Pineapple Coconut Cake with Toasted Coconut Frosting

Ingredients needed to prepare this recipe

To make the pineapple cake and the coconut pastry cream filling, you'll need:

• This cake includes both butter AND virgin coconut oil. Butter adds flavor and virgin coconut oil contributes to the cake's tender texture and helps the cake remain fresh tasting for longer.
• White granulated sugar.
• 14 large eggs. You read that correctly - to make the cake and the coconut pastry cream filling, you'll need 14 eggs, 8 for the cake and 6 for the pastry cream. The eggs do two things in this cake: create an almost custard-like consistency and add structure. The structure is important when adding real fruit to cake batter.
• Cake flour. If you don't have, or can't find cake flour, scroll down for a great substitution.
• Baking powder.
• Salt.
• Coconut milk is included in the cake batter and in the coconut pastry cream filling for this cake. Use canned coconut milk or coconut milk in a carton, but avoid any brands labeled "light" or "reduced fat".
• Vanilla and coconut extract. Both are used to add flavor to the cake and the coconut pastry cream filling.
• Crushed pineapple is stirred into the cake batter and used to make a delicious pineapple syrup that's spooned over the cake layers after they are baked.
• Toasted coconut is stirred into the coconut pastry cream filling and used to decorate the outside of the cake.
• Unflavored gelatin and cornstarch are essential to creating a stable coconut pastry cream that will allow you to add a thick layer of filling in between layers of pineapple cake.
• 1 recipe Toasted Coconut Frosting

Pro tip! How to make an excellent substitution for cake flour: Measure 1 cup (120 grams) of all purpose flour then remove 2 tablespoons (15 grams). Replace the flour you removed with 2 tablespoons (14 grams) of cornstarch and stir to combine. Use this formula to make as much "cake flour" as you need for any recipe.

Toasted coconut frosting

This toasted coconut frosting tastes like a coconut flavored marshmallow that's been roasted over a fire. It's soooooo good! The frosting includes sweetened condensed coconut milk that's boiled inside the can until it caramelizes, essentially creating coconut dulce de leche.

Simply blend the toasted coconut milk into butter and powdered sugar along with some vanilla and coconut extracts for a gorgeous coconut frosting you'll want to eat by the spoonful.

Step-by-step photos and instructions

The coconut pastry cream needs a few hours to chill out in the refrigerator, so make it first:

Dissolve some powdered unflavored gelatin in cold water and set aside.

Add the egg yolks and cornstarch to a medium size bowl and beat with a wire whisk to combine. Add the coconut milk, sugar, and salt to a saucepan and heat just until it's starting to simmer. Pour the hot milk into a measuring cup with a spout and then slowly stir it into the egg yolks, whisking constantly as you pour.

Cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens and starts to bubble.

Transfer the custard to a bowl. Break the gelatin into pieces and drop it over the hot custard. Add the vanilla and coconut extracts and stir until everything is combined. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours and up to 3 days.

While the custard chills, bake the pineapple cake:

Add the butter, coconut oil, and sugar to a bowl and beat with an electric mixer until the mixture is very light and aerated, about 5 minutes.

Add the eggs to the bowl two at a time, beating well to fully incorporate both egg into the butter and sugar mixture before adding more.

Add the flour, baking powder, and salt to another bowl and use a wire whisk to mix. Add this mixture to the butter, sugar, and egg mixture and mix on low just until the flour is barely incorporated.

Stir the extracts into the coconut milk and add this to the batter. Mix on low speed just until barely incorporated.

Add the crushed pineapple to the batter and use a rubber spatula to stir just until incorporated.

Divide the batter between two prepared cake pans and in the center of the oven for 50-60 minutes.

While the cakes are baking, make the pineapple syrup by simmering a can of crushed pineapple with some sugar and water for 10 minutes.

Remove the cakes from the oven. Place a wire baking rack over the top of one of the pans and carefully flip it over so the cake slides out onto the rack. Repeat with the second cake.

Place a second rack over the cake and flip it so it's right side up. Spread the top of the cake with half of the crushed pineapple syrup. The liquid will soak down into the cake and the crushed pineapple will collect on top.

If you don't have enough baking racks, you can flip the cakes onto plates instead. Notice how the center of the cake sinks down a bit. This depreciation will help hold the crushed pineapple and coconut pastry cream in place.

Allow both layers of the cake to cool completely, then assemble and frost the cake:

Remove the pastry cream from the refrigerator and stir in some toasted coconut.

Set one layer of cake on a serving platter and spread the coconut pastry cream over it, leaving about 1-inch of space around the edges of the cake.

Add the second layer of cake bottom side up (so the crushed pineapple is all contained in the center of the cake).

Pile some toasted coconut frosting onto the top of the cake and then use an offset icing spatula to begin spreading it over the entire surface of the cake.

Continue until the entire cake is covered in frosting.

Press some toasted coconut onto the sides of the cake. You can also cover the entire surface of the cake with toasted coconut instead of just the sides.

If not serving the cake within 3 hours, or if the room is warm, refrigerate the cake until ready to serve.

A few important tips

#1. Properly prepare your cake pans. This is a VERY moist cake, so it's important to prepare the cake pans so the cake won't stick. Coat the inside of the pans with a thin layer of vegetable shortening or softened butter. Cut a round of parchment paper so it will fit inside the pan, covering the bottom. Smear the parchment with some shortening or butter as well.

Sprinkle some flour inside the pans and shake them around so the entire inside of the pan is coated with flour. Turn the pan over and gently tap out any excess flour.

Even with properly prepared pans, it's likely that a few pieces of the cake will stick to the sides of the pan. Don't worry about that. You're going to cover the whole thing in a thick layer of toasted coconut frosting which will cover up any flaws.

#2. Use deep sided cake pans. The layers of this cake bake up nice and tall, so choose 8-inch round cake pans that are at least 3-inches deep. What you see in these photos are Wilton Aluminum Round Cake Pans.

#3. How to toast coconut: Toasted shredded sweetened coconut is used in the pastry cream filling for this cake and to decorate the outside of the cake after it's frosted. To toast some shredded sweetened coconut, add it to a 12-inch skillet and set it over medium heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until about half of the coconut has turned a deep golden brown. Remove the pan from the heat and continue to stir for another minute or two then transfer it to a plate or a bowl and allow to cool.

If you continue cooking the toasted coconut after about 50% of it is golden brown, some of the pieces may start to burn.

#4. How to know when the cakes are done baking: When done, the sides of the cakes will be pulling away from the sides of the pans and if you gently shake the pans, the center will not jiggle. Insert a toothpick into the center of one of the cakes and remove it. There will be crumbs stuck to the toothpick, but there should not be any signs of raw batter.

#5. Transporting this cake: I don't recommend trying to transport the assembled cake from one location to another. It's too fragile and is likely to fall apart. Instead, wrap the syrup drenched layers of cake in plastic wrap and assemble the cake on site.

Make ahead instructions

The pineapple cake layers can be prepared up to 2 days in advance. Set each layer of cake on a plate and coat with crushed pineapple syrup while they are still warm. Allow the cakes to cool completely then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 2 days.

The cakes can also be frozen, but I suggest freezing them before covering in pineapple syrup. Allow the cakes to cool completely then wrap in a double layer of plastic wrap and one layer of aluminum foil and freeze for up to 3 months.

Allow the cakes to thaw overnight in the refrigerator or at room temperature then cover with freshly made warm pineapple syrup.

The coconut pastry cream and the toasted coconut frosting can be prepared up to 3 days in advance and stored in airtight containers in the refrigerator.

A few more recipes for coconut lovers

If you give this recipe a try, let me know! Scroll down to rate this recipe and leave a comment for me.

Happy baking!