Coconut Cake with Pineapple Filling

This is, dare I say it, the most AMAZING Coconut Cake to grace the earth. Layers of tender, moist coconut cake, fresh pineapple filling, and whipped coconut cream cheese frosting that all pair together perfectly. The final product is somewhat of a masterpiece, and could be one of my favorite cakes of all time!

I think I’ve officially reached food nerd status by how excited I have been to share this cake with you all.

It’s incredible. Dare I say it–it’s on the same level as my Mom’s ridiculously amazing German Chocolate Cake.

It’s that good.

The recipe is inspired by this coconut cake from A Bountiful Kitchen. I added a cream cheese buttercream frosting instead, and used the leftover coconut milk from the cake to give the frosting a little extra creaminess, with just a milk hint of coconut flavor.

How to make Coconut Cake:

This recipe starts with a simple homemade coconut cake made with egg whites for texture and color, coconut milk and coconut extract to give it that perfect coconut flavor, that’s not overwhelming at all.

The cake is incredibly moist (I hate that word, but it must be used here), not overly sweet, which I really love because it blends so well with the flavors from the pineapple filling and frosting, without any one element being too sweet.

Can you get a better flavor combination then coconut and pineapple? This cake is completely DREAMY! Also, when you make each part in advance, it’s really a simple and fun recipe!

Once you’ve made the cake, you will “torte” each layer — that’s a fancy name for cutting each cake layer in half, horizontally to split it into two layers. This allows us to add layers of pineapple filling and frosting, between each cake layer.

Assembly is really easy. Once you’ve got your 4 thin layers of cake, place one of them on a cake board or your serving platter. Spread half of the pineapple filling over it.

Refrigerate the cake for a few hours before serving.

When your friends or family are raving about this cake with every single bite, I hope you feel like a rockstar! And, I hope you’ll take a moment to tell me about it in the comments!

SOME TIPS FOR THIS CAKE:

MAKE IT IN ADVANCE!

I like to make the cake, pineapple filling, and coconut cream cheese frosting at least one day in advance. That way, the cake is really easy to throw together.

I make the cake in 8” or 9” rounds, bake it and let it cool completely. Then I wrap it really well in plastic wrap and stick each layer in a ziplock freezer bag. Freeze for up to one month. I’ve found that frozen cakes are the easiest to frost.

The pineapple filling and coconut frosting can be made ahead and placed in a covered container in the fridge. Remove the coconut frosting from the fridge about an hour or so before you’re ready to frost your cake. This will allow it to come to room temperature.

DECORATING IS EASY!

I used a wilton 2D tip for the swirls on top of this cake. SO EASY. I also love the Wilton 1M tip. I use both tips with an Ateco flex 14” reusable piping bag. Those three items right there are my favorites for cake and cupcake decorating.

STORE IT COVERED, IN THE FRIDGE.

This is one of those cakes that really tastes better after it’s been in the fridge for at least 4 hours. It allows the flavors and texture time to settle and blend together. I think it even tastes better on day two.

You may also like one of my other popular cakes:

• Tres Leches Cake
• German Chocolate Cake
• Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Mousse Filling
• Berry Cake with Lemon Cream Mousse

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Coconut Cake with Pineapple Filling

The most AMAZING Coconut Cake, with layers of tender, moist coconut cake, fresh pineapple filling, and whipped coconut cream cheese frosting that all pair together perfectly.

4.83 from 167 votes

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Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 4 hours 30 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 5 hours

Servings: 16

Calories: 575kcal

Author: Lauren Allen

Video

Ingredients

For the Coconut Cake:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 Tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter , room temperature
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 13.5 ounces canned unsweetened coconut milk , divided
• 1 1/2 teaspoons coconut extract
• 5 large egg whites

For the Pineapple Filling:

• 20 ounce can crushed pineapple
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 2 Tablespoons cornstarch

For the Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting:

• 1/2 cup butter , room temperature
• 8 ounces cream cheese , room temperature
• 4-5 cups powdered sugar
• Remaining coconut milk , or 2 tablespoons regular milk
• 1 cup shredded sweetened coconut

Instructions

For the cake:

• Line the bottom of two 8 or 9-inch cake pans with wax or parchment paper.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• In mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
• In a separate mixing bowl, beat the butter on medium speed (with hand or stand mixer) for 1 minute, until light and fluffy.
• Add sugar and mix 1 minute.
• Add 1 1/4 cups coconut milk and coconut extract and mix.
• Gradually add flour mixture and mix on medium speed for 2 minutes.
• In another bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form.
• Fold the egg whites into the batter until incorporated.
• Spray the bottom and sides of the lined cake pans with non-stick cooking spray. Divide batter evenly between the pans.
• Bake at 350 degrees F 25-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
• Remove the pans from the oven and  allow to cool for 5 minutes before inverting them onto a cooling rack to cool completely.
• Once cakes have cooled, use a sharp serrated knife cut each cake round in half horizontally, so that you end up with four cake rounds.
• At this point I like to freeze the cakes for several hours or up to 3 weeks. They're much easier to assemble and frost when they are frozen. But, you can assemble them fresh, the day of.

For the Pineapple Filling:

• Add all ingredients to medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir well to combine.
• Cook, stirring frequently, until mixture thickens and looks "glossy", about 5-8 minutes.
• Pour filling into a tupperware. Place a piece of plastic wrap gently over the top and allow it to cool.
• Once cooled, cover it with an airtight lid and refrigerate until you're ready to use it (up to 1 week).

For the frosting:

• Beat butter and cream cheese together until smooth.
• Add powdered sugar and the rest of the remaining coconut milk (or regular milk). Mix until smooth and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
• Add a little more milk, to thin, or powdered sugar to stiffen, if needed, until you reach your desired frosting consistency.
• Stir in coconut flakes, saving some for sprinkling on the sides and top of the cake, if desired.

Assembly:

• Place your first cake layer on your cake board or serving platter. Spread half of the pineapple filling over it.
• Top with another cake layer. Smooth a layer of frosting over it.
• Top with third cake layer. Spread remaining half of the pineapple filling over it.
• Top with last (4th) cake round.
• Frost the sides and top of the cake. Sprinkle with coconut, if desired.
• Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, before serving. Tastes even better the next day!
• If you love to bake, try my German Chocolate Cake!

Notes

*See my notes above the recipe for tips for making this cake in advance!

Nutrition

Calories: 575kcal | Carbohydrates: 85g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Cholesterol: 46mg | Sodium: 265mg | Potassium: 265mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 69g | Vitamin A: 565IU | Vitamin C: 4.2mg | Calcium: 64mg | Iron: 1.5mg

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