Description
A tropical cruise in a cake! This pina colada cake is fun, fruity and delicious!
Ingredients
Coconut Cake Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter, softened
1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons coconut extract
1/2 cup coconut full-fat yogurt
1/3 cup coconut milk*
1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
BSB Pineapple Curd Ingredients:
1/2 cup pineapple juice (from a can)**
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
4 egg yolks
1 tablespoon Brown Sugar Bourbon
Small pinch of salt
3 tablespoons butter
BSB Coconut Buttercream Ingredients:
2 cups butter, softened
6 cups powdered sugar
1 tablespoon Brown Sugar Bourbon
2 teaspoons coconut extract
Maraschino cherries with stems for garnish (optional)
Instructions
Coconut Cake Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease three 6″ cake pans, and line the bottom of each pan with parchment paper. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients, flour through salt. Set aside.
In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one by one, followed by the extracts, yogurt, and coconut milk. Mix until all the wet ingredients are incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.
Add the dry ingredients, mixing on the lowest speed until just combined. Stir in the coconut flakes, making sure to scrape down the sides again as the coconut likes to stick.
Distribute the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans (I like to use this scale to be sure each layer is exactly the same). Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with moist crumbs.
Pineapple Curd Directions:
Combine all the ingredients except the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk constantly, until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon. Remove from heat, and stir in the butter a tablespoon at a time. The pineapple curd will continue to thicken as it cools.
Note the assembly directions below for tips on how to add the pineapple curd between each cake layer.
Bourbon Coconut Buttercream
In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter until light and fluffy. Add the powdered sugar one cup at a time. Add the Brown Sugar Bourbon and coconut extract. Beat on high speed for about 5 minutes.
Notes
I prefer to frost cold cakes – I find it easier and there are fewer crumbs. I wrap each cake layer in plastic wrap once they’ve come to room temp, and then let them sit in the fridge for at least a few hours so they’re cold when I’m ready to frost
To assemble with the pineapple curd between each layer of cake, frost an even layer of the buttercream on top of the first layer. Then pipe a border of frosting around the edge of the cake layer. Spoon the pineapple curd into the well that you just created. Repeat with the next layer, and then continue with your crumb coat. (And by the way, I’m posting a video to Instagram in a few days that will show exactly how to do this! Find me @thiscelebratedlife on Instagram to see it!
A crumb coat, if you haven’t heard of it before, is a thin layer of frosting to just seal in the crumbs before you fully frost the cake.
Once your cake is fully frosted, coat it in unsweetened coconut flakes (or sweetened if you prefer).
Top with cherries for a true Pina Colada look! If you want to create the same glitter look that I did here, lightly dry each Maraschino cherry, and then dip them in this edible gold glitter. Easy as that!