Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour three 8 inch cake pans
2. In a small bowl , combine eggs, coconut milk, oil, coconut extract and rum extract. Blend with a fork and set aside.
3. Put the dry ingredients, cake flour, sugar, baking powder and salt into the bowl of your mixer and whisk for at least 30 seconds to blend the ingredients.
4. With the mixer on low speed gradually increasing to medium speed gradually add the slices of butter to the dry ingredients a few pieces of butter at a time. Beat until the dry ingredients are crumbly and moistened. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl, there should be no spots of dry flour in the bowl.
5. SLOWLY add approximately ½ of the egg mixture to the dry ingredients and beat for 1 ½ minutes. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl then add the remaining egg mixture in 2 pourings, scraping the bowl and beating for 20 seconds after each addition.
6. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 - 30 minutes
7. Makes about 6 ½ cups batter
8. Works well for cupcakes - cupcakes bake up with very little doming

*CAKE FLOUR SUBSTITUTE — for each cup of all-purpose flour, measure out (lightly spoon and level) one cup of all purpose flour. Remove 2 Tablespoons flour from the cup and replace it with 2 Tablespoons cornstarch. Whisk to blend. For this recipe you would measure out 3 cups all purpose flour, remove ¼ cup plus 2 Tablespoons of the all purpose flour and replace it with ¼ cup plus 2 Tablespoons cornstarch and whisk to blend.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE FILLING:

1. Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and cook over medium heat.
2. When the mixture begins to boil, stir constantly until it begins to thicken, approximately 1 to 2 minutes. Keep in mind that it will thicken even more as it cools.
3. Cool completely in refrigerator before using.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE PINA COLADA CREAM CHEESE FROSTING:

1. Add the butter to the mixing bowl and beat until smooth.
2. Add the cream cheese that has been cut into small to medium size pieces, beating with the butter until well blended and smooth.
3. Add the rum and coconut extracts.
4. Slowly add the powdered sugar, beating until smooth.
5. Use the frosting while it is still chilled. If it becomes too soft, refrigerate until it firms up a bit or put in the freezer for 5 minutes or so to return to a good piping consistency.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR COCONUT AROUND THE TOP AND SIDES OF CAKE:

• Spread 1 cup of coconut evenly on a baking sheet and bake for approximately 5 minutes. Stir after a couple of minutes. Remove from the oven when some of the coconut is slightly brown. If it is baked too long it will become dry and chewy. I press some of the browned coconut into the untoasted coconut that is covering the cake. It is an interesting look on the cake, but completely optional.

ASSEMBLY OF CAKE

1. Place a cake layer on a cake board or serving stand and spread with a thin layer of frosting. Pipe a dam of frosting around the edge of the cake layer (approx. ½ inch in). Spread a layer of pineapple filling over the thin layer of frosting and inside the dam. The dam will keep the pineapple filling in place as you begin to stack your layers. You can also sprinkle a bit of coconut over this if you like. Repeat with the next layer.
2. Crumb coat the cake with a thin layer of cream cheese frosting and refrigerate for 1 hour or freeze for 15 minutes to firm everything up. Now you will be ready to spread on the final coat of frosting. Press in the coconut on the sides and top of the cake, adding a bit of the toasted coconut here and there.
3. Optional: Using a 2D tip, decorate the top and place maraschino cherries and shown in the picture of the cake.