A rich white cake full of pineapple flavor and a hint of coconut.
Prep Time25 minutesmins
Cook Time38 minutesmins
2 hourshrs
Total Time3 hourshrs3 minutesmins
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 10-12 servings
Calories: 760kcal
Ingredients
Pineapple Cake
14ouncecan pineapple tidbitsdrained
4eggs
2cupssugar
¼cupcanned coconut milk
½cupbuttermelted
1teaspoonvanilla extract
2½cupsall-purpose flour*
2½teaspoonsbaking powder
½teaspoonkosher salt
*Gluten-Free Alternative
1½cupsbrown rice flour
⅔cuppotato starch
⅓cuptapioca starch
1teaspoonxanthan gum
Coconut Frosting
16ouncescream cheeseroom temperature
3cupspowdered sugar
½cupcanned coconut milk
1teaspoonvanilla extract
1tablespoondark rumoptional or 1/2 teaspoon coconut extract (optional)
1cupsweetened coconutfor topping (toasted, if desired)
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour (2) 8-inch or 9-inch round pans. Place the pineapple chunks in a blender or food processor and puree until smooth, without any chunks. In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs and the sugar until smooth. Stir in the coconut milk, melted butter, and vanilla. Add the flour, baking powder, and salt, stir to combine. Add 1 cup of the pureed pineapple and stir once more.
Divide the batter between the prepared pans. Bake 35-38 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cool in the pans for 15 minutes, before inverting the cakes over a wire rack. Let the cakes cool completely.
Place the cream cheese in a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer until smooth. Add half the powdered sugar and beat to combine. Add the remaining sugar and beat again. Add the coconut milk and the vanilla, beat to combine and then taste the frosting. Adjust the sugar as desired, and add a tiny splash of rum, if you would like.
Place one layer of the cake on a plate, top with 1/3 of the frosting, smoothing it gently across the cake, almost to the edge. Gently place the second cake over the frosting layer. (I like to place the first cake upright and then flip the second cake over, so that the tops are facing in and the bottom is on top providing a nice flat layer.) Scoop the remaining frosting onto the top cake and gently spread it across the cake. Sprinkle with coconut, if desired, and chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Enjoy!
Notes
Be careful to avoid overbeating the cream cheese for the frosting. Stop beating it as soon as it is smooth. If it is beaten for too long, it will become runny and all the sugar in the world won't thicken it again. I really like the hint of rum in the frosting, but it is delicious both with and without it. This cake can also be made in a 9x13 pan. Allow the cake to cool before icing it in the pan or turn the cooled cake out onto a platter and frost completely.To toast the coconut, preheat the oven to broil. Spread the coconut across a baking pan and place it in the oven. Do not walk away. Watch the coconut as it begins to brown, it will only take about a minute to toast and it will burn lightning fast if you aren't paying attention.