Pineapple Coconut Dream Cake
This pineapple coconut dream cake is a moist, buttery cake with pineapple flavor throughout: the cake is soaked with pineapple syrup and topped with a pineapple-infused pudding layer, whipped topping, crushed pineapple, and toasted coconut. It really is a dream.
Ingredients
- cooking spray
- 3 (20 ounce) cans crushed pineapple with juice, divided
- 1 (13.25 ounce) package yellow cake mix
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 3 large eggs
- 1 1/4 cups shredded sweetened coconut, toasted, divided
- 1 tablespoon white sugar
- 1 (3.4 ounce) package vanilla instant pudding
- 1 (8 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, such as Cool Whip®, thawed
Directions
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Gather all ingredients. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Coat the bottom of a 13×9-inch baking pan with cooking spray. Set aside.
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Drain crushed pineapple, reserving juice. Whisk together cake mix, butter, eggs, and 1 cup pineapple juice in a large bowl until mixture just combined, about 1 minute. Fold in 3/4 cup coconut. Pour batter into the prepared baking pan, and spread into an even layer.
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Bake in the preheated oven until a wooden pick inserted in center of cake comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack, and let cool slightly, about 30 minutes.
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Meanwhile, stir together sugar and 1/3 cup pineapple juice in a small, heatproof bowl; microwave on High until sugar is dissolved, about 60 seconds. Set aside until ready to use.
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Whisk together pudding mix and 1/4 cup pineapple juice in a large bowl until smooth. Stir in 3 cups crushed pineapple.
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Poke holes into cake using a fork. Drizzle sugar-pineapple juice mixture evenly over cake. Spread pudding mixture in an even layer over cake. Chill cake uncovered until pudding mixture is slightly firm, at least 30 minutes or up to overnight.
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Spoon whipped topping over the pudding layer and spread into an even layer. Top with remaining 1/2 cup coconut and 1/2 cup crushed pineapple.
