Pina Colada Cake is soft, moist and topped with a creamy frosting — all the tropical flavors of the classic cocktail, perfect for summer.
My fondness for coconut keeps steering me toward coconut-forward recipes, both sweet and savory. It’s a flavor that instantly evokes the tropics, and combined with pineapple it becomes unmistakably summer — like this Pina Colada Cake.
This cake is a celebration of bright, tropical flavors. Crushed pineapple is folded into the batter, keeping the crumb exceptionally moist, while vanilla and coconut extract deepen the pina colada profile. The result is a tender cake that pairs wonderfully with tea or coffee, or with a chilled pina colada for a true island experience.
Because the recipe uses undrained crushed pineapple in the batter, the cake stays wonderfully moist — take care when removing the layers from the pans since they can be delicate. The cream cheese frosting adds rich, slightly tangy sweetness and a hint of coconut, and I’ll admit I could eat it by the spoonful.
The finished cake is frosted and decorated with desiccated coconut and drained pineapple pieces. For a classic touch, add a maraschino cherry to the top of each slice if you like.
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You might also like:
- Crustless Pineapple Pie
- Pineapple-Orange Cream Pie (No-Bake)
Pina Colada Cake
Pina Colada Cake
Linda Nortje
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Ingredients
CAKE:
- ¾ cup Unsalted Butter room temperature
- 1 cup Sugar
- 3 extra-large Eggs separated
- 1 t Vanilla Essence
- 2 t Coconut Extract
- 1 can Crushed Pineapple divided, ( 410g can )
- 1 ¼ cup Flour
- 2 t Baking Powder
- ¼ t Salt
- ⅛ t Cream of Tartar
- 2 TB Sugar (extra)
FROSTING:
- 250 g Cream Cheese plain, softened ( 8 oz )
- ½ cup Unsalted Butter room temperature
- 1 t Vanilla Essence
- 2 t Coconut Extract
- 3-4 cups Icing Sugar
- ¼ cup Desiccated Coconut
- Maraschino Cherry to decorate ( optional )
Instructions
CAKE:
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Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F). Spray two 8-inch cake pans with cooking oil and line the bottoms with baking paper.
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Beat the butter and 1 cup sugar until fluffy. Add the egg yolks one at a time, beating after each addition. Stir in the vanilla, coconut extract and 2/3 cup of the crushed pineapple (undrained) until combined.
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Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture in three batches, mixing until combined.
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Beat the egg whites with the cream of tartar until stiff. Gradually add the extra 2 tablespoons sugar and continue beating until medium peaks form.
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Stir one-quarter of the whipped egg whites into the batter to loosen it, then gently fold in the remaining egg whites until just combined.
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Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans and bake about 20 minutes. If a toothpick comes out with a little moisture but no raw batter, give it another 3–5 minutes. Cool the layers on a wire rack until completely cool.
FROSTING:
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Beat the cream cheese and butter until very smooth. Add the vanilla and coconut extract and scrape the bowl. Add icing sugar, one cup at a time, until you reach a spreadable consistency.
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Assemble the cake: spread cream cheese frosting between the layers and over the top and sides. Sprinkle the desiccated coconut over the frosted cake and decorate with the reserved drained pineapple pieces.
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Top with a maraschino cherry if desired and serve.
Nutrition values, where provided, may not always be exact. Please check ingredient labels if you need precise nutrition information.