Coconut Pineapple Cake

Wow, just wow! This cake is going to blow your socks right off! It’s a slice of paradise and is absolutely irresistible. It’s a simple sheet cake that packs a punch of exotic flavours of creamy coconut, juicy pineapple, and zesty lime. And we all love cream cheese icing, but this cake has fresh lime added to the icing to brighten it even further!

A coconut pineapple sheet cake is the perfect transition cake from spring to summer. Whether you’re hosting Easter, a summer birthday party, or a casual backyard get-together, this cake will be a huge hit at any occasion. It also feeds a crowd and freezes well. Talk about a bonus!

Ingredients

The cake has an exotic blend of coconut and lime, which adds a refreshing twist to a pineapple dessert. What takes this cake to the next level is using coconut extract, so don’t skip this step. I buy all my extracts at my local Bulk Barn store where you can find just about any flavour you’re looking for. Also, make sure to use crushed pineapple, you’ll get little pineapple chunks within the cake but if you use fresh pineapple chunks you’ll lose the moisture in the cake. See Tips below for more information.

• All-purpose flour
• Unsalted butter
• Granulated sugar
• Icing sugar
• Unsweetened coconut
• Coconut milk
• Crushed pineapple
• Fresh lime
• Sour cream (full fat)
• Cream cheese
• Eggs
• Baking powder
• Baking soda
• Coconut extract
• Vanilla extract
• Salt

Coconut Pineapple Cake Variations

• 2 Layer Cake: For a classic 2-layer cake, divide the batter evenly between two 9-inch round cake pans and bake for approximately 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
• Bundt Cake: Transform this recipe into an elegant bundt cake by pouring the batter into a prepared bundt pan. Bake for approximately 45-55 minutes, or until the cake is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. The distinctive shape of a bundt cake adds visual appeal to any table setting.
• Cupcakes: For individual treats, scoop the batter into lined cupcake tins, filling each cup about two-thirds full. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until the cupcakes are lightly golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. They are perfect for parties or convenient portion control!
• No Icing: Dare I say, this cake doesn’t even need icing! For a lighter, less sweet option, omit the icing altogether. Instead, serve slices of this moist, flavorful cake with a dollop of whipped cream infused with lime zest.

Tips for the Perfect Coconut Pineapple Cake

1. Room temperature ingredients: For optimal texture and to avoid overmixing, make sure that your butter, eggs, and dairy ingredients like sour cream are all at room temperature before beginning the recipe. Room temperature ingredients mix more evenly, resulting in a smoother batter and a better rise for your cake.
2. Read the can labels: When buying canned pineapple and coconut milk at the grocery stores make sure to read the ingredient labels and avoid any cans that have added sugar or any other ingredients. Especially pay attention to coconut milk as a lot of cans don’t even use real coconut milk but coconut extract to flavour powdered milk.
3. Use canned crushed pineapple: It’s best to use canned pineapple that is crushed. The extra pineapple juice provides the perfect amount of juicy moisture to the cake and adds a nice texture.
4. Slightly drain pineapple: Make sure to slightly drain the pineapple juice from the crushed pineapple. Just lightly press out about 80% of the juice. You don’t want to remove all the liquid as the extra pineapple juice will provide a moist cake with lots of flavour.
5. Use a microplane zester: A microplane zester is the best tool to zest your lime. It will yield more and finer zest, perfect for this tropical cake!
6. Use finely shredded coconut: Make sure the coconut is shredded in small pieces. If your shredded coconut is not finely shredded, consider pulsing it in a food processor for a few seconds. Finely shredded coconut blends more evenly into the batter and makes cutting the cake easier.

How To Make A Coconut Pineapple Sheet Cake

Step One: In a large bowl add your dry ingredients; flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, mix together and set aside. In a bowl or a stand mixer, beat butter and sugar together. Add lime zest and beat for approx. 1 minute. Add egg whites and egg. Beat until smooth, light and pale in colour. Add coconut extract and vanilla extract. With the mixer running on low add flour mixture to the butter mixture, alternating with the coconut milk and sour cream, making 2-3 additions of each. Mix just until combined. Add the crushed pineapple and coconut and mix just until incorporated.

Step Two: Line a 9×13 inch pan with parchment paper. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake in a preheated oven for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Let cake cool on a cooling rack.

Step Three: While the cake cools, make your icing. In a large bowl add cream cheese, butter, icing sugar and lime juice together. Beat until light and fluffy. Add cream cheese frosting to the top of the cake and smooth all over. Sprinkle the top with extra coconut or coconut flakes.

More Tropical Recipes You’ll Love

You might be new to baking with pineapple and tropical inspired recipes, but I promise once you start you’re not going to stop. This cake reminds me of my easy pineapple upside down cake and I’ll never forget my first bite of that cake! And it won’t be my last. Here are some more tropical inspired recipes that you’ll love:

1. Easy Pineapple Upside Down Cake
2. Ambrosia Salad
3. Pineapple Carrot Muffins
4. Coconut Cream Squares

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This blog post has been sponsored by Bulk Barn Canada where you can find all your baking needs! All opinions are my own and I’m so happy to work with brands I love so I can continue to share these recipes with all of you! I hope you guys get to a Bulk Barn soon and try out this recipe.