Back in the day, my Big Mama would make her famous pineapple coconut cake by taking a whole coconut, cracking it, then grating the insides over the frosting. Her secret was also the unique pineapple filling inside. I’m honoring her legendary recipe that takes classic coconut cake to new heights with a few simple tweaks (not cracking whole coconuts, sorry Big Mama!), but I kept every bit of her love!
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How to make Pineapple Coconut Cake
Mix the Cake Batter and Bake
Step 1: Add butter and oil to your mixer bowl and beat on high speed. Slowly add in sugar and beat on high speed until very pale yellow and fluffy.
Step 2: Add eggs and egg yolks, one at a time, combining well after each addition and scraping down the sides as needed. Turn your mixer down to its lowest speed, and slowly add flour into batter in two increments.
Step 3: Add baking powder and salt. Be careful not to overbeat. Add sour cream, vanilla and coconut extracts.
Step 4: Scrape down sides and mix until just combined and turn off mixer. The finished batter should resemble a pale yellow color with a silky thick texture.
Step 5: Evenly pour cake batter into prepared baking pans and place in oven to bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes just barely clean.
Step 6: Remove cakes from oven and rest in pans. The cake layers should have a rich golden color and spongy texture with tiny bubbles on their tops.
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Make the Filling and Frosting
Step 7: For the filling, Add all ingredients for the filling into a medium sized pot over medium heat.
Step 8: Begin to stir, allowing the butter and all ingredients to melt into the crushed pineapple. Cook until the mixture has thickened.
Step 9: For the frosting, add butter and cream cheese to the bowl of your mixer and beat on high speed until it begins to thicken and fluff. Slow down mixer and carefully add in confectioner’s sugar. Once all sugar has incorporated, turn mixer back to high to continue whipping.
Step 10: Add in heavy cream, vanilla and coconut extract. Continue whipping until it is smooth, light and a fluffy frosting.
Assemble
Step 11: Spread the pineapple filling evenly over one cake layer using a spatula. Place another cake layer on top, and repeat the process for more layers.
Step 12: Frost the entire cake with cream cheese frosting.
Step 13: Gentle pat the sides and top of the cake with coconut flakes, and serve!
Pineapple Coconut Cake Recipe
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Ingredients
For the Cake
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- 2 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 6 large eggs room temperature
- 2 egg yolks
- 3 cups sifted cake flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 cup sour cream room temperature
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp coconut extract
For the Pineapple Filling
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 cups crushed pineapple with juice
- 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
For the Frosting
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 4 oz cream cheese room temperature
- 2 cups confectioner's sugar
- 1 tsp heavy whipping cream
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/8 tsp coconut extract
- 1 cup sweetened coconut flakes
Instructions
For the Cake
- Start by preheating your oven to 325°F then liberally spray 3 (9-inch) round cake pans with non-stick baking spray.
- In your mixer bowl, add butter and oil and beat for 2 minutes on high speed. Slowly add in sugar and beat on high speed for an additional 4-5 minutes until very pale yellow and fluffy. Next, add eggs and egg yolks, one at a time, combining well after each addition and scraping down the sides as needed.
- Turn your mixer down to its lowest speed, and slowly add flour into batter in two increments then add baking powder and salt. Be careful not to overbeat.
- Lastly, add sour cream, vanilla and coconut extracts, scrape down sides and mix until just combined and turn off mixer. The finished batter should resemble a pale yellow color with a silky thick texture.
- Evenly pour cake batter into prepared baking pans and place in oven to bake for 27-32 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes just barely clean but don't over bake (crucial not to over bake this cake)!!
- Remove cakes from oven and rest in pans for 10 minutes. The cake layers should have a rich golden color and spongy texture with tiny bubbles on their tops. Invert cakes from pans onto cooling racks until cooled.
For the Filling
- Add all ingredients into a medium sized pot over medium heat. Begin to stir allowing the butter and all ingredients to melt into the crushed pineapple. Cook for about 8-10 minutes until the mixture has thickened. Turn off heat and allow filling to cool to room temperature.
For the Frosting
- Add butter and cream cheese to the bowl of your mixer and beat on high speed until it begins to thicken and fluff.
- Next slow down mixer and carefully add in confectioner’s sugar. Once all sugar has incorporated, turn mixer back to high to continue whipping.
- Add in heavy cream, vanilla and coconut extract and continue whipping until it is smooth, light and a fluffy frosting.
- To Assemble, add pineapple filling between layers then frost entire cake with cream cheese frosting then gentle pat the sides and top of the cake with coconut flakes. Serve.
Video
Notes
- Batch Baking: If your oven’s playing hard to get with space, don’t stress! Simply bake your cake layers in batches.
- Let the Layers Cool: Frosting a warm cake is a no-no and can make your beautiful frosting slide right off. So be patient y’all, and let those layers cool off.
- Level It Up: For cake layers that look straight from Fleur de Lis (shotout to all my Mississippi boos!), use a serrated knife to level them before frosting.
- Don’t Overmix the Batter: Mix just until everything is combined. Overmixing will make your cake dense instead of light and airy.
How to store Pineapple Coconut Cake
Keep your cake fresh and tasty by storing it at room temp. Simply cover it with an airtight container or wrap it tightly with plastic wrap to protect it from drying out. You can also store it in the fridge for a little extra shelf life.How long will Pineapple Coconut Cake last?
At room temperature, your pineapple coconut cake will stay yummy for about 3 to 4 days. If you stored it in the fridge, it can last for up to a week.Can I freeze coconut cake with pineapple filling?
I wouldn’t recommend freezing the whole cake all put together. Instead, wrap each cake layer nice and tight in plastic wrap or pop them in freezer bags. They’ll stay fresh for up to 2 months. When you’re ready to dig in, just let the layers thaw, whip up the filling and frosting, and assemble your cake fresh. Ingredient Swaps and InformationPineapple Coconut Cake Ingredients
For the Cake-
- Unsalted Butter: Make sure it’s at room temp. Salted is fine too, just use 1/2 teaspoon of salt instead.
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- Vegetable Oil: Canola or another neutral oil works here too.
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- Granulated Sugar: For sweetness.
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- Eggs & Yolks: Bring to room temp.
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- Cake Flour: You can make homemade cake flour with all-purpose flour and cornstarch if you don’t have any. Swap out the cake flour for a 1:1 ratio gluten-free all-purpose blend. The texture might change a lil however.
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- Leavening Agents: Baking powder and salt. Check expiration dates for your leavening.
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- Sour Cream: Plain greek yogurt also works here.
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- Vanilla & Coconut Extracts: Feel free to use both or just one.
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- Butter & Cornstarch: This thickens up our filling.
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- Sugar & Pineapple: Canned pineapple works fine.
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- Lemon Juice: Lime works too. Fresh is best but bottled is fine.
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- Vanilla Extract: Use real, not artificial.
For the Frosting
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- Butter & Cream Cheese: Make sure both are room temp for smoothness.
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- Confectioner’s Sugar: Sift it to remove any lumps.
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- Whipping Cream: Half and half or whole milk works too.
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- Extracts & Coconut Flakes: Use both extracts or one. Sweetened flakes are best.
Nutrition
Recipe Tips
- Batch Baking: Bake your cake layers in batches for even baking.
- Let the Layers Cool: Frosting a warm cake is a no-no and can make your frosting slide right off. Cool the layers completely down.
- Level It Up: For cake layers that look straight from Fleur de Lis (shotout to all my Mississippi boos!), use a serrated knife to level them before frosting.
- Don’t Overmix the Batter: Mix just until everything is combined. Overmixing will make your cake dense instead of light and airy.
Recipe Help
Don’t panic boo! Try adding a little more confectioner’s sugar, one tablespoon at a time, until it thickens up. You can also pop it back in the fridge for about 15 minutes to help it firm up.
Mix in an extra teaspoon of cornstarch and cook it a few more minutes over medium heat, stirring constantly until it thickens.
Yup! You can make it a day in advance and store in an airtight container in the fridge.
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Jocely Grandbaby Cakes , I have a person who wants a white pineapple coconut cake. I know white cakes can be kind of dry, how can I make this cake and make sure it’s moist and fluffy?
This cake is incredibly moist. I would follow this recipe as written.
This was an incredible cake! Made it for work and it did not last long!
That makes me so so happy Margaret! Thank you for sharing, and make sure you tell your friends about Grandbaby Cakes!
I made this cake yesterday!! OMG!! This is by far my fav of all Coconut cake recipes to date! The addition of the sour cream makes a big difference in the moisture of this cake. The flavoring is spot on!
Hooray I am so so so so glad you loved the recipe. It is one of my fave!!!
Simply the BEST tasting cake…and the texture is a feathery dream. Thank YOU for this family heirloom recipe! It will be cherished in my home as well. As intimidating as making a 3 layer coconut cake can be, I can earnestly say that – while it wasn’t effortless – the processes as laid out -were flawless and simple to follow…..The delicate coconut flavoring was on spot, and can be easily amended to additional preferences. I did make the pineapple curd more lemony and tangy -as that’s what we like. The sweetness of the cake simply wasn’t apparent to me….as the creamy texture of the batter makes an outstanding solid cake that holds up well and serves wonderfully.
Hooray this makes me so so so happy!!!! I’m so glad you made it and enjoyed it!!!
I love coconut cake and Ican’t wait to make this for my family. What changes I need to do if I leave out the pineapple.
Yes you can remove the pineapple filling and simply double the frosting and add more coconut flakes.
is it really only 1 tsp cream in the frosting?
Hi Karen, yep it only needs a little bit!
Yes, heavy whipping cream can be expensive, specially if you’re only using 1 teaspoon. Can we use just half and half??
Yes you can omit it if you don’t want to pay for it since it does add a whipped taste but it still tastes amazing without.
Hey Jocelyn!!
I made this cake today July 4th, for my husbands Birthday!!
It is FANTASTIC!! He Loves It!! …so do I!!
Thanks so Much For Sharing!!
Happy 4th of July to All!!
Hooray that makes me so so happy!!!!!
I made this recipe yesterday – a fabulous cake! Jocelyn, your recipe is perfect – decadently rich, moist, and flavorful. The few changes that I made were for my personal preferences, not as an attempt to “improve” your recipe. Most desserts taste too sweet to me. Other subscribers should not change a thing unless they prefer to cut down on the sweetness.
For the pineapple curd, I reduced the sugar to 2 tablespoons, increased the fresh lemon juice to 2 teaspoons, and omitted the vanilla – to balance the sweetness if the cake. I used fresh frozen coconut (blotted dry between paper towels) – less sweet and delightfully moist. This recipe is a keeper. I have a photo if you want it 🙂
Hooray this makes me so so happy that you made the recipe, enjoyed it and will make it your own!! I would LOVE TO HAVE THE PHOTO! Please email to me at info@jdelkadams.com and I will share in my upcoming newsletter!
I love pineapple and coconut together! This cake looks and sounds so delicious!
Would it work to cut this recipe in half or thirds? I wish I had 18 people to serve a cake to at once!
Can add coconut flakes to the batter itself? If so, should I add more of anything?
Thank you!
Hi Amy, absolutely!!! You can adapt this recipe to your needs however I would probably scale back on some of the coconut extract.