Recipe- Mouthwatering Frosted Coconut Pineapple Upside Down Cake

Throw back to an easier time with our fun Coconut Pineapple Upside Down Cake! It’s a retro cake, but with a twist because we have added tons of pineapple bits, coconut and coconut flavored liqueur!

The Coconut Pineapple Upside Down Cake, with its buttery dreamy texture, taste and kitchy presentation, is a fun take on holidays, summer BBQs and even birthday parties.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon butter
½ cup granulated sugar, plus 2 tablespoons for the cake pans
2 14-ounce cans pineapple rounds, reserve the juice
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon sea salt
2 large eggs
1 cup canned crushed pineapple
½ cup vegetable oil
½ cup buttermilk
1 ½ tablespoons dark rum, or bourbon
1 cup chopped pecans
½ cup fine shredded coconut
1 cup large flaked coconut

Cream Cheese Frosting

½ cup butter, at room temperature
½ cup cream cheese, at room temperature
2 cups powdered sugar
3 tablespoons reserved pineapple juice
⅛ teaspoon sea salt

Method

* Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cut out 2 pieces of parchment paper the size of your baking pans. Grease the bottoms and sides of two 9-inch round cake pans with butter.

* Place the parchment circles in the bottom of the pans and grease the top of the parchment paper, too. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of sugar into each pan.

* Drain the pineapple slices and reserve the juice from one of them. Place the pineapple slices in both of the prepared cake pans.

* You should be able to get 7 slices per pan. Sprinkle the tops of the pineapple with another 1 tablespoon of sugar.

* In a large bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and sea salt. In a medium-sized bowl whisk the eggs, crushed pineapple, vegetable oil, buttermilk, and dark rum.

* Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients all at once and whisk to combine. Stir in the pecans and finely shredded coconut.

* Pour the batter evenly into the two prepared cake pans and bake in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.

* Remove the cakes from the oven and let them sit for 10 minutes. Invert them onto a cooling rack and let them cool completely.

* Place the shaved coconut on a baking tray and, when the cakes come out of the oven, put the coconut in.

* Toast the coconut for 2-3 minutes then remove it from the oven and let it cool completely. Watch the coconut VERY carefully as it toasts (or burns!) easily.

* While the cakes are cooling prepare the icing. In a large bowl, cream the butter and cream cheese. Add the powdered sugar, pineapple juice, and sea salt and beat until combined.

* Once the cakes have cooled completely spread the icing over the top of one of the cakes then place the other cake on top. Ice the sides (but not the top!) of both the cakes and sprinkle the toasted coconut onto the icing.