Pineapple Coconut Cake is a bright, tropical layer cake with crushed pineapple and coconut, a quick pineapple pudding filling, and fluffy coconut cream cheese frosting! It’s a sunny dessert that’s perfect for spring or your Easter dessert table.
Pineapple fans, don’t stop at this cake! Grab Mom’s No Bake Pineapple Dessert, Easy Pineapple Upside Down Cake, and Pineapple Cake!
Pineapple Coconut Cake is what I reach for when winter finally loosens its grip, and I’m ready for desserts that taste like sunshine.
The cake is loaded with crushed pineapple and shredded coconut, plus coconut milk and coconut extract, so it’s loaded with flavor.
Then there’s the filling, a super easy pineapple and vanilla pudding layer that sets in the fridge and keeps the cake extra juicy.
It’s a great make-ahead cake if you like spreading things out over a couple of days (I do). Bake and freeze the layers, add the filling, then frost when you’re ready to serve!
What others are saying:
“Made this cake for husband’s 40th birthday
It turned out really really delicious.
The pineapple vanilla pudding was just wow” Mani
Pineapple Coconut Cake ingredients:
- Oil: A neutral oil, like canola, vegetable, or avocado, keeps the cake moist!
- Sour cream: Full-fat gives the best texture.
- Canned coconut milk: Full-fat canned coconut milk gives the richest coconut flavor.
- Crushed pineapple with juice: Don’t drain it! The juice is part of what keeps the cake moist.
- Sweetened shredded coconut: Sweetened is what the recipe is built around. I don’t recommend swapping with unsweetened.
Filling and cream cheese frosting ingredients:
- Crushed pineapple: Again, don’t drain it! The juice mixes with the pudding mix.
- Milk: Any milk you keep on hand works here.
- Vanilla instant pudding mix: This is the quick shortcut that makes the filling thick and spreadable.
- Cream cheese: Full-fat, block-style cream cheese is best for the frosting!
How to make Pineapple Coconut Cake:
This Pineapple Coconut Cake bakes up tender and tropical, then gets layered with pineapple pudding filling and fluffy coconut cream cheese frosting! Scroll down to the recipe card for complete instructions.
- Mix sour cream, oil, and sugar.
- Add eggs, coconut milk, and extracts.
- Add dry ingredients to the batter.
- Fold in pineapple and coconut, then bake the cake layers.
- Mix the filling ingredients.
- Spread the filling over each cake layer.
- Make the cream cheese frosting.
- Frost the cake and add toasted coconut.
Tips for the best Pineapple Coconut Cake:
- Freeze the layers for clean assembly: Cold or lightly frozen cake is sturdier, less crumbly, and much easier to frost neatly.
- Leave a filling border: Keep the filling away from the edge so it doesn’t squeeze out.
- Chill before slicing: Cold cake cuts cleaner and keeps the layers neat.
- Use room temp dairy for the frosting: Soft cream cheese and butter beat smooth fast, so you don’t chase little lumps later.
How to store Pineapple Coconut Cake:
Store the frosted cake covered in the fridge for up to 3 days (if you don’t have something large enough to cover it, uncovered is fine up to 24 hours!).
To freeze, wrap cake layers tightly and freeze for up to 3 months, or freeze the frosted cake until firm, then wrap and store in the freezer.
You can also freeze the assembled layers with the filling before frosting, then frost the frozen cake and let it thaw in the fridge before serving!
Pineapple Coconut Cake
written by Ashley Fehr
Ingredients
Pineapple Coconut Cake
- 1½ cups granulated sugar, (300g)
- ½ cup oil, (110g)
- ½ cup sour cream, (135g)
- 3 large eggs
- ½ cup full fat canned coconut milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon coconut extract
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2¼ cups all purpose flour, (295g) fluffed and levelled
- 1 cup crushed pineapple with juice
- ¾ cup sweetened, shredded coconut
Pineapple Filling
- 1¼ cup crushed pineapple with juice
- ¼ cup milk
- 1 package vanilla instant pudding mix, (102g, 4 serving size)
Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting
- 1 cup cream cheese, room temperature (250g/8oz)
- ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon coconut extract
- 4 cups powdered sugar, (480g)
- 1 pinch salt
Instructions
Pineapple Filling
- Stir together crushed pineapple with juice, milk and pudding mix until smooth.
- Refrigerate until thickened, about 1-2 hours.
Pineapple Coconut Cake
- Preheat oven to 350℉ and grease and flour three 8" round cake pans.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, oil, and sour cream.
- Add eggs, coconut milk, vanilla, and coconut extract and whisk until combined.
- Whisk in baking powder, baking soda and salt until completely combined.
- Stir in flour until just incorporated. Slowly stir in pineapple and coconut.
- Divide between prepared pans and bake for 18-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with moist crumbs.
- Let cakes cool in the pan for 20 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely. Assemble or wrap and refrigerate or freeze.
Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting
- In a large bowl, beat cream cheese with an electric mixer until smooth. Add the butter and beat on high until smooth.
- Add the vanilla, coconut extract and salt and beat until combined.
- Add the powdered sugar in 3 or 4 batches, beating well after each addition and tasting near the end to ensure the frosting reaches your desired level of sweetness. Add a touch more salt or coconut extract if desired.
Assembly
- Plate on cake layer on a cake plate and spread with half of the pineapple filling, being sure to leave a border around the edge.
- Place another cake layer on top and spread with remaining pineapple filling, then add the last cake layer. *Optional but recommended: freeze the layers with the filling for 3-4 hours or overnight before frosting to make it easier!
- Frost as desired, decorating with remaining frosting and toasted coconut as desired.
- You can serve immediately, but I recommend refrigerating 4-6 hours as it will be easier to slice. If you have frozen your cake before frosting, I recommend setting in the fridge to thaw for 5-6 hours before serving.
Video
Notes
- Cake mix: if you are wanting to use a cake mix, it won’t have the same amount of pineapple and coconut flavor but you can bake one vanilla cake mix into 3 layers and use that.
- Frosting: if frosting isn’t your thing, feel free to swap for Homemade Whipped Cream (you can add coconut extract!) or the Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting on this Carrot Cake Recipe (again, feel free to add coconut extract).
- bake the cake layers, cool and freeze.
- assemble cake layers with the filling and freeze.
- frost the frozen cake and let thaw in the refrigerator before serving.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Tag @thereciperebelVariations and Substitutions
- Cake mix shortcut: Bake a vanilla cake mix into three layers, then use the filling and frosting as written.
- Different frosting: Use Homemade Whipped Cream with a little coconut extract, or use whipped cream cheese frosting and add coconut extract!
- Gluten-free: Use a reliable gluten-free vanilla cake base, then keep the filling and frosting as written.
Louis says
What if I only have 9″ cake pans, do I need to make any adjustments to the recipe?
Ashley Fehr says
No, it will likely just bake a little quicker since the layers will be thinner
Pat Mack says
I have not made this recipe yet, but planning on making it for Easter. My question is Can I make cupcakes with this recipe?
Ashley Fehr says
I haven’t tried but I imagine it would work!
Lydia says
I’m excited to make this cake for Mother’s Day. Wanted to know if I can use cake flour instead of all purpose flour? Will I need to make any other changes using cake flour? Thanks
Ashley Fehr says
Sorry, I haven’t tried using cake flour!
Mani says
Made this cake for husband’s 40th birthday
It turned out really really delicious.
The pineapple vanilla pudding was just wow
Ashley Fehr says
I’m so glad!
Gia says
Can I use coconut oil instead of canola oil for this recipe?
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Gia! I haven’t tried it myself but it would probably be okay. If you decide to experiment, I’d love to know how it goes!
Deborah says
Hi Ashley,
Can I make the frosting and filling two days in advance?
Ashley Fehr says
You can make the filling in advance but I would maybe not do it two days before, as pineapple is acidic and can break down dairy. The frosting can definitely be made two days in advance
Reebs says
Hi! I can’t wait to make this cake for my mom for Mother’s Day/her birthday. She loves these flavors. Im just hoping I can execute it nicely. Just a quick question. I have unsweetened coconut but you use sweetened. Does it make a big difference or the sweetened one is needed? Also I want to make in 6in pans do you know how that will affect baking time?
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Reebs! Using unsweetened coconut is milder in flavor and less sweet so it would change the flavor some. To use 6in pans, your batter won’t fit between 3. It would likely take 4 pans to make it. While I haven’t tested it out myself, for the timing I would start checking it at around 12 minutes. Enjoy!
Katrina Sykes says
Can I use cake mix ?
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Katrina! I’m sure you could use cake mix instead of making the homemade cake layers. Hope you enjoy it!
Melani says
It was delicious, my family loved it. Thank you very much for sharing! If I would do it again, I would probably just change the filling for a pineapple curd because I could fill the granules of the vainilla pudding mix. Amazing cake and frosting though. Thank you so much 🙏🏻💕
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Melani! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Janet says
Confused as to the Crushed pineapple AND juice in last step of cake. Seemed like it would be too much liquid, and you didn’t mention juice in the video.
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Janet, I’m confused too. The pineapple gets added in Step 5 of the cake which is located at the 1 minute and 38 second mark of the video. In the ingredients it says crushed pineapple with juice so it lets bakers know that you don’t have to drain your pineapple before adding it to the cake. Could you clarify with me? Thanks!
Shari says
I loved this cake so much! It was so delicious. I made the recipe just as you said and it turned out so good! I put on the top pina colada gummy bears and made it for Easter! I will be making this again!!! Thanks so much for the recipe!
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks Shari! I’m glad you liked it!
Judy Fielding says
Can you use fresh pineapple in this recipe rather than canned?
Ashley Fehr says
You could, you’d just have to chop it super fine and keep the juices.
Issy says
Hi! I’m ecstatic to be making this recipe for my son’s birthday.
I can’t seem to get sour cream or coconut milk, can I replace the sour cream with greek yogurt? The coconut milk maybe some coconut cream and cow’s milk intead? I’m so sad I can’t get those two ingredients and I was extremely excited to malke this cake. I just don’t want to mess up the recipe. Wonderful recipe and presentation by the way!
Ashley Fehr says
Thank you Issy! I think swapping sour cream with greek yogurt will work fine! For the coconut milk, to keep things simple I would probably swap for milk plus a bit of coconut extract if you have that!
Tracy says
If I don’t use cream cheese icing, because I can’t get cream cheese right now, what kind of frosting could I substitute?
Ashley Fehr says
You could use a buttercream or whipped cream would be great!
Indira Shah says
It says to use 8 inch pans. Would 9 inch pans still work ok?
Ashley Fehr says
9 inch pans will work fine, you will just have thinner layers and they will need less baking time
Michelle says
Hi!
I LOVE that you use instant pudding. It tastes just as good & why would you want to create extra work for yourself, after making such a beautiful & delicious & homemade cake? I think it’s a great call, even if not everyone agrees.
I am making this cake next week & am very excited! My question: I am hoping to make this cake on Friday evening for a party on Saturday evening… Do you think that it can stay fully assembled for 24 hours & still be good? Not sure if there would be need to worry that the filling could make the cake soggy after such a long time?
Really appreciate your thoughts on this! Thank you 🙂
Ashley Fehr says
Hi Michelle! I think it would be fine sitting for 24 hours! I like my cake moist so it’s not usually something I worry about much, but I don’t think it would be a problem
Heather says
Just a question, the Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting doesn’t list salt as an ingredient, but step 2 advises to beat in the vanilla, coconut extract, and salt. Should there be salt, and if so, how much?
Ashley Fehr says
Sorry about that! I have updated the recipe
Karol says
What size pudding box do you use? The grams listed do not match up to the small or large box.
Ashley Fehr says
If you’re in the U.S. your box may list ounces instead? It is the 4 serving size.
Lisa says
Do you have a preference of oil that you use ?
Ashley Fehr says
I use canola oil for all my baking
Karen says
Why would you work to make the cake and frosting from scratch, and then use a boxed pudding mix for the filling? Homemade vanilla pudding from scratch is easy and tastes so great! It’s just eggs, cornstarch, sugar, milk and real vanilla extract! I have made it with Vanilla Almond milk since my son developed a dairy allergy! It takes all of 15 minutes!
Ashley Fehr says
Wonderful! Go for it! 🙂
Cyn says
Ok KAR-EN🥴😒
jACKIE says
hI
hOW MUCH TOASTED COCONUT DID YOU USE TO DECORATE THE CAKE.
Ashley Fehr says
Maybe 1/4 cup? You can really use as much as you want!
Sydney Bergeron says
I want to make this recipe for my sister for her birthday. I do however want to make them into cupcakes. Is this recipe just fine the way it is to make them into cupcakes. Also what temperature and time would you suggest for cooking them?
Ashley Fehr says
I haven’t tried, but I do think it would work just fine! I would bake them at 350 degrees for 15-18 minutes