Pineapple Coconut Cream Cake (Printable)
Tropical coconut and pineapple cream dessert on a crunchy cookie base, no oven needed.
# What You'll Need:
→ Base
01 - 7 oz graham crackers, crushed into fine crumbs
02 - 2.6 oz unsalted butter, melted
→ Pineapple Coconut Cream Filling
03 - 1 ¾ cups full-fat coconut milk
04 - 8.8 oz cream cheese, softened to room temperature
05 - 3.5 oz powdered sugar
06 - 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
07 - 10.6 oz pineapple tidbits, drained and chopped (fresh or canned)
08 - 2.1 oz desiccated coconut
09 - 1 cup heavy whipping cream, kept cold
→ Topping
10 - 1.8 oz toasted coconut flakes
11 - 3.5 oz pineapple slices or tidbits for garnish
# Steps:
01 - Line the base of a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper and set aside.
02 - Combine the crushed graham crackers with melted butter in a medium bowl until the mixture resembles wet sand. Press firmly into the bottom of the prepared pan to form an even, compact layer. Place in the refrigerator to chill while preparing the filling.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened cream cheese with powdered sugar and vanilla extract using an electric mixer until completely smooth and lump-free.
04 - Pour in the full-fat coconut milk and continue beating until the mixture is well blended and silky.
05 - Gently fold in the drained, chopped pineapple tidbits and desiccated coconut until evenly distributed throughout the filling.
06 - In a separate chilled bowl, whip the heavy cream to stiff peaks. Carefully fold the whipped cream into the pineapple coconut mixture in three additions, using a rubber spatula to maintain as much air as possible.
07 - Pour the filling over the chilled crust and spread evenly with a spatula, smoothing the top surface.
08 - Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for a minimum of 4 hours or overnight until the cake is firm and fully set.
09 - Just before serving, top with toasted coconut flakes and arrange fresh or canned pineapple slices or tidbits over the surface. Slice with a warm knife for clean portions.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- No oven means you can make this dessert even on the hottest days without breaking a sweat.
- The combination of tropical pineapple and rich coconut cream tastes like a vacation in cake form.
02 -
- Under-chilling is the number one reason this cake falls apart when sliced, so give it the full four hours minimum.
- Draining the pineapple thoroughly was a lesson I learned after a very wet slice slid off my spatula at a dinner party.
03 -
- Full-fat coconut milk is non-negotiable because the lower fat versions simply will not set with the right consistency.
- Toasting your own coconut flakes in a dry skillet takes two minutes and tastes dramatically better than store-bought toasted versions.