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A close-up of a delicious restaurant-style cake with a pecan and glaze topping, cut into squares.

Restaurant-Style Pineapple Coconut Cake

This recipe guides you through creating a delicious pineapple coconut cake at home, inspired by restaurant desserts. It features a moist cake base and a rich, nutty topping.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 36 minutes
Topping Cooking Time 5 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 1 minute
Servings: 12 slices
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Cake
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour about 8 1/2 oz.
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 1/4 tsp. baking soda
  • 3/4 tsp. table salt
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1 (20-oz.) can crushed pineapple in juice, undrained
For the Topping
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter
  • 1/4 tsp. table salt
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 2/3 cup evaporated milk
  • 1 cup chopped toasted pecans
  • 1 cup flaked sweetened coconut
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract

Equipment

  • 13 x 9–inch metal baking pan
  • Large bowl
  • Medium saucepan

Method
 

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 13 x 9–inch metal baking pan with parchment paper.
  2. To prepare the cake, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.
  3. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and crack in the eggs. Whisk the eggs until lightly beaten.
  4. Add the vanilla extract and crushed pineapple (with its juice). Stir until the batter is well blended.
  5. Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan.
  6. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 33 to 36 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted into the center comes out clean.
  7. Immediately after removing the cake from the oven, poke holes all over the top with the handle of a wooden spoon.
  8. To prepare the topping, melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir in the salt.
  9. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the butter is nutty-fragrant and browned to a caramel color, about 3 to 4 minutes.
  10. Stir in the sugar and evaporated milk. Bring the mixture to a boil.
  11. Reduce the heat to medium (or the temperature needed to maintain a vigorous boil). Cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until the topping is slightly thickened.
  12. Remove the saucepan from the heat. Stir in the chopped pecans, flaked coconut, and vanilla extract.
  13. Pour the hot topping evenly over the cake. Serve the cake warm, at room temperature, or chilled.

Notes

This cake is best enjoyed when the topping is still warm, allowing it to soak into the poked holes. You can toast your pecans before chopping for a deeper flavor.

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