thicken and fluff like whipping cream.

So sorry to hear that. Definitely use coconut cream next time!

A few things: I could NOT get the coconut frosting to set up. Refrigerated the cans overnight (two nights, actually), used only the waxy white part…nada. Added 2 T. arrowroot. No dice. I used it, but it was super messy, not quite thick enough, and I had a lot left over (which I served alongside the Yule log as an extra topping). It wouldn’t set up after almost an hour in the fridge, but when I checked on the leftover frosting the next morning, it was much closer to the texture I wanted. (Lesson learned!)

Modifications: added 2 T. Frangelico to the frosting, made a vegan ganache (also with a dash of Frangelico) to put over the log/frosting, and that worked out super well. Then added chopped hazelnuts on top. I would have added crystallized cranberries, but the stores apparently tossed all their fresh ones after Dec. 25. I had wild ambitions of meringue mushrooms, but…nope. Maybe next time.

The cake was absolutely lovely. I dusted the parchment paper with cocoa powder and that reduced the stickiness a lot. I think I might try foil on the sides of the pan next time (since the cake stuck and created some jagged edges if I wasn’t careful) and then keep the cocoa-dusted parchment for the bottom.

Biggest lessons: make it a day or two before you want to serve it. (I meant to do that, really I did, but…didn’t. I will next time.) Or at the very least, make the frosting first and make sure that’s the texture you want it before you start on the cake. So…I will either make the frosting the night before or try a vegan buttercream. Or both. 🙂 I definitely had the leftovers for breakfast (with berries and extra frosting on top) the next day–it’s rich but not super sweet, so it worked nicely for a decadent post-NYE breakfast.

It’s not coconut-y!