Piña Colada Cake

Last week, pineapples were in sale.
So I bought one.
It was gone in one evening. Yes, I love pineapple.

Then I thought since pineapples were in sale, it was time to make some pineapple cake.
So I bought two pineapples.
Yes, I ate three pineapples in one week five days. I did use about half of one in recipes. So I only ate 2 1/2 pineapples…

Back to the cake.
The pineapple cake I wanted to make.

It came to me when I was going to make it that I could make something even better. Inspired by a cocktail. Yes, a piña colada cake. So I searched for a coconut cake recipe that I could modify, since it was easier to add pineapple than add coconut milk (I really wanted to use coconut milk!)

Adaptation of How to Make Moist Coconut Cake With Coconut Milk, eHow Food

Print recipe

Ingredients:

•  2 cups chopped pineapple
• 1/4 cup coconut oil
• 1/4 cup amber rum
• 1/4 cup earth balance buttery spread, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup golden cane sugar
• 1 flax egg: mix 1 tbsp flax seeds, grounded, and 3 tbsp water
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup unbleached all purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
• 6 tbsp coconut milk (full fat)
• 1/3 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
• Powdered sugar
• Coconut Whipped Cream (see below)

Directions: Melt the coconut oil in a skillet over low heat. Add pineapple and cook, stirring often, for 8 minutes. Drain in a colander. Heat skillet on medium heat. Add rum and pineapple and cook, stirring, until all the liquid is gone (there will be about 1 tbsp left). Drain again in the colander and let cool.

Preheat oven to 350°F and lightly grease an 8-inch spring-form cake pan.
Beat the earth balance and sugar with a hand mixer until smooth. Add flax egg and vanilla and beat until smooth.
In a bowl, mix flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Turn the hand mixer on low and add 1/3 of the flour mixture. Beat until smooth, then add 2 tbsp coconut milk. Repeat twice until all the flour and coconut milk is added and mix until the batter is smooth. Stir in shredded coconut and cooled pineapple until just combined. Pour in the cake pan and bake for 30-40 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the center.

Let the cake cool, remove the spring form and sprinkle with powdered sugar. Serve with coconut whipped cream (see below).

Serves 6

 

Adaptation from Chef Chloe

Ingredients:

• 1 can (14 oz) full fat coconut milk, chilled for a couple hours in the fridge
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar

Directions: Chill a bowl and electrical whisk or whisk of stand mixer in the freezer for 30 minutes. Scrape the cream from the top of the can of coconut milk and discard the liquid. Add the coconut cream and beat with the electrical whisk, slowly adding the powdered sugar, for 1-2 minutes until fluffy. Store in the refrigerator.

I have to admit, I never tried a Piña Colada so I have no idea if it tastes similar to this cake. But what I do know is that this cake is delicious. The rum gives a little flavor but the star is still the pineapple, and the coconut thanks to the “whipped cream”, which is key since it brings the cake from great to incredible.

The cake is extra moist with a little texture from the shredded coconut. It is just sweet enough and the pineapple chunks are perfect and juicy!

Hope you’re having a great week!