A warm tropical hug in dessert form — this Pineapple Coconut Cake brings together juicy pineapple, fragrant coconut, and tender cake layers for a moist, flavorful treat. It’s perfect for summer, holidays, or any time you want something sweet that tastes like sunshine.
Recipe Overview
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Prep Time: 20 minutes
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Bake Time: 30–35 minutes (per layer)
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Assembly & Chill Time: ~1 hour
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Servings: ~12–16 slices (depending on size)
Ingredients
For the Cake Layers
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2¼ cups (280 g) all‑purpose flour
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¼ cup ( about 30 g) cornstarch (optional — for extra tenderness) cakesbymk.com+1
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2 tsp baking powder
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½ tsp salt (omit if using salted butter)
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½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
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5 tbsp vegetable oil (or neutral oil, e.g. canola) cakesbymk.com+1
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1⅔ cups (about 330 g) granulated sugar cakesbymk.com+1
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3 large eggs, at room temperature cakesbymk.com+1
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1½ tsp pure vanilla extract
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1 tsp coconut extract or coconut flavoring (optional, but adds depth) cakesbymk.com+1
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¾ cup (about 180 ml) full‑fat canned coconut milk, at room temperature cakesbymk.com+1
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1 cup (about 225 g) crushed pineapple, drained well (or fresh pineapple chunks) — gives moisture and pineapple flavor throughout the cake cakesbymk.com+1
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1 cup shredded sweetened coconut (plus extra for topping/garnish) Sally’s Baking+1
For the Filling (optional but delicious)
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1 can crushed pineapple, drained — or freshly chopped pineapple (juice removed)
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Additional shredded coconut if desired
