Tropical Cake
With all the great flavors you’d expect from the tropics, this cake is full of pineapple and coconut yumminess. This cake has a great texture and each forkful will have you rolling your eyes in delight.
Pineapple and toasted coconut really are a dynamic duo, the delicious sweet fruity flavor of pineapple and the nutty warm toasted coconut does not only look spectacular together with bright red cherries to set the whole look off…
Also it tastes amazing together. Along with this tender pineapple cake and creamy pineapple Sour Cream Frosting.
If you ask me, Toasted Coconut is a real star here, I just love coconut and toasting it makes it over the top DELICIOUS!
This cake is starts with a box of white cake mix, then you add in some items to create this thick wonderful cake. Box cake mix has an advantage here the flour is milled fine and it bakes up wonderfully especially with the additional items, No one will gues it all started with a box mix. I use Dunkan Hines White Cake Mix, it bakes up perfectly everytime!
Tropical Luau Style Flavor Favorites:
More tropical coconut and pineapple recipes:
- Luau cupcakes
- Luau Fried Rice
- Pineapple Margarita
- Tropical Pineapple Coconut 9×13 cake- you’re already here
- Grilled Cake with Pineapple
- Coconut Chicken with Pineapple Guacamole
If you’re looking for an entire meal based on pineapple…
Many years ago I made a dinner for 20+ people, teriyaki burgers, with pineapple and made pineapple coconut Luau Cupcakes. I’ve made it many times since and it’s always a winner. I used to go to this restaurant and they served the most delicious teriyaki burger and I was so happy to replicate that memory!
Additionally, cake was totally inspired by that day. I knew I wanted a delicious cake that looked just as pretty as those cupcakes, and easy enough for everyday celebrating.
Moreover, if pineapple and coconut is your favorite flavor combo, give some of these recipes a try:
This is the best Tropical Birthday Cake recipes, and if it’s not someone’s birthday, think of it as practice until there is one!
Aren’t these the cutest birthday picks, just pop one of these onto the cake, or maybe you’d like a bigger Happy Birthday topper.
Frosting
I made a pineapple cream cheese frosting to this cake and it is so thick and creamy and really adds to the delicious flavor.
I used the back of a spoon and made swirls in the frosting, then topped the cake with pineapple chunks and cherries in the shape of flowers, then added the toasted coconut around them.
Be sure to check out my tips on toasted coconut here, you can prepare it in the oven or on the stove.
I ran out of my regular baking spray to prepare my pan, so I made some homemade Pan Release baking spray alternative (and it’s my new favorite) the pan was so incredibly clean when the cake was sliced.
Tropical Cake (Pineapple and Coconut)
Ingredients
- 1 15.25 oz white cake mix (Duncan Hines) do not follow directions on the package
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 20 oz can pineapple chunks in juice Use the juice from the 20 oz (1 lb 4 oz) can,1 1/4 cups = 10oz (reserve pineapple for decoration, cut in half if needed to have enough to decorate the cake)
- 4 egg whites (from large eggs)
- 1 cup sour cream which is 8 oz
- 4 oz melted butter which is 1/2 cup, or 1 stick
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon oil (avocado or vegetable oil)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 12 maraschino cherries
- 1 cup toasted coconut link to how to toast coconut in the post
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 335° (this temperature bakes the cake wonderfully)
- Prepare a 13×9 metal baking dish, spray with a baking spray or brush with pan release.
- In a large bowl of a mixer, combine all ingredients.
- Cake mix, flour, sugar, pineapple juice, egg whites, sour cream, butter, salt, oil and vanilla extract.
- Mix on low speed until the mix starts blending, then turn on medium speed and mix for 2 minutes.
- Scrape the bowl and under the beater after the first minute to be sure the ingredients combine fully, then continue mixing until well blended.
- Pour the cake batter into a prepared 13×9 pan.
- Bake at 335° for 30 minutes, and test with a toothpick until it comes out clean. If your oven runs hot start testing at 25 minutes.
- Place reserved pineapple on paper towels to absorb liquid so the pineapple won't make the top of the cake wet.
- Toast coconut until golden. I linked in the post to instructions on how to do this on the stove and in the oven.
- Drain the cherries and place them on paper towels to absorb all liquid.
- Sour Cream Frosting: 1/2 cup butter, 1/2 cup sour cream, 3-4 cups powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. In the bowl of a mixer combine all the ingredients on low speed, then mix on medium-high until smooth and creamy. A tablespoon of pineapple juice or pineapple extract can be added if desired.
- Spread the frosting over top of the cooled cake with the back of a spoon, place pineapple pieces like flower petals, and cherries in the center, and then sprinkle toasted coconut around all the pineapple "flowers". Place the cake in the fridge to chill the fruit and set up the frosting so it's firm.
- Store cake in the fridge and remove 1 hour prior to serving.
Pineapple Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter room temperature
- 1/2 cup cream cheese room temperature
- 1/2 cup pineapple juice
- 1/2 cup milk
- 3 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- In the bowl of a mixer beat butter and cream cheese until smooth and whipped fluffy for 2-3 minutes on medium speed.
- In a medium bowl mix the powdered sugar with the pineapple juice and milk until it's a thick syrup consistency. Whisk it smooth.
- With the mixer running on low, slowly pour the powdered sugar mix into the whipped butter and cream cheese. Continue mixing for 4-5 minutes on low to medium-low.
- The frosting will be thick, smooth, and creamy, without air bubbles.
- Then spread the frosting on cake or cupcakes. Use the back of the spoon to create swooping swirls, or spread smoothly.