Food Network

"In Charleston, S.C., Peninsula Grill Chef Robert Carter's specialty is the coconut cake: a 12-layer, 12-pound behemoth of a cake. This treat also happens to be one of Bobby's all-time favorite desserts."

Jeffrey Steingarten

"Its flavors and textures had merged and melded, the filling and frosting were light, nearly fluffy, and its grain was delicate and tender. In this way, the entire cake, all 28,000 calories of it, disappeared within 36 hours."

The Daily Meal

"If you're in the South —let's say Charleston —and you're in need of a decadent coconut cake, you probably won't find anything better than what comes out of the Peninsula Grill."

Bon Appétit Magazine

"No coconut nut can say this 12-layer beauty from Charleston's Peninsula Grill "isn't coconutty enough": The creamy filling contains coconut, there's coconut extract in the cake layers, and two cups of sweetened shredded coconut flakes are sprinkled over it and pressed into its sides."

Florence Fabricant

"There may be as many recipes for lush coconut cakes as there are bakers in the South. But how many are as grand as the coconut cake that Robert Carter, above, the executive chef at the Peninsula Grill in the Planters Inn in Charleston, S.C., has adapted from his grandmother's recipe?"

Robert F. Moss

"Peninsula Grill's coconut cake is world famous for a reason — sheer extravagance. If the layers of white cake and gooey coconut filling aren't enough, there's a final trick: each of the cake's six layers is saturated with a simple syrup that makes each bite a soft, sweet, and perfect little morsel of sin."

Katrina Brown Hunt

"For a sit-down dessert, don’t miss the Ultimate Coconut Cake at the Peninsula Grill: a 12-layer, bucket-list treat that is available either by the slice or a 12-pound whole cake."

Clare Sweeney

"The Ultimate Coconut Cake at Peninsula Grill is reason enough to seek out this fine dining restaurant, known for its romantic atmosphere and intimate service."

Southern Living Magazine

"A creamy coconut filling cushions the layers, while cream cheese frosting covers the outside. Freshly grated coconut--some toasted golden brown, some raw and translucent--ties it all together, like a bow on a very special package."

Lauren Rothman

"The towering 12-layer wedge (that’s six layers of moist cake and six of thick coconut-cream cheese frosting) is fragrant with its namesake fruit, not overly sweet and an ideal ending to any southern-style meal."