This Pina Colada Cake turns your favourite tropical cocktail into one delicious dessert! Coconut rum flavoured cake and frosting paired with pineapple filling and toasted coconut.
What better time for a tropical cake than in the dead of winter. It’s actually sunny here today and for most of this week which is a welcome relief from all the rain we’ve had so far this winter.
If you’re deep in the winter doldrums, I’ve got a major pick me up for you with this tropical Pina Colada Cake!
This was actually one of my oldest recipes (from June 2016), but I’ve completely revamped the recipe and photos to give you a new and improved version.
Maraschino Cherries
Before I get into the details of this dreamy Pina Colada Cake, can we talk about how disgusting maraschino cherries are? Vile.
I apologize in advance if you are a maraschino cherry lover.
I’m not a fan {understatement}. I had to fish them out of this syrupy, sticky, stinky liquid and rinse them off before I could use them. Even after rinsing, they remained sticky and gross.
I won’t deny the pop of color they add is perfect and pretty, but you’d have to pay me to actually eat one of these suckers (not a lot, but still).
Maraschino cherry rage aside, let’s talk about this Pina Colada Cake! I love it. It tastes JUST like a Pina Colada, I am not even kidding you. The perfect combo of pineapple, coconut, and of course, rum.
How to Make a Pina Colada Cake
A Pina Colada is a sweet cocktail consisting of:
- Coconut milk (or cream)
- Pineapple juice
- Rum
Usually blended with ice for a slushy treat. It’s often garnished with a wedge of pineapple and/or a maraschino cherry.
It’s delicious!
My version of Pina Colada in cake form consists of:
- Coconut rum flavoured cake layers
- A rum simple syrup
- Crushed pineapple filling
- Coconut rum frosting
I used my Coconut Cake recipe for the cake layers and added rum extract to it.
Those of you that know me know I don’t like to use extracts. I find them to taste artificial. Well, I have to say that I am officially obsessed with the rum extract from Lorann Oils!
I didn’t really know what to expect when I bought this but I wasn’t satisfied with using actual rum in the cake batter (in my previous recipe) so I wanted to give it a go.
I don’t know what it is but it is SO good and gave me major childhood flashbacks. I think my mom must have used rum extract in the cakes she baked for us when I was little because it’s a flavor that took me right back.
I highly recommend the rum extract from Lorann Oils but if you’re a purist and would prefer to use actual rum I talk about that in the tips section below.
I made a rum simple syrup to brush onto the cake layers and used actual rum for this. It gives the cake a major kick which I think you need to make it a true Pina Colada.
I like to trim the top of my cake layers just slightly to allow the syrup to penetrate the cake layers. My cakes always bake up nice and flat so I don’t usually trim them, but when I’m using a syrup I like to take off that upper crust so the syrup can soak in better.
I just brush it on (generously) with a pastry brush, but you could use a squeeze bottle or even drizzle it with a spoon.
Pineapple Filling
This is the only thing I kept the same from my original recipe. It’s a super simple filling made with a can of crushed pineapple, some sugar, and cornstarch. Simply combine and cook until it thickens.
When using a softer filling in a cake it’s important to use a buttercream dam around the outside to hold it in otherwise it will come out the sides and just be a huge mess. I like to put a thin layer of frosting down on the cake layer first and then pipe a dam with a large round tip like a 1A.
Then simply spoon in the filling and spread it around.
For decorating the cake I kept things simple. Mainly because I ran out of frosting (oops).
I was going to use a cake comb for the sides but I didn’t have enough to make the frosting thick enough on the sides. Oh well! Rustic spatula swirl it is.
I think it looks simple and pretty and the cake already has a lot going on with it with the coconut flakes along the bottom and the garnish on top.
The top is decorated with some buttercream rosettes, pineapple wedges, maraschino cherries, and toasted coconut.
Tip: Place the 6 pineapple wedges evenly spaced on the top of the cake first, it’s easier to move them around, then pipe the dollops between them.
If you’re looking for something with a bit more of a wow factor you could make dried pineapple flowers for the outside. You can see how pretty they are in my Pineapple Cake.
If you like pina coladas (♫and getting caught in the rain♫), you will love this Pina Colada Cake! Now if only I was on a tropical beach sipping an actual pina colada life would be perfect.
Tips for this Pina Colada Cake:
- Converting the recipe:
- The recipe as-is will also work in two 8″ pans. For three 8″ pans, 1.5x the recipe.
- To make cupcakes, all you need to do is reduce the baking time — start checking at 15mins or so.
- Can I make it in advance?
- The cooled cake layers can be baked ahead of time, double wrapped in plastic wrap, and frozen for up to 3 months. Take out 2-3 hours before assembly.
- The frosting can be placed in an airtight container and refrigerated for 1 week for frozen for 3 months. Bring to room temp and rewhip before using.
- The pineapple filling can be refrigerated for up to a week.
- How do I store it?
-
- The finished cake can be kept in the fridge for 2-3 days, after that it will start to dry out. It can also be frozen. Bring to room temperature before serving.
- If you’d prefer to use real rum in the cake batter then use 3/4 cup coconut milk and 1/4 cup rum. Mix them together before adding them to the cake. Leave out the rum emulsion.
- If you want to make the simple syrup kid-friendly use 1 tsp rum extract instead of rum.
- You will have some pineapple filling left over. If you can find an 8 oz can of crushed pineapple you can halve the recipe and use that instead.
- You will have some rum simple syrup left over. You can store this in the fridge and use this in cocktails, coffee, iced drinks, etc.
- Be sure to check my Swiss Meringue Buttercream post for tips and troubleshooting.
- Learn how to keep your cakes moist using Simple Syrup.
- To help ensure your cake layers bake up nice and flat, check out my How to Bake Flat Cake Layers post!
Pina Colada Cake
Ingredients
Coconut Rum Cake:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 1 tsp rum emulsion or 1 tsp rum extract
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 cup coconut milk canned, room temperature
- 1/2 cup shredded coconut sweetened
Rum Simple Syrup:
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/4 cup rum or 1 tsp rum extract
Coconut Rum Buttercream:
- 5 large egg whites
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter cubed, room temperature
- 3-4 Tbsp coconut milk powder
- 1/4 tsp rum emulsion or rum extract, optional
Pineapple Filling:
- 1 can crushed pineapple 14-15oz
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tsp cornstarch
Assembly:
- coconut flakes toasted
- shredded coconut toasted
- maraschino cherries
- pineapple wedges
Instructions
Coconut Rum Cake:
- Preheat oven to 350F. Grease and flour three 6" cake rounds, line with parchment.
- In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, and salt and set aside.
- Beat butter until smooth. Add sugar and beat on med-high until pale and fluffy (2-3mins).
- Reduce speed and add eggs one at a time, fully incorporating after each addition. Add vanilla and rum emulsion.
- Alternate adding flour mixture and coconut milk, beginning and ending with flour (3 additions of flour and 2 of milk). Fully incorporating after each addition. Mix until just combined. Fold in shredded coconut.
- Spread batter evenly into prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula.
- Bake for 30-35 mins or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean.
- Place cakes on wire rack to cool for 10mins then turn out onto wire rack to cool completely.
Rum Simple Syrup:
- Place sugar and water into a pot over med-high heat. Stir to dissolve sugar and cook until mixture boils. Simmer for 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in rum (or rum extract/emulsion). Cool before use.
Coconut Rum Buttercream:
- Place egg whites and sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk until combined.*
- Place bowl over a pot with 1-2" of simmering water and stir constantly with a whisk until the mixture is hot and no longer grainy to the touch or reads 160F on a candy thermometer (approx. 3mins).
- Place bowl on your stand mixer and whisk on med-high until the meringue is stiff and cooled (the bowl is no longer warm to the touch (approx. 5-10mins)).
- Switch to paddle attachment. Slowly add cubed butter and mix until smooth. Add rum and coconut milk powder one Tbsp at a time and whip until smooth.**
Pineapple Filling:
- Place all ingredients into a medium saucepan, stir to combine. Bring to a simmer and cook over medium-high until thickened (1-2 mins). Cool completely before using on cake.***
Toasted Coconut:
- Preheat oven to 350F and line a large sheet pan with parchment. Spread flaked coconut out evenly and bake for approx. 5 mins or until golden brown. Toss lightly part way through baking. Cool completely before using on cake.
Assembly:
- Trim the top crust off of each layer of cake. Dip a pastry brush into the rum simple syrup and brush each layer generously (about 2-3 Tbsp per cake layer).****
- Place one layer of cake onto a serving plate or cake stand. Top with a thin layer of buttercream and pipe a dam around the outside using a large round tip to hold the filling. Place 1/3 cup of pineapple filling inside the dam and spread evenly. Repeat with next layer.
- Top with final layer of cake and crumb coat the entire cake (thin coat of frosting all over the cake). Chill for 30mins.
- Use the remaining frosting to frost the cake and do a rustic swirl on the sides and top with a large offset spatula if desired. Press large coconut flakes along the bottom of the cake.
- Space 6 pineapple wedges evenly around the top of the cake. Pipe rosette dollops in between them using a 1M tip. Top each dollop with a maraschino cherry. Fill in the center with toasted shredded coconut if desired.
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Notes
** The buttercream may look like it's curdled at some point. Keep mixing until it is completely smooth. See this post for a detailed tutorial.
*** You will have some pineapple filling left over. If you can find an 8 oz can of crushed pineapple you can halve the recipe and use that instead.
**** You will have some rum simple syrup left over. You can store this in the fridge and use this in cocktails, coffee, iced drinks, etc.
Originally published June 5, 2016
Leah says
I must say that this cake was just AMAZING. It made our Easter wonderful and I will ABSOLUTELY make this again!
Olivia says
Hi Leah! Thanks for the awesome feedback. I’m so happy you loved it!
Lisa says
Thank you so much for this recipe! I made it and everyone loved it! I used the Ermine frosting but I piped too much around the edges of the cake so it got too sweet to finish off but everything else was great. I also just used rum (couldn’t find rum extract in the stores – only online but delivery would take forever) and it felt like a mistake because even though the syrup was very rum-my, it didn’t come through at all on the cake :(. Oh and I have an air oven so if anyone else does too, bake it for five min less than recommended (mistake were made on my side).
Other than that, it was amazing!
Olivia says
Hi Lisa! So happy you loved it! Thanks for all your tips 🙂
Lori says
Hello,
Did you make adjustments to your recipe recently? The printed copy I have has
1 1/2 cups AP flour…1/2 cup butter etc?
Olivia says
Hi Lori! Yes, I gave the recipe and blog post a revamp earlier this year. The new recipe makes for a taller cake with much more prominent flavours 🙂
Cydney Bulger says
Made this tonight, and it was just as perfect as we’d hoped! The crumb of the cake was so soft and airy, and I loved the pineapple filling. Thank you!
Olivia says
Hi Cydney! So happy you loved it. Thanks for the feedback 🙂
Linda says
Can I use coconut cream along with butter in the butter cream icing.
Olivia says
Hi Linda! I haven’t tried this myself. You mean instead of the powder? I would just add it 1 Tbsp at a time and whip well in between.
Marilyn Duffield says
Hello, great recipes – thanks for all you do and for sharing!
I’m going to make this cake, next. I purchased the extract, emulsions, and coconut milk powder on Amazon. Easy Peasy.
I’m cooking for two. After I make one of your cakes I freeze it whole. My very strong husband then cuts it with a very large/sharp knife into perfectly sliced portions. We wrap each slice individually and store them in the freezer for thawing/serving later. Works perfectly! I’ve made an egg white frosting similar to this recipe. Will it go weird if frozen then thawed? I don’t want to ruin the whole thing!
Olivia says
Hi Marilyn! Not at all! That’s exactly what I do except I cut the slices when the cake is cold out of the fridge (not freezer, I’m not that strong, hah!) and then I wrap each of them and put them into a freezer bag to be enjoyed later. It will be totally fine! Let me know how you like it 🙂
Alea Brian says
Would it be okay to use coconut extract in the frosting instead of the coconut mill powder?
Olivia says
Hi Alea! Yes, for sure, that will work fine. I find it quite potent though so don’t add too much. Add a little at a time until you like the flavour.
Angie says
I need to cover this with fondant. It was requested by a coworker who wants a specific design, but with this cake and filling. If I switched the meringue buttercream to a basic buttercream would it still taste amazing?? Any tips are greatly appreciated
Olivia says
Hi Angie! You can switch the buttercream no problem, but you shouldn’t have any issue covering it with fondant using the meringue buttercream.
Noreen says
I’d like to make cupcakes instead of the large cake….baking time? or any other changes I need to make?
Olivia says
Hi Noreen! I mention this in the Tips section of the post: To make cupcakes, all you need to do is reduce the baking time — start checking at 15mins or so.
Sandra says
Hi Liv!
If I do not have coconut milk powder for the buttercream, can I substitute with coconut milk? Would it taste the same?
Thanks
Olivia says
Hi Sandra! It won’t have the same flavour impact but you can definitely use it. Be careful not to add too much as the buttercream can split though. I would just add one Tbsp at a time up to 3 Tbsp.
Sandra says
Thank you for your input!
Susan Dubose says
The batter tasted so amazingly good!! Can’t wait for tomorrow to decorate and devour!
Olivia says
Yay! I hope you love it 🙂
Joelle Bradley & says
I just made the cake today. OMG! It was incredible. It made my birthday girl friend feel so special for her 65th. We all forgot that it was January and COVID times. We were transported to Mexico, under the sunshine with a slice of pure cocktail-in-a-cake joy.
Cocktail cakes are the bomb. Oliva, I challenge you to a negroni cake now. I suggest the Bravetart marshmallow buttercream as a jumping-off point to hold the campari. Maybe some grapefruit curd. I dont know the rest of the components. It will be delicious and beautiful colour
Joelle Bradley & says
There may be a typo. In the buttercream ingredients list it says to use. “5 large egg whites, three large” . This is confusing
Olivia says
Hi Joelle! I fixed this a while ago so it’s strange that it’s still showing up like that. I’ll look into it some more. It should be 5 large whites (the original recipe used 3).
Joelle says
I just made the cake today. OMG! It was incredible. It made my birthday girl friend feel so special for her 65th. We all forgot that it was January and COVID times. We were transported to Mexico, under the sunshine with a slice of pure cocktail-in-a-cake joy.
Cocktail cakes are the bomb. Oliva, I challenge you to a negroni cake now. I suggest the Bravetart marshmallow buttercream as a jumping-off point to hold the campari. Maybe some grapefruit curd. I dont know the rest of the components. It will be delicious and beautiful colour
Olivia says
Yay! I’m so happy it worked out and that you both loved it. I think we could all do with a sunny warm beach and cocktail in hand right now, but cakes are the next best thing? I’ll look into a negroni cake! I haven’t had one before so I’ll look up the ingredients and see. Thanks for the suggestion!
James says
I’m not sure where to use the simple syrup and the 1/2 cup of coconut in the the cake batter section.
Olivia says
Hi James! The coconut is folded in in step 5 of the cake instructions: Alternate adding flour mixture and coconut milk, beginning and ending with flour (3 additions of flour and 2 of milk). Fully incorporating after each addition. Mix until just combined. Fold in shredded coconut.
The simple syrup is used in the first step of Assembly: Trim the top crust off of each layer of cake. Dip a pastry brush into the rum simple syrup and brush each layer generously (about 2-3 Tbsp per cake layer).
Ava Vivion says
This cake is so delicious! And finally, I have found another person with the same opinion about disgusting maraschino cherries!! I always ask for no cherry on top of shakes and ice cream sundaes and am appalled when they put one on anyway: yuck! Thank you for all of your hard work and detailed recipes.
Olivia says
Hi Ava! Haha yes, I think I have bad memories from all those store-bought Black Forest Cakes we used to get when we were kids. They do look so pretty though! I hope you try this recipe 🙂
Bec says
I used rum for the cake and it is too sweet and has zero rum flavor. Maybe extract would have been more flavorful? Also only had enough batter for 2 thin 6” rounds Disappointing, I wanted to love this one.
Olivia says
Hi Bec! Sorry to hear you didn’t love this one. It’s on my list to redo this year. I had intentionally made the layers a bit thinner (1″ tall in three 6″ pans), but plan to make them thicker in the revamp. I hope you give the new version another try!
Ruth says
Great fun to make. However, disappointed in taste. Used rum, rather than rum extract. Fairly tasteless. I’ll drink my pina colada next time!
Olivia says
Hi Ruth! Sorry to hear you didn’t love this one. It’s actually on my list to revamp/update to add more flavour!
Lauren says
Does it matter if my buttercream meringue never peaks? Like it’ll still taste good right?
Olivia says
Hi Lauren! If you don’t get a stiff and fluffy meringue the buttercream will taste very buttery and be a bit dense. See this post for tips and troubleshooting: https://livforcake.com/swiss-meringue-buttercream-recipe/
Tina says
Hi Olivia! I just made the cake batter in 3 6″ rounds and I found the batter wasn’t enough to fill each pan (each cake is about 1 inch high after baking). I followed the metric units. Not sure if I did something wrong? Thanks!
Tina says
Sorry, each layer is 1/2 inch not 1 inch!
Olivia says
Hi Tina! This is one of my older recipes where my cake layers were thinner, but they should be about 1″ tall or so, 1/2″ is too short! Is it possible the batter was overmixed? That can cause short, dense cakes. Or that your baking powder is expired?
Tina says
Honestly, I think my baking powder is expired! I just bought a new one. Thank you so much for your help!!
Olivia says
Ohh, let me know how it goes the second time! You can also scale the recipe up for taller layers — change the Servings to 18.
Tina says
Thank you so much for your help and I really appreciate you replying to all of your comments. You’re definitely a busy baker. TBH I’m not sure when I’ll be making this cake again because I saw your McCain chocolate copy-cat and that one is calling my name… 😀
Olivia says
Thanks so much Tina! <3 The McCain copycat is soooooo good. That frosting!!
Lori says
Same thing happened for me. Layers were very thin
Rachel says
Sorry – forgot the rating!
Olivia says
Thank you!! 🙂
Rachel says
I decided to make this with your coconut cake recipe, but still added the rum (Malibu). The cake layers came out perfectly. Then, I got to the Swiss Meringue Buttercream. I have made this buttercream(your recipe) numerous times and have never had an issue. My meringue never fluffed up but remained heavy, glossy, and sticky. I did everything perfectly and decided to give up after the third try and make American Buttercream instead, which is not my favorite. One of my long time baking friends told me that meringue is tricky in hot and humid weather. Well, it was 95 degrees with 95% humidity outside (even though it was 74 inside). I’m definitely blaming the weather for this! Anyway, the guests raved, and raved about it so all in all a success. But, I would love to know if anyone else has encountered this meringue issue. Thanks for your wonderful recipes!!
Olivia says
Hi Rachel! I’m so happy you loved this cake. It’s on my list to redo it with my coconut cake recipe! Re: merignue — humidity is a factor in it for sure. I find on rainier days I can’t get it to fluff as much, but it should still stiffen up. Did it ever get stiff peaks or were they always droopy? If so then it’s likely grease or egg yolk were the culprit :\
Rachel says
Thanks so much for getting back right away. I am 100% positive it wasn’t the egg yolks or grease on anything I was using. I am going to try again on a cooler, less humid day because I definitely prefer Swiss Meringue Buttercream over the others – although I haven’t tried the Ermine yet ;). I’ll report back.
Rachel says
BTW, I never got stiff peaks, they were immediately droopy, thick, and glossy.
Olivia says
So bizarre! Let me know for sure 🙂
Tammie says
Rachel I just had this happen to me 2 weeks ago. I didn’t use this recipe but the one I did use was one I’ve used several times. Like you I never had that problem happen. I also know it wasn’t any yolks or oil because when I separate my eggs I use 3 bowls and after ea separation I wipe my hands down with paper towels that are drenched in distilled vinegar. I also make sure to wipe down very thoroughly anything that will come into contact with my egg whites. I make Pavlovas often so I know the importance of no oil, no trace of egg yolks. What I do remember about that day? The amount of humidity in the house. Even though I never got to stiff peaks (and I did continue to try) I decided to continue with the frosting. I’m glad I did because it turned out great. Oddly enough I was making a Pina Colada cake, lol. Hope this helps to let you know you’re not alone. No matter how carefully we are that humidity will attack 😟 Best of luck on all of your future bakes….
Peggy says
Hello Olivia,
Having my 1st Anniversary next week. Can’t wait to make this deicious Pina colada cake to celebrate.
Thank you!
Peggy
Olivia says
Hi Peggy! Happy Anniversary to you! I hope you love it 🙂
Lori says
I just made these cake layers following the recipe. The cake itself is moist but I couldn’t taste the rum in it that much. Also, I used 3 6-inch pans….the layers were very very thin.
Maybe 1 cup per pan.
Jacqueline Ruiz says
I will recommend to add emulsion by Loranns they have rum flavor. They are awesome, because they keep the flavor through the baking of which rum it bakes off in the process! hope this tip helps.
Karina says
This looks delicious! I definitely need to try this. What type of rum do you think works best with this recipe?
Olivia says
Hi Karina! Any rum will work, but I would use a clear or light rum if you don’t want it to affect the color 🙂
Ramona says
Hi Olivia,
What height was the cake?
It looks so good! 🙂
Olivia says
Hi Ramona! The cake is about 6-7″ tall.
Michelle says
Hi Olivia, this cakes looks so delicious. I want to make it for our Christmas dinner except I have two questions. I do not have an oven big enough for three cake pans, can I bake them one at a time? Second I only have those silicone cake molds, can I make the cake in them too?
And by making the buttercream you described this: Place egg whites and sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk until combined.*
Place bowl over a hot water bath on the stove and whisk constantly until the mixture is no longer grainy to the touch (approx. 3mins).
Place bowl on your stand mixer and whisk on med-high until the meringue is stiff and cooled (the bowl is no longer warm to the touch (approx. 5-10mins)).
Switch to paddle attachment. Slowly add cubed butter and mix until smooth. Add rum and whip until smooth.**
Do you have to follow all these steps? I ask alot as a lot of times my cakes do not come out good. Hope to hear from you soon.
Olivia says
Hi Michelle! Ideally, you would bake them all at the same time. I haven’t experimented with leaving cake batter out for that long, I usually recommend baking them right away since the raising agent starts to get activated. If it’s all you can do, then I would just try it though. Maybe chill the remaining batter while it’s baking?
I also haven’t used silicone cake molds but imagine they should work ok — I would still grease and flour them.
And yes, you have to follow all the steps as described or the buttercream will not turn out.
Daniela says
Hi Olivia,
I made this cake to celebrate 3 birthdays, my husband’s included.
We all loved it!
Great recipe, thank you for sharing.
Olivia says
Hi Daniela! Thanks for the feedback, so glad everyone loved it! 🙂
Anisha says
Hi,
I’m going to make this for a friend’s birthday party and am a little nervous about trying a meringue buttercream for the first time. Think a regular American buttercream with rum as the flavoring would work too?
Olivia says
Hi Anisha! An American buttercream would work just fine, but I hope you try a Swiss meringue soon! Have a read through this post for tips and troubleshooting https://livforcake.com/swiss-meringue-buttercream-recipe/
Rimple says
Hi.. I am thinking of making this cake for my friend birthday. I mostly bake cakes without frosting. Here in India , we are not big fan of egg frosting so I was thinking of changing it to whipped fresh cream mixed with little cream cheese to give it some structure or hold. Do u think it will work? I don’t have time to experiment it and one more thing .. can we used fresh coconut flakes ?
Olivia says
Hi Rimple! Yes, I think that will work fine though the cream cheese will affect the flavour. I think it will still be delicious. I’ve never used fresh coconut flakes myself so not sure if the moisture will affect the frosting? Will you still toast them?
David says
The conversion into standard measures used worldwide seems a bit odd as baking powder is not measured in ml. Is there a recipe that would be reproducible as volume measures used in the US do not produce reliable results.
Tanks
David
Olivia says
Hi David! Thanks for your feedback, I’ll let the developer of the conversion tool know.
isti says
hi! i really want to try this recipe looks so good. do i have to add rum in the cake?
Olivia says
Hi there! No, you can leave it out or use rum extract instead.
Lourdes says
Hi! This cake sound delicious, will make this for my fiance birthday party, my question is I can add coconut flakes unsweetened for better taste? Thank you
Olivia says
Hi Lourdes! Yes, you can use unsweetened if you prefer 🙂
Ling Chan says
My frosting is looking like cottage cheese…perhaps my butter was too cold? Not cut up in small enough cubes? Or did I not cool the merengue enough?
Olivia says
Hi Ling! Yes, I think your butter was too cold still. See this post for tips: https://livforcake.com/swiss-meringue-buttercream-recipe/
Danielle says
Did you use the pineapple in juice or the one in syrup?
Also I will make this with the actual rum in the future but for right now it can’t contain alcohol and I would prefer the layers to be coconut flavored, should I replace the rum with coconut extract/essence or the buttermilk with canned coconut milk or use both coconut extract/essence and coconut milk?
I think I also saw powdered coconut milk in the store, maybe a few tbs of that in place of some of the flour, keeping the buttermilk and using vanilla essence for the rum? (I don’t know, as I’m not sure how strong the coconut flavor is in any of those ingredients)
Olivia says
Hi Danielle! I used the one in the juice I think. If you want coconut cake layers, I highly recommend baking the ones from this recipe instead! https://livforcake.com/coconut-cake/
Monica says
Hi Olivia!
I am planning to make this cake for a 40 person party. I plan to stack 2-9×13 in cakes. Do you think 2 batches of the batter will be sufficient? Additionally, do you think it will hold up structurally given the moister of the cake?
Olivia says
Hi Monica! Converting pan sizes is always tricky. Here’s a site I use as a guideline: http://www.joyofbaking.com/PanSizes.html I’ve never made it in a stacked sheet cake so I don’t want to steer you wrong in terms of structure, but I would think it would work fine.
Tiffany Ng says
Hi! I made the cake and it was delicious! I just have one question, my cake layers came out very dense and very heavy. It felt like I was eating pound cake more than a cake. Is that the expected outcome with the recipie? Or did I do something wrong somewhere/how to fix it? Thankyou so much!
Olivia says
Hi Tiffany! Glad you liked it! The layers should not be dense or heavy — this can be caused by overmixing the cake batter, or by expired baking powder.
Afaq says
Thanks a lot for this great recipe. I baked this cake today for my family. It was great. They loved it. I doubled the recipe and baked it in 8 inches pan. I think even 9 inches will be fine. Really tasty. The toasted coconut was a great idea ❤️
Olivia says
So happy to hear everyone liked it!!
D'Vosha Brown says
Hello Ms. Olivia,
I was wondering if I wanted to make this recipe but for 3 8″ cake pans how long would I bake them for and at what temperature(F).Would it be best if I double the recipe? What type of rum did you use as well? I can’t wait to make this cake, looks so delicious.
Olivia says
Hi D’Vosha! I would double the recipe and bake them at the same temperature. Baking time should be relatively similar depending on the thickness of the layers. I used Appleton Estate rum. Let me know how it turns out!
Danielle schaffer says
Im making the buttercream icing and its still moist and lumpy its not smoothing iut what can i do to fix it
Olivia says
Hi Danielle! It sounds like your butter was maybe a bit too cold when you added it. Just keep whipping it and it should come together. If not, you can try gently heating the bowl over a double boiler or with a hair dryer.
Sonja says
Made this with a few changes.
I quadrupled the recipe to make a 6″, 8″, 10″, & 12″ cake. Torted each tier.
1st- Made a coconut swiss meringue buttercream using cream of coconut syrup.
2nd- Used Kraken dark spiced rum in the cake batter and made a simple syrup with the same rum to soak my cake layers.
The cake was AMAZING and SUPER moist! A HUGE hit!
Olivia says
Hi Sonja! Thanks for your tips! So glad you liked it 🙂
Sarah says
This cake looks wonderful Olivia. How far in advance can I make the cake, the frosting and the filling? I want to make it on Sunday for a party on Wednesday. Is that possible?
Olivia says
Hi Sarah! You can make all elements in advance and assemble the day before. I would double wrap the cake layers in plastic wrap and freeze — thaw for 2 hours before decorating. Make the frosting and refrigerate it. Bring it to room temp and rewhip before using. Refrigerate the filling and just give it a good stir before filling the cake. I hope that helps!
Jonilisa says
Your cake is beautiful! My question is did you drain the pineapple before adding?
Olivia says
Thank you! I did not drain the pineapple before cooking it. You need the liquid in there as part of the filling.
Rupamanjari says
Hello! This cake looks amazing!
I tried it today. For some reason I used half cake flour thinking it would result in a lighter texture and half APF. And somehow forgot about the cake in the oven. When I got back the cake was done, the oven switched itself off after the specified time.
I thought everything was fine but I realised the cake that had risen beautifully was now flat again! 🙁🙁 what could be the reason?
It tastes amazing and the texture is amazing too. Dry light and soft,
Olivia says
Hi Rupamanjari! Was your cake flour self-raising? That could definitely cause the cake to fall since there would be too much raising agent in the recipe.
Rupamanjari says
Wow thanks for the super quick reply!
No it wasn’t self raising. It was homemade. Was it because it got left in the oven after the oven switched itself off?
Olivia says
Likely that. Overbaking a cake can certainly cause it to shrink in size too.
Allison says
How did you get the coconut to stick on the side of the cake?
Making this for my friends 30th birthday 🙂
Olivia says
Hi Allison! It sticks easily to the frosting 🙂 I hope you like it!
Aya says
Hi can i add a teaspoon of coconut extract to the batter?
Olivia says
Hi Aya! Yes, coconut extract tends to be fairly strong though, so it might overpower the other flavours.
Elaine Vitek says
Oliva,
This cake makes me taste vacation just from reading the recipe! How many will the 6 inch feed? How can I alter the ingredients to make a larger cake if needed?
Olivia says
Hi Elaine! This cake should feed about 10-12 people. You can double the recipe and make it in three 8″ pans instead. Let me know how it turns out!
Elaine says
Thanks Olivia!
I can’t wait to make it and will let you know how it turns out!
Alyssa says
Can’t wait to try this recipe! Will I be able to place fondant over this came recipe? Thank you!
Olivia says
Hi Alyssa! Yes, that should work just fine. I would recommend chilling the cake first so that the frosting is firm.
Bobbie Hudson Penick says
Wish you had info on the cake stand, fab!
Olivia says
Hi Bobbie! It’s actually a wood serving plate stacked on a bunch of rustic coasters (for real, lol). Here is a similar one that is actually a cake stand 🙂 http://amzn.to/2t4dLFn
marybeth says
can you please tell me baking time using 8 or 9 inch pans?
Olivia says
Hi Marybeth! Start checking them around 20mins. Note that the layers will be thinner in two 8″ pans and I would not recommend using two 9″.
Brooke says
Hey! Doubled the recipe and made a 3 layer cake using three 9in round cake pans. The layers are each 2-3in thick. I’m making it for a big crowd so decided to give it a whirl by doubling it and it turned out great! I can’t leave a comment and not say something about the cherry…I love em! Lol!! I recently made a 9×13 maraschino cherry cake. Bahahahahahahaha. Me and my 4 year old son are obsessed so we had it cleaned out in 2 days flat. Thanks for the recipe! It’s a keeper!
Olivia says
Hi Brooke! Lol, that is hilarious!! I think I probably just had too much of them as a kid in this Black Forest Cake my mom always used to get from the grocery store. I always felt like they took away from the cake, haha. I am glad you like them though and that this cake turned out for you!! 🙂
Bob says
I love your blog your recipes and pics all look so great! I am going to try this one today. I often make a pineapple coconut cake but I love the thought of adding rum and toasting the coconut. For more coconut flavor in the buttercream you can substitute about 1-2 T of coconut powder for the sugar. It is just dried coconut milk. It adds authentic coconut flavor to frosting.
Olivia says
Hi Bob! Thanks for the tip about the coconut powder! I don’t think you can substitute it for the sugar (the meringue base needs it), but adding it in for additional flavour is a great idea!!
Melissa says
Did you use white or spiced rum?
Olivia says
Hi Melissa! I used spices, but you can use any rum you like.
Kim says
Omg!! Really… this cake is so good. I’m so lucky to find this cake just before my son first birthday, im going to fill it with pineapple & cream and decorate it. Thanks a lot for the recipe😘
Olivia says
Hi Kim! I’m so glad you like it 🙂
Tonya says
Made the cake, for my birthday, its now on my list of favs! I would like to make again, but I want to make cupcakes, will this recipe work for cupcakes?
Thanks in advance
Olivia says
Hi Tonya! This recipe should work just fine for cupcakes. I’m glad you like it!
Sibgha says
Fort he filling, we need to geat only the pineapple or their syrup as well?
Olivia says
You use the syrup in the can as well.
Carol says
Hi Olivia,
What a wonderful cake. I made the Pina Colada Cake for a birthday. Everyone Loved it. Such a great recipe, not overly sweet and so flavorful.
I used Blue Chair Bay spiced coconut rum and I switched one layer to cherry, using Oregon Dark Sweet Cherries cooked to pie filling. The other layer I left pineapple.
Thanks so much!
Carol
Olivia says
Hi Carol! One layer as cherry sounds delicious!! I’m glad you liked this one 🙂
Ruchi says
Hi Olivia,
I decided to go for 2 8″ pans. The cake turned out spectacular! So moist… So delicious,
Thanks!
Olivia says
Yay!! I’m so glad you liked it 🙂
Ruchi says
Hi, Olivia,
This cake looks so good that I am planning to bake it for my husband’s birthday. One question though- I have 9″ pans. Will the quantities in the recipe be enough for one 9″ pan. I want to do cupcakes for kids ( sans rum) with the remainder.
Help with conversions will be much appreciated!
Thanks
Ruchi
Olivia says
Hi Ruchi! This recipe works for three 6″ pans or two 8″, so yes, it will work for one 9″ pan with some batter left over. Be sure not to fill the pan more than 2/3 full :). Let me know how it turns out!
Cindy says
Hi Liv, I’m i awe of your page!! Just a quick one.. can I use coconut milk instead of buttermilk? Or mix it half and half perhaps??
Olivia says
Hi Cindy! Thank you!! You should be able to swap coconut milk straight up and it *shouldn’t* have an impact on the texture. You could play it safe and go half and half though :). Let me know how it turns out!
Crystal says
It sounds so GOOD! One question though, how much baking powder are you using? 1 1/2 tsp or 5 1/2 tsp in the recipe?
Olivia says
Thanks Crystal! It’s 1 and 1/2. It was a spacing error in the recipe. I’ve update it, thanks for catching it! Let me know how you like the cake 🙂
Terry says
Thank you so very much for your SPEEDY REPLY!
YOU HAVE EARNED A NEW FOLLOWER BASED ON YOUR YUMMILICIOUS RECIPES
AND YOUR SPEEDY REPLIES !
GOTTA LUV LIV
Terry says
Hi Liv
I am making this for a BIBLE STUDY GROUP
Do you have any substitute suggestions
I can use in place of the rum?
Celebrating one of the girls birthdays and
it is a HAWAIIAN THEME.
THIS CAKE WILL BE PERFECT!
BUT WE HAVE RECOVERING ADDICTS
AND RECOVERY ALCOHOLICS
WOULD LIKE TO RESPECT THEM SO THEY CAN EAT CAKE. I WILL MAKE IT AT HOME
FOR MY FAMILY WITH THE RUM LOL
:*))))))
Olivia says
Hi Terry! You could use rum extract instead or replace it with vanilla :).
Ashley says
What type of rum did you use? Clear, spiced, coconut flavored? Thanks!
Olivia says
Ummm, I have NO idea what type. It was Appleton Estate Signature Blend :).
Ruth says
All of your cakes are so good.You are the best of the best.
Olivia says
You are so sweet, your comment made my day! Thank you Ruth! <3
Dana Wilson says
I freaking LOVE maraschino cherries! I buy them just to eat out of the jar. I would load that sucker down with them!!! LOL
Olivia says
Lol Dana!! You’re hilarious! Your comment totally made my morning 🙂
mia says
I love pina colados so the fact that this cake taste like one sounds amazing! and I am SO with you on the cherries.. YUCK!
Olivia says
Thanks Mia! I’m glad to have you on my maraschino-hating team! 🙂
Nancy says
I hope I don’t get banned from your email list… I like those sticky, smelly, odd colored gems!! I also like the chocolate cherry cordials! I make them at Christmas time. Anyway, this cake looks and sounds amazing! I can’t wait to make this recipe!
Olivia says
Lol! No banning here, I promise. I’m glad I didn’t offend you with my hatred of them! Haha. And thanks!! I hope you try this recipe 🙂
Melissa @ Now You're Cookin' says
Yum!! I made and posted a similar recipe for my friend’s birthday last month. So delicious. And maraschino cherries are gross. Haha
Olivia says
Haha, I’m glad you agree Melissa!! 🙂
Shinee says
Totally agree on weather thing. I think we’re safe to say, “Summer is here!” It’s been pretty hot here as well, but not nearly as hot as you have. And this cake sounds amazingly refreshing, and I want a slice. Pronto. 🙂
Olivia says
Thanks Shinee! Sending a virtual slice your way ;).
Rosemary says
Well you did it again, I find myself waiting anxiously for your next amazing cake and you never disappoint! And yes those maraschino cherries are horrible, my father actually loved them. I hope you manage to stay cool in beautiful Vancouver.
Olivia says
Thanks so much Rosemary!! Glad to have you on my maraschino cherry-hating team ;).
Elaine Magalhaes says
Hi Olivia, I would like to know about the cake you make, I noticed that in your vanilla cake some time you use all purpose flour and sometimes you use cake floor, why? What is the difference. Thanks Elaine
Olivia says
Hi Elaine! Cake flour makes cakes lighter and fluffier generally than regular all-purpose flour. I use cake flour, for example, if I have bananas in the recipe since they have a tendency to make it a bit more dense. Most often use all-purpose since it’s what I (and I assume my readers) have most readily available :).
allie @ Through Her Looking Glass says
Girl, I’m NOT a maraschino cherry lover, but there’s no denying that color pop! Great use. Beautiful cake my dear, I need a slice asap. Stay cool if you can. This cake should help!
Olivia says
Yes, the maraschino cherry is a necessary evil ;). Thanks so much Allie!! xoxo
Maggie in Michigan says
okay seriously now when I signed up for this site I did NOT expect to receive weekly em’s with such disgustingly good looking desserts in them, are you in league with the sugar devil or what!
this thing looks incredible, abominable (sp?) and fabulous all at the same time….and I agree on those damn marsh cherries things, never understood them, serve no purpose whatever, they are a pretty color and that’s it, as far as eating them, no would not have one if it was the only food available, no no no no1
but this recipe, as my dear Jewish friend would say, Oy Vey!!
My word this looks soooooo wonderful, I think you can absorb 500 calories just looking at the picture and reading the recipe, gotta’ try this, just gotta! Kudos you dear sweet baking woman you!!!!!\And PS for whatever reason I never imagined Vancouver getting so very warm during spring/summer, it just be cuz you are near the Pacific right?
Olivia says
Lol! Hi Maggie! Reading through your comment initially got my heart racing — like who is this woman complaining about my weekly emails?! hahaha I certainly hope the delicious desserts make your Monday mornings better :).
As for Vancouver, it doesn’t usually get quite this hot… it’s often just mild and rainy, but we have our moments :).
Amanda | The Cinnamon Scrolls says
Omggg… I got disgusted just reading about your experience with maraschino cherries. *shudders* I can’t stand those things! On the bright side, it does look mighty pretty atop that spectacular cake! Sounds divine <3
Olivia says
Yes! I am glad you’re on my side with those suckers ;). For decoration ONLY. Thank you! <3
Mary Ann | The Beach House Kitchen says
Olivia this cake is gorgeous (as usual)! The filling, the rum in the buttercream, and the toasted coconut! I’m seriously in love!
Olivia says
Thanks so much Mary Ann! That means a lot coming from you! I hope you try it :).
Renee says
I LOVE every single thing about this cake, including the maraschino cherry!
Olivia says
Haha, thanks so much Renee!! <3 🙂