COCONUT CAKE WITH PINEAPPLE FILLING

I think I’ve officially reached food nerd status by how excited I have been to share this cake with you all.

It’s incredible.

Dare I say it–it’s on the same level as my ridiculously amazing German Chocolate Cake.

It’s that good.

It starts with a homemade coconut cake. A super simple cake to make from scratch. It’s got coconut milk and coconut extract in it, to give it that perfect flavor, that’s not overwhelming at all.

It’s incredibly moist. I hate that word, but it must be used here.

The cake is not overly sweet, which I really love because it blends so well with the flavors from the pineapple filling and frosting, without any one element being too sweet.

And can you get a better flavor combination then coconut and pineapple? This cake is completely DREAMY! Also, when you make each part in advance, it’s really a simple and fun recipe!

Once you’ve made the cake, we want to “tort” each layer.  That’s a fancy name for cutting each cake layer in half, horizontally to split it into two layers. This allows us to add layers of pineapple filling and frosting, between each cake layer.

Assembly is really easy. Once you’ve got your 4 thin layers of cake, place one of them on a cake board or your serving platter. Spread half of the pineapple filling over it.

Ingredients

• For the Coconut Cake:
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 Tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter , room temperature
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 13.5 oz can coconut milk , divided
• 1 1/2 teaspoons coconut extract
• 5 egg whites
• For the Pineapple Filling:
• 1 20 oz can crushed pineapple
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 2 Tablespoons cornstarch
• For the Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting:
• 1/2 cup butter , room temperature
• 8 oz cream cheese , room temperature
• 4-5 cups powdered sugar
• Remaining coconut milk , or 2 tablespoons regular milk
• 1 cup shredded sweetened coconut flakes

Instructions

1. For the cake:
2. Line the bottom of two 8 or 9-inch cake pans with wax or parchment paper.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
4. In mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
5. In a separate mixing bowl, beat the butter on medium speed (with hand or stand mixer) for 1 minute, until light and fluffy.
6. Add sugar and mix 1 minute.
7. Add 1 1/4 cups coconut milk and coconut extract and mix.
8. Gradually add flour mixture and mix on medium speed for 2 minutes.
9. In another bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form.
10. Fold the egg whites into the batter until incorporated.
11. Spray the bottom and sides of the lined cake pans with non-stick cooking spray. Divide batter evenly between the pans.
12. Bake at 350 degrees F 23-28 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
13. Remove the pans from the oven and  allow to cool for 5 minutes before inverting them onto a cooling rack to cool completely.
14. Once cakes have cooled, use a sharp serrated knife cut each cake round in half horizontally, so that you end up with four cake rounds.
15. At this point I like to freeze the cakes for several hours or up to 3 weeks. They're much easier to assemble and frost when they are frozen. But, you can assemble them fresh, the day of.
16. For the Pineapple Filling:
17. Add all ingredients to medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir well to combine.
18. Cook, stirring frequently, until mixture thickens and looks "glossy", about 5-8 minutes.
19. Pour filling into a tupperware. Place a piece of plastic wrap gently over the top and allow it to cool.
20. Once cooled, cover it with an airtight lid and refrigerate until you're ready to use it (up to 1 week).
21. For the frosting:
22. Beat butter and cream cheese together until smooth.
23. Add powdered sugar and the rest of the remaining coconut milk (or regular milk). Mix until smooth and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
24. Add a little more milk, to thin, or powdered sugar to stiffen, if needed, until you reach your desired frosting consistency.
25. Stir in coconut flakes, saving some for sprinkling on the sides and top of the cake, if desired.
26. Assembly:
27. Place your first cake layer on your cake board or serving platter. Spread half of the pineapple filling over it.
28. Top with another cake layer. Smooth a layer of frosting over it.
29. Top with third cake layer. Spread remaining half of the pineapple filling over it.
30. Top with last (4th) cake round.
31. Frost the sides and top of the cake. Sprinkle with coconut, if desired.
32. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, before serving. Tastes even better the next day!
33. If you love to bake, try my German Chocolate Cake!

Recipe Notes
*See my notes above the recipe for tips for making this cake in advance!

thanks done share recipes to : https://tastesbetterfromscratch.com/coconut-cake-with-pineapple-filling/