Pina Colada Cake

Piña Colada Cake

Cake Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened

1/4 cup light brown sugar

2 large eggs, at room temperature

1 teapoon coconut extract

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup cream of coconut, such as Coco Lopez

1/2 cup (2 1/2 ounces) finely chopped fresh pineapple

Glaze Ingredients:

1 cup powdered sugar

1 1/2 to 3 tablespoons pineapple juice

1 teaspoon coconut extract

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup shredded sweetened coconut, toasted

Directions:

0) To toast coconut, spread shredded coconut in an even layer on a cookie sheet and bake at 300F, stirring every few minutes, for 10-15 minutes or until coconut is golden brown. Don’t walk away from the oven! The coconut will brown very quickly, so keep an eye on it. Set aside to cool.

1) Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour a 9-inch round cake pan, or spray with baking spray.

2) In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

3) In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar with the paddle attachment until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time, then add rum and vanilla. Add cream of coconut and beat.

4) On low speed, add half of the dry ingredients at a time, mixing and scraping down bowl between each addition, until just combined. Fold in fresh pineapple with a spatula.

5) Spread batter (it will be thick) into prepared pan and bake at 350°F for 35-40 minutes, until the center springs back when touched and a toothpick comes out clean.

6) Cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then invert cake onto rack and cool to room temperature. Once cool, combine glaze ingredients in a small bowl. Stir until a thick (spreadable but not runny) glaze forms. If too thick, add up to another 1 1/2 tablespoons of pineapple juice. Pour glaze over cake, nudging it to the edges with a spatula. Sprinkle toasted coconut on top. Store tightly covered at room temperature.