Pineapple Coconut Cake

Pineapple and coconut may seem a bit out of place in November but I say there is no better time to have them! It's cold, it's rainy, it's a stay under the covers watching movies kind of month BUT if we add a little pineapple and coconut it's like summer is here again.

Okay. Maybe not. But, it doesn't hurt to try. 

Plus... you get to eat delicious cake sooooo pretty much worth your time regardless of if it makes the sun shine again or not. 

Pineapple Coconut Cake

Ingredients

Cake

3 cups flour

1/4 cup cornstarch

1 tsp salt

5 tsp baking powder

1 cup butter, room temp

2 1/2 cups sugar

4 eggs

2 tsp vanilla

1 tsp coconut extract

1 3/4 cup buttermilk

1 cup flaked coconut

Pineapple Filling

1 cup sugar

1 1/2 Tbsp cornstarch

1 tsp vanilla

2 cups drained, crushed pineapple (reserve juice)

1/2 cup butter, room temp

Frosting

4 cups icing sugar

1 tsp vanilla

3 Tbsp pineapple juice (more if needed)

Topping

1 cup toasted coconut

Directions

Prepare Cake - Preheat oven to 350. Lightly spray 3 - 9 inch pans with cooking spray and line bottom with parchment paper, set aside.

In a mixing bowl, stir together flour, cornstarch, salt, and baking powder.

In a separate mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar until creamy, scraping sides of bowl as needed. beat in eggs, one at a time, beating between each addition. Beat in vanilla and coconut extracts. 

Alternately beat in the flour and buttermilk until well mixed - scrape the sides of the bowl between each addition. 

Divide the batter between the 3 prepared pans.

Bake at 350 until toothpick inserted near the center of the cake comes out clean - about 30 - 40 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes before inverting cakes onto wire racks to cool completely. 

Prepare Pineapple Filling - Add the sugar, cornstarch, vanilla, and pineapple to a pan. Whisk well. Add in the butter and bring mixture to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low and, stirring constantly, add in 1/4 cup of the reserved pineapple juice, simmer 5 minutes to thicken, then remove from heat and let cool completely. 

Prepare Frosting - in a mixing bowl, beat together icing sugar, vanilla, and pineapple juice until spreading consistency. Add in more juice if too firm, or more icing sugar, if too runny. 

Assemble Cake - Place one layer of cake on a serving platter. Scoop frosting into a piping bag (or plastic bag) and pipe a ring of icing around the rim of the cake. Spread half of the cooled pineapple filling in the center of the cake, spreading to meet the icing. (See photo below for clarification)

Place a second layer of cake on top and repeat the ring of frosting and the rest of the pineapple filling. Top with the last layer of cake. 

Pipe (or spread) the last of the frosting on top of the cake.

Lastly, top with the toasted coconut.

Unfortunately this cake disappeared so quickly I didn't get a chance to take a photo of it sliced. I like the "naked" look of the cake that comes from not frosting the sides. If you want to frost the sides I would recommend doubling the frosting recipe so you have enough. You could then press toasted coconut on to the sides too, if you wanted to. 

Pineapple and coconut is a classic pairing that is sure to have your guests coming back for more.