Pineapple Coconut Cream Cake

Ingredients

Cake

1 box yellow or white cake mix
3 large eggs
½ cup vegetable oil
1 cup water
1 tsp vanilla extract

Pineapple Layer

1 can (20 oz / 567 g) crushed pineapple, undrained
½ cup granulated sugar
2 tbsp cornstarch
1 tbsp lemon juice

Cream Layer

8 oz (225 g) cream cheese, softened
½ cup powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1½ cups heavy whipping cream
½ cup sweetened shredded coconut

Topping

1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
Whipped cream, for serving
Optional: extra pineapple or toasted coconut

Method

Bake the cake: Heat oven to 350°F (175°C). Prepare the cake mix with eggs, oil, water, and vanilla. Pour into a greased 9×13-inch (23×33 cm) baking dish and bake according to the package directions, about 30–35 minutes.
Let the cake cool for about 10–15 minutes. Using the handle of a wooden spoon, poke holes throughout the cake.
Make pineapple topping: Combine crushed pineapple, sugar, cornstarch, and lemon juice in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat for 4–6 minutes, stirring until slightly thickened. Cool for a few minutes.
Spoon the warm pineapple mixture evenly over the cake, allowing some to soak into the holes.
Make cream layer: Beat softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla until smooth. In another bowl, whip heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the whipped cream and ½ cup coconut into the cream-cheese mixture.
Spread the cream mixture evenly over the pineapple layer.
Toast the coconut: Spread 1 cup coconut on a baking sheet and bake at 350°F for 4–7 minutes, stirring once, until lightly golden. Watch closely because coconut browns quickly.
Sprinkle toasted coconut over the cake.
Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight. Cut into squares and serve with a dollop of whipped cream.

Quick & Short Recipe

Bake yellow cake → poke holes → cook crushed pineapple with sugar & cornstarch → spread over cake → make cream-cheese whipped topping → spread on top → add toasted coconut → chill 4 hours → serve cold.

Nutrition — Approx. Per Serving

Based on 12 servings:

Calories: ~470 kcal
Protein: ~5 g
Carbohydrates: ~57 g
Fat: ~25 g
Saturated fat: ~13 g
Fiber: ~2 g
Sugar: ~39 g
Sodium: ~350 mg

Nutrition is an estimate and will vary with the cake mix, cream cheese, coconut, and other brands used.

Author
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Sara Mitchell

Sara Mitchell is an expert restaurant content creator who writes easy-to-read guides about CAVA and other Mediterranean fast-casual chains in the United States. She covers locations, menus, prices, and hours, making it simple for visitors to find nearby restaurants and what to order quickly.

With years of experience in restaurant research and local SEO, Sara creates accurate, user-friendly guides that work for both people and search engines. Her goal is to help users go from search results to their nearest restaurant or menu choice with as few clicks as possible.