From-Scratch Coconut Pineapple Cake

This moist and fluffy old-fashioned coconut pineapple cake recipe is made completely from scratch! These tropical flavors are a match made in heaven – it’s the perfect dessert!

Homemade coconut pineapple cake–need I say more?! I love it! This is truly one of my favorite cake recipes. The flavor combination of pineapple and coconut just can’t be beat! This cake combines a perfectly moist cake with creamy homemade buttercream and tropical pineapple filling. It’s super sweet and decadent, with pineapple chunks and sweet shredded coconut in every bite! My family loves to request this recipe for just about every special occasion, and I love making it.

A Family History of Sweet Desserts

Making this coconut pineapple cake takes me right on back to my early childhood when my family always had huge Christmas dinners at my Grandpa’s house. We celebrated Christmas and his birthday, so there would always be tons of desserts lined up at the dessert table. I’d always sneak a pinch of cake when the adults weren’t looking. (I see where my son got it from!) I’d always act like I was just looking, but my sneaky self would pick the coconut flakes and juicy cherries off the cakes.

My grandparents had 18 kids—yes, you read that right! Twelve boys and six girls, my mom being the youngest girl in the bunch. With that many kids, you can imagine it would be hard to get them all gifts. Once a kid reached 12 years old, they didn’t get gifts anymore—Grandma would just make a lot of desserts instead! There was always a chocolate cake, a pineapple upside-down cake, and, of course, a pineapple coconut cake.

Recently, I was talking to my Aunt Nisha about amazing desserts Grandma used to make. When this delicious pineapple coconut cake recipe came up, I took it as a hint to make one. So here I am, sharing my family’s tried-and-true recipe with my favorite Cousins… you!

Ingredients for Homemade Coconut Pineapple Cake

Y’all have seen me make coconut cake before–both from scratch, like this recipe, and a semi-homemade boxed cake mix version. The base of this coconut pineapple layer cake is the same basic white cake recipe that’s quick and easy to whip together. Be sure to check out the printable recipe card at the end of this post for the complete ingredients list and directions! Here are some of the main ingredients you should grab from the grocery store.

The basic white cake recipe needs:

• Cake Flour: I use cake flour instead of using regular all-purpose flour. Cake flour, in my opinion, makes the cake more moist!
• Sugar: this recipe has a lot of sugar, but the sweetness is oh-so-worth it! Use regular white granulated sugar.
• Egg Whites: using egg whites instead of egg yolks makes the cake perfectly light and fluffy.
• Vanilla & Coconut Extract: these flavored extracts give the cake batter that iconic sweet coconut flavor with a hint of warmth.
• Buttermilk: the secret to a moist, fluffy, flavorful cake batter.
• Coconut Flakes: including sweetened coconut flakes into the batter gives the cake texture and even more sweet coconut flavor.

The simple pineapple filling needs:

• Pineapple Juice & Crushed Pineapple: where all the tropical pineapple flavor comes from.
• Cornstarch: thickens the pineapple filling.

Finally, you’ll make a homemade coconut cream cheese frosting with:

• Butter: you should always use unsalted butter in a buttercream frosting base!
• Cream Cheese: sweet, tangy, and perfect for this pineapple coconut cake.
• Milk: thins out the thick and buttery frosting.
• Confectioners Sugar: also called powdered sugar; this is what makes the frosting perfectly sweet.

Now, this may seem like a long list, but I promise y’all that the cake is so worth it! Most of these ingredients are kitchen staples—butter, milk, sugar, salt, baking soda, etc. So, even though you need a lot of ingredients, they’re simple, and you can rest easy knowing exactly what is in this delicious homemade cake!

How to Make From-Scratch Coconut Cake with Pineapple Filling

If y’all have ever made a completely from-scratch cake recipe before, you know that it is a labor of love, am I right?! It’s not complicated, but she takes time! Now, don’t you worry—Cousin Rosie is here to walk you through it step by step.

Y’all want to watch me make the cake? You can see it in my video tutorial below or hop on over to my YouTube channel to see exactly how it’s done.

There are three main steps to making this delicious cake: baking the cake, making the filling and frosting, and assembling the cake. Let’s get to it!

How to Make the Coconut Cake: 

First, we start with the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl—cake flour, salt, and baking powder. Combine the egg whites, room-temperature butter, and sugar in a separate mixing bowl. Add the vanilla extract, coconut extract, and coconut flakes (we really want to make that coconut flavor pop). Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the bowl of wet ingredients, alternating with the buttermilk. Mix the batter until everything is just incorporated and there are no lumps. You don’t want to overmix the cake batter, or else you’ll have a dry, dense cake on your hands, and that’s the last thing we want!

Next, pour the cake batter into two prepared 9-inch cake pans. I like to prep mine with baking spray, but the classic butter and flour trick works too, as does lining the pans with parchment paper.

• Pro-Tip: I use my stand mixer along with the whisk attachment and paddle attachment. If you don’t have a stand mixer, you can use a hand mixer or mix completely by hand!
• Pro-Tip: Want to make this a sheet cake? You can use two 9×13 cake pans, but the cake layers will be much thinner and probably cook faster.
• Pro-Tip: Turn the cakes out onto a wire rack to cool quicker once baked. You can get to decorating faster! We want the cake completely cooled before any assembly.

How to Make Pineapple Filling for Coconut Cake:

While the cakes are baking, make the pineapple filling. Combine the pineapple juice and cornstarch in a measuring cup and mix until there are no lumps. Add the sugar, juice mixture, and canned pineapple chunks in a medium saucepan. Mix everything together, then bring it to a boil over medium heat. It will start to thicken, so keep stirring for about 5-7 minutes. Once it’s your desired thickness (it should be the consistency of a curd—nice and thick), take it off the heat and let it cool completely.

• Pro-Tip: You could use fresh pineapple instead of canned pineapple chunks if you want fresher pineapple flavor. This is a great job for a food processor—pulse the fresh pineapple chunks until they’re small bits and pieces.
• Pro-Tip: If you have any leftovers, you can use the remainder of the crushed pineapple as a garnish on top of the cake!

How to Make Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting:

Homemade buttercream doesn’t have to be intimidating! I love homemade frosting because I know the ingredients—no crazy preservatives or chemicals I’m not aware of. It’s perfectly creamy and delicious! To make the frosting, combine the butter, powdered sugar, cream cheese, vanilla, and coconut extracts and mix until combined. Super simple!

• Pro-Tip: making buttercream is definitely a job for an electric mixer, so if you have one, use it! Mix the frosting until stiff peaks form—that’s how you know it’s well-combined.
• Pro-Tip: Using room-temperature butter and cream cheese is absolutely necessary for a smooth, creamy buttercream frosting!

Assemble the Coconut Pineapple Cake Layers: 

Finally, it’s time to decorate! The cake layers and filling must be completely cooled before assembly. First, flip the bottom layer over so the bottom is on top—this gives you a flat, even surface for the filling. Add a layer of pineapple filling (you don’t want it to be too thick, or else it will ooze out of the sides of the cake). Place the next cake layer on top of the filling (bottom down). At this point, you can either frost the whole cake with the cream cheese frosting or just the sides. I personally frost just the sides of the cake and add a final layer of pineapple filling to the very top of the cake.

• Pro-Tip: you don’t have to decorate the cake exactly like I do! Use your creativity! Some people like a lot of frosting, others only want a thin layer.
• Pro-Tip: Decorate the outside of the cake with sweetened coconut flakes, bust out a piping bag to get fancy with frosting, or garnish the top with fresh pineapple chunks or cherries for a pineapple upside-down cake vibe!
• Pro-Tip: For best results, crumb coat the cake—spread a very thin layer of frosting down on the cake first before adding any more frosting. This will stop the moist, tender cake from crumbling and getting all mixed up into the frosting.

And there you have it! The hardest part, in my opinion, is assembling the cake—and not immediately digging in once it’s ready! If you love the tropical flavors of pineapple and coconut mixed with a sweet, moist white cake, this cake is exactly what you need to make. It’s the perfect cake for special occasions, birthday parties, and holidays. And every time you make it, you’ll get better and better at creating a masterpiece!

Recipe Tips for Extra-Delicious Coconut Pineapple Cake

I will leave y’all with some final tips and tricks for the ultimate coconut pineapple cake recipe. This sweet coconut dessert holds a special place in my heart, so I want you to make it and love it!

• If you really want to drive home that coconut flavor, swap out the buttermilk in the cake batter for coconut milk (but make sure you’re using the right kind! It should not be sweet, refrigerated, or coconut cream).
• If you don’t love big chunks of coconut flakes in the cake, use a food processor to pulse the shredded coconut into smaller pieces.
• You’ll need to allow at least 3-4 hours to make this cake, mostly to allow for cooling time and decorating! The best part is that you can easily make this cake 1-2 days ahead of time, keep it in the fridge (covered as best as possible), and let it come to room temperature before serving.
• You can freeze leftovers in an airtight container for up to two months.

More Delicious Desserts and Treats

If you love coconut desserts as much as I do—or really, any desserts for that matter, you have to try out these recipes! What’s your favorite special occasion dessert your family loves?! Let me know below!

• Coconut Lime Cupcakes
• Coconut Bundt Cake
• Coconut Cream Pie
• Pineapple Upside Down Cake
• Pina Colada Cake Trifle
• No Bake Pina Colada Cheesecake

Loved this recipe? Let me know in the comments! Don’t forget to tag and follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest, subscribe to I Heart Recipes on YouTube, and check out all my cookbooks! My brand-new Cousin Rosie Holiday Cookbook is available now!