Fruity Hawaiian Cake recipe for a sweet pineapple vanilla cake topped with a vanilla cream cheese frosting, cherries, and shredded coconut.
This easy sheet Cake Recipe takes the buttery, fruity flavors of Pineapple Upside Down Cake and Coconut Cake and bakes them into a delicious poke cake for potlucks. Plus it’s topped with a dreamy, fluffy cream cheese Cool Whip frosting!
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Sabrina’s Hawaiian Cake Recipe
Hawaiian Cake is a sweet and fruity dessert that will take your taste buds on a tropical vacation. This cake is made with pineapple, coconut, and vanilla flavors that blend together to create a moist and delicious cake. The cake is then topped with a vanilla cream cheese frosting, cherries, and shredded coconut that make it the perfect cake for any celebration.
This cake is the perfect combination of fruity and creamy, making it a refreshing and light dessert that’s perfect for warmer weather. The cake itself is made with a blend of flour, eggs, sugar, butter, coconut extract, and vanilla extract, resulting in a deliciously moist and flavorful base. The filling consists of crushed pineapple mixed with condensed milk, which is then poured over the cake and allowed to soak in to create a sweet and tangy flavor throughout.
What is Hawaiian Cake?
Hawaiian Cake, also known as Hawaiian Wedding Cake, is a classic dessert that is perfect for any occasion. With its moist pineapple and coconut-infused cake base and creamy vanilla pudding frosting, it’s sure to be a crowd-pleaser at potlucks, barbecues, and family gatherings. The beauty of this recipe lies in its simplicity. It has a few steps but it is ultimately easy to make and requires just a handful of ingredients that are readily available in most grocery stores.
Ingredients
- 20 Ounces Crushed Pineapple: Crushed pineapple adds a tropical, fresh flavor to this cake and the pineapple juice helps thin out the sweet thick condensed milk so it soaks easily into the baked cake. Make sure you keep the juice when you drain it!
- 4 Eggs: While most of the yellow cake mix is your standard ingredients, it does have a special ingredient to make it extra delicious. In addition to the two whole eggs, there are two more egg yolks for a super rich and tender cake.
- ½ Cup Condensed Milk: The syrupy condensed milk is mixed with pineapple juice to make it thin enough to pour but it is still thick enough to soak into the baked cake slowly. This makes the cake flavorful and moist instead of soggy.
- 6.8 Ounces Vanilla Pudding Mix: Vanilla pudding mix adds a sweet, vanilla flavor, and the gelatin in the pudding makes the frosting thicker and creamier. You want to use instant pudding that doesn’t need to be cooked.
- 8 Ounces Cream Cheese: Cream cheese adds tanginess and richness to the frosting while helping stabilize the texture and prevent it from becoming too sweet.
- 8 Ounces Cool Whip: Cool Whip is a whipped topping made from whipped cream and vegetable oil. It adds a light, fluffy texture to the frosting and helps it hold its shape. You can also use Whipped Cream, but the frosting won’t be as stable.
- 2 Cups Sweetened Shredded Coconut: The shredded coconut flakes are toasted to bring out even more delicious coconut flavor and give the cream topping some crunch.
- 12 Maraschino Cherries: Maraschino cherries add a pop of color and a burst of sweet fruity flavor. Be sure to pat them dry with paper towels so the juices don’t run all over the beautiful creamy white frosting. If you’re a big cherry fan, you can add some more, or if you cut the cake into smaller slices you’ll use more to top each slice.
- 1 Cup Unsalted Butter: Butter will provide the fat for your cake. You want to choose unsalted butter so that you can control the level of salt yourself. Make sure the butter has fully softened so it will be easy to mix into the batter.
- 1 ½ Cups Sugar: The sugar will sweeten your cake batter. White granulated sugar will do the trick!
- 1 Teaspoon Coconut Extract: Coconut flavor comes into your cake in a couple ways, and the extract will get mixed into the cake batter to enhance the flavor of the coconut topping. It really gives the cake that Hawaiian taste.
- 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract: Vanilla will provide a warm, sweet, fragrant addition to your cake and will bring all the other flavors together.
- 2 Cups Flour: All-purpose flour is a great choice for a light, fluffy cake. It will be a great base to host all the other fruit flavors of this cake.
- 1 Teaspoon Baking Powder: Baking powder is a leavening agent that will make your cake rise to a light and fluffy texture you’ll love. If you’re all out, you can substitute with ¼ teaspoon baking soda, and ½ teaspoon vinegar.
- ¼ Teaspoon Salt: Most every baked good has some salt baked into it. The salt helps offset, and highlight the sweet flavors in your cake and frosting.
- 3 Cups Whole Milk: Milk will help make your cake moist and tender. Whole milk has more fat content so it can perform the job a lot better. However, if you prefer you can use a lower fat milk of your choice. It will affect the texture of the cake just a little bit.1 cup is used for the cake and 2 cups is used to make the creamy frosting.
How to Make
Time needed: 45 minutes.
- Prep Work
Preheat the oven. Coat a 9 x 13-inch cake pan with baking spray, or substitute butter or oil spray and dust with flour.
- Wet Ingredients
On medium speed, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy in a stand mixer. In a separate bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, and salt and set aside. While still on medium speed, add the eggs one at a time followed by the egg yolks, then the coconut and vanilla extract. Beat until smooth.
- Cake Batter
Begin adding the milk and dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, alternating a little of each at a time, until just combined. Do not over-mix the batter. Pour batter into the prepared cake pan.
- Bake
Bake until lightly golden brown, and an inserted toothpick comes out clean with moist crumbs. Cool the cake completely in the pan on a wire rack.
- Filling
Reserve ½ cup pineapple juice and drain the remaining pineapple with juice. Combine the pineapple juice with the condensed milk. Use a fork to poke holes evenly across the top of the cake, not going more than ¾ deep.
- Soak
Pour the milk and pineapple mixture over the entire cake evenly. Top with the drained pineapple pieces. Cover the pan with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge.
- Frosting
Combine the dry pudding mix and cold whole milk in a large bowl using a hand mixer, and beat until thickened. Beat the cream cheese into the pudding mixture until smooth, then repeat with the Cool Whip.
- Finish
Spread the frosting over the entire cake evenly. Sprinkle toasted coconut over the frosting.
- Serve
Dry the maraschino cherries well, then place a cherry in the center of each piece of cake. Keep chilled until serving.
Recipe Card
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter , softened
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1 teaspoon coconut extract
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup whole milk
Filling:
- 20 ounces crushed pineapple
- 1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
Vanilla Pudding Frosting:
- 6.8 ounces vanilla pudding mix
- 2 cups whole milk
- 8 ounces cream cheese , softened
- 8 ounces Cool Whip
Topping:
- 2 cups sweetened shredded coconut , toasted
- 12 maraschino cherries , with stems
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray a 9×13-inch baking pan with baking spray.
- To stand mixer, add butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, 1-2 minutes.
- Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.
- Add in the eggs and egg yolks one at a time, then add the coconut extract and vanilla extract.
- Alternate adding in the milk and the flour mixture, until just combined.
- Spread into baking pan and bake for 30-35 minutes, until lightly browned and cooked through.
- Wait until cake has cooled before frosting.
Filling:
- Drain the pineapple well but reserve ½ cup of the pineapple juice.
- Mix the pineapple juice with the condensed milk.
- Poke holes in the top of the cooled cake with a fork and brush on the pineapple juice mixture evenly.
- Add the well drained crushed pineapple over the cake evenly and place in the refrigerator to chill for 20 minutes.
Frosting:
- Add the pudding mix and whole milk to a large mixing bowl and using a hand mixer, beat the mixture for 4-5 minutes until thickened.
- Add in the cream cheese and beat until smooth.
- Add in the Cool Whip and fold in until smooth.
- Top the cake with the frosting, the toasted coconut, and maraschino cherries you've patted very dry with paper towels.
- Serve chilled.
Nutrition
Kitchen Tools & Equipment
- Baking Dish: A 9×13-inch baking dish is the perfect size for this batch of cake batter. For a smaller pan, like an 8-inch square baking pan, divide the batter and crust and make two batches.
- Baking Spray: Baking spray differs from nonstick cooking spray because it has oil plus flour so the spray stays coated to the side of the baking dish. If you don’t have baking spray, grease your pan with softened butter and lightly dust with flour.
- Stand Mixer with Paddle Attachment: A stand mixer will make combining your cake and frosting ingredients super easy. Use the paddle attachment to prevent over-mixing your cake. If you don’t have a stand mixer, you can use an electric handheld mixer or simply mix by hand in a large mixing bowl.
- Sifter: A sifter is necessary to fully integrate your dry ingredients. It also adds air to the flour mixture for a lighter cake texture. You can use a standard flour sifter or a mesh strainer to do the job. A mesh strainer will also come in handy to drain your crushed pineapple.
- Small Bowl: Before draining the pineapple chunks, grab a small bowl to hold ½ cup of the juice to be used to moisten your cake.
- Fork: A fork with long tines is best to poke holes in your cooled cake. It creates small wells for the juice mixture to soak in.
- Medium Bowl and Whisk: This medium bowl will be used to mix your pineapple juice and condensed milk. You can use your stand mixer for this as well if you like. Just clean out the bowl and use it again.
Can Hawaiian Cake be made ahead of time?
Yes, Hawaiian Cake can be made ahead of time. You can make the cake a day or two in advance and store it in the fridge. To prepare the cake ahead of time, follow the recipe as directed, but hold off on adding the pineapple mixture and frosting until you’re ready to serve it. You can also freeze the cake for up to three months, just bake it in a freezer-safe pan. Just allow it to thaw to room temp before frosting.
Nutritional Information
Baking Tips and Tricks
Enjoy the perfect pineapple coconut cake with these handy hints!
- Achieving Fluffy Cake
- Always ensure your baking powder is fresh. Test its effectiveness by dropping a bit into hot water. If it bubbles, it’s good to go!
- Avoid Over-mixing Batter
- Over-mixing can lead to dense baked goods. Mix just until the ingredients are combined for the best results. It is okay if you see some lumps! You just don’t want to see pockets of dry flour.
What to Pair with Hawaiian Cake
Hawaiian Cake makes a great dessert following a tasty Hawaiian meal like Hawaiian BBQ Chicken, Hawaiian Garlic Shrimp, or Hawaiian Pork Chops. This fruity, refreshing cake also makes a great dessert following filling meals like Hawaiian Pot Roast or Hawaiian Slow Cooker Kalua Pork. You can also add some ice cream alongside the cake slice as you serve it, or some extra pieces of fruit on the plate.
How to Store
- Serve: Without the frosting, you can store the baked cake at room temperature, covered with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. However, the cream cheese mixture in the frosting needs to be refrigerated after no more than 2 hours.
- Store: Once it’s been frosted, this cake needs to be stored in the fridge and is best kept chilled. Store it tightly covered with plastic wrap or in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
- Freeze: It’s best to freeze Hawaiian Cake without the pineapple mixture or cream frosting layer because they won’t thaw well. Wrap the naked, baked cake in plastic wrap then aluminum foil and freeze for up to 3 months. Bring to room temperature after thawing in the fridge before assembling.
Frequent Questions
One part of a basic poke cake recipe is the holes poked into the baked cake, and the second part is a sweet, syrupy liquid that is poured over the poked cake. The holes allow the flavored syrup to seep into the cake, adding even more sweet flavor to the cake as well as keeps it moist.
When making a Hawaiian Wedding Cake, you should poke enough holes in the cake so that the pineapple and condensed milk filling can seep into the cake and make it moist and flavorful. It’s best to use a fork or a toothpick to poke small holes all over the cake about every inch or so, making sure to space them out evenly for even distribution of the filling.
Variations
- Chocolate Hawaiian Cake: Replace ½ cup flour with cocoa powder in the cake batter. Top with chocolate shavings instead of shredded coconut. Use chocolate pudding mix instead of vanilla for the frosting.
- Lemon: For even more refreshing summer flavor, spread a layer of Lemon Curd over the cake before adding the crushed pineapple and vanilla frosting. Add some lemon zest to the frosting or swap the vanilla pudding with lemon pudding.
- Pineapple: To give it an even more delicious pineapple flavor, you can serve it with Pineapple Topping or spread a thick layer of Pineapple Curd before adding the canned pineapple.
- Banana: Replace the crushed pineapple with sliced bananas and add 1 teaspoon of cinnamon to the cake batter. Mix in chopped walnuts with the coconut shreds for even more crunch!