Coconut-Pineapple Loaf Cake

331 Ratings
  • 5 88
  • 4 101
  • 3 81
  • 2 52
  • 1 9

Toasted coconut balances the tart sweetness of pineapple and provides a crunchy topping for this buttery cake. Not too delicate, it's a treat just right for toting.

Everyday Food, June 2008

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Recipe Summary

prep:
15 mins
total:
1 hr 25 mins
Servings:
10
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Ingredients

Directions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread coconut on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until lightly toasted, tossing occasionally, 6 to 10 minutes; set aside. Butter and flour a 9-by-5-inch (8-cup) loaf pan; set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

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  • Using an electric mixer on high speed, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Reduce speed to low, and alternately add flour mixture in three parts and sour cream in two, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Mix just until combined (do not overmix).

  • Using a rubber spatula, fold pineapple and 1 cup coconut into batter. Spoon into prepared pan, and smooth top; sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup coconut. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 65 to 70 minutes (cover pan with foil halfway through). Let cake cool in pan 15 minutes. Remove from pan, and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Cook's Notes

To store, keep at room temperature, wrapped in plastic, up to 2 days.

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Reviews (35)

331 Ratings
  • 5 88
  • 4 101
  • 3 81
  • 2 52
  • 1 9
Martha Stewart Member
06/11/2019
I used 1\3 cup mashed banana and 2/3 cup sour cream to reduce calories. Added 1tsp vanilla 1/2tsp coconut extract. Very good, very easy and it uses the whole can of pineapple, except the juice. Next time I will leave the coconut off the top and add a pineapple juice glaze after it has cooled.
Martha Stewart Member
08/14/2018
Make sure to drain your pineapple VERY well. I also added some vanilla (a generous teaspoon) and a few drops of pure coconut extract to this recipe. It came out moist and delicious. DO NOT skip the covering half way through step or your cake top/coconut will burn. Next time I bake this I will add some rum. I was extremely pleased and it is YUMMY!!!!
Martha Stewart Member
06/30/2018
I’ve been baking for years and had high hopes for this as a new tea-time loaf. I followed the recipe exactly but when I tasted the batter it was very bland. I added half a teaspoon on almond extract (to bring out the coconut) but it still came out bland and eggy. It is moist in the middle, but the outside overcooks before the inside is finished, even with the foil. I was so disappointed. It was still edible but not worth the trouble with hardly any flavour except eggy overtones.
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Martha Stewart Member
11/09/2017
I love it, I hope I didn't uncooked the cake because it is super moist. This recipe it is a keeper.
Martha Stewart Member
09/29/2017
I'm a seasoned baker who wanted to try something a bit different. Followed the recipe precisely and viewed all other bakers' comments. Baked up fine, but I am disappointed in the lack of flavor. Surprisingly bland
Martha Stewart Member
04/16/2017
I am not good at cooking, but when I baked this one, it was loved by every one. I feel happy.
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Martha Stewart Member
01/10/2016
I made two cakes for after church informal meet and greet. Adults and children all loved the cake, and its reputation quickly spread so some said, "Is this the famous cake?" Used fresh pineapple, one whole one, just short of the recipe...about 16 oz each. Coconut worked great. Cooked one at 195 internal temp, the second at just over 200 deg F, which firmed it up a little better, at about 70 minutes in 345 deg oven. Bought bigger Wilton pan (8 cup) this time. Success and delicious!
Martha Stewart Member
06/11/2015
Veeeeery delicious!!! Thank you
Martha Stewart Member
04/28/2014
I love this recipe! I wanted to try to make it as muffins - do you think that would work?
Martha Stewart Member
02/22/2014
This recipe is just wrong. I made it, and the batter is delicious, and the cake was even kind of delicious, but it never cooked all the way through, even after it was just shy of burnt on the outside. Too bad. This is the second MS recipe I've used in the last 6 months or so that had some kind of error in it. I'm surprised. Her recipes used to always be perfect.
Martha Stewart Member
01/25/2014
Sumply delicious!! I drained the pineapple very carefuly. It's tasty, tender and moist.
Martha Stewart Member
11/10/2012
I tried this bread this morning. I didn't have a large can of pineapple, so I used an 8 oz can with the juice. It was wonderful!!! I will definitely have this one again! I also put coarse ground sugar on top. Yummy!
Martha Stewart Member
09/28/2011
I love this recipe! I think everyone that's having problems with it being "under done" are either not draining their pineapple right, or just not baking it long enough. This is a dense, moist pound cake. I put my pineapple in a strainer over a bowl and put a can or weight on it to help press all the juice out. I also double or even triple the recipe, nix the coconut on top, bake it in round pans and layer it with passionfruit curd. It's to die for.
Martha Stewart Member
06/29/2011
This cake is delicious, moist and tender.I wondered about the whole 20oz can of pineapple,but added it,and it bakes in fine.Press out remaining juice wth paper towels after draining(did this the 2nd time I baked it)I used the whole 7oz bag of coconut-there is alot, so I put a layer on the bottom of the pan,after buttering and flouring. The batter fills the pan to the top, does not overflow when baking. Rich and fresh tasting,everyone loved it.:)
Martha Stewart Member
12/29/2010
OMG I cant believe this cake turned out perfect. I was afraid it might turn out watery or underbaked because of what others had commented on so what I did was squeeze the crap out of the pineaple chunks making sure all juices have been removed. I also cut the pineapple into two and three because I found the chunks were just too big. I also halved the sugar to 1/2 cup. PERFECT. Never had this kinda cake before. Will be making it next time I have visitors.
Martha Stewart Member
06/18/2010
and oil (instead of butter). The taste was amazing!
Martha Stewart Member
06/18/2010
I used fresh pineapple, kefir (instead of sour cream)
Martha Stewart Member
04/22/2010
I have made this cake twice. The second time I drained the pineapple really well by putting it on paper towels and the cake turned out better than the first one. I had to cover the cake with aluminum foil in the last 25 min of baking so it wouldn't get too brown. Love the cake; It's a keeper!
Martha Stewart Member
01/31/2010
When I baked it in 2 loaves, it took 45 to 50 minutes to bake. I also did not toast the coconut that went on top of the cake. It toasted while it baked. I used nonfat plain yogurt instead of sour cream, and it was just fine.
Martha Stewart Member
01/31/2010
This made enoujgh batter for 2 loaves. I can't imagine putting that amount of batter in 1 loaf pan.
Martha Stewart Member
05/15/2009
everybody absolutely LOVED this cake- my friend went off her no carb diet to eat more of it
Martha Stewart Member
01/30/2009
this cake was freakin delicious. i'm sorry i didn't make it sooner!
Martha Stewart Member
10/07/2008
I made this cake the 2nd time and modified it (it turned out better the 2nd time around) - I substituted the sour cream for low fat vanilla creamy yogurt, I used very well drained crushed pineapple, 3/4 cups of raw sugar and cooked it for 25 minutes longer. The result = same great taste, lower in fat and not as undercooked as the first time.
Martha Stewart Member
09/30/2008
The cake is amazing! I received so many compliments and requests for the recipe. One hint: I cut the pineapple chucks in half. It made the cake easier to slice (didn't fall apart). Also, be very careful not to toast the pineapple too long.
Martha Stewart Member
09/29/2008
I'm not sure why so many comments about the cake being undercooked. Mine came out perfectly. I'm guessing one thing might be making absolutely sure that you drain the pineapple well. I put mine through a sieve and let it sit there for 10 minutes or so. As somebody else suggested, make sure you use an oven thermometer and instert a knife rather than a toothpick in the middle. Don't be afraid to cook it longer if needed; just make sure you tent the top if the coconut gets too brown.
Martha Stewart Member
07/14/2008
This is a heavy and moist cake. My friend really liked it. I baked mine 1 hr. and 15 minutes. I recommend an oven thermometer. Even though my oven beeps that it's ready, the thermometer shows it's still 25-30 degrees off so I wait until it reaches the right temperature. I think this will the problem for those who say it's undercooked.
Martha Stewart Member
07/02/2008
I can't wait to make this cake again! My guests raved about it. There was a creaminess to it I can't describe. SOooooo delicious! I may have baked it longer than the recipe said, but I don't remember. It was done perfectly. Had no problems.
Martha Stewart Member
07/02/2008
I made this loaf, and it was wonderful I used a long slender knife, instead of a toothpick to pierce the loaf, and I found that 10 extra minutes, baked the loaf perfectly! It tastes even better the day after baking!! I will be putting in this in the "keeper" pile!
Martha Stewart Member
07/02/2008
I really would like to try this without sour cream. Hopefully that might help with the moisture problem. Hopefully!
Martha Stewart Member
06/10/2008
I, too, found that the cake loaf was very underdone, even after letting it bake for an extra 20 minutes. The outside was nicely golden and the toothpick test came out OK. I am so disappointed. When I turned it out onto the cooling rack after the required 15 minutes wait in pan, it sunk in. I let it cool, then took a slice off, to find it very underdone. Was the oven temperature (350 degrees) correct? Please tell us what needs to change for the next time. Thank you.
Martha Stewart Member
06/05/2008
This recipe looked so good I decided to make a double batch on the first try. I'm not sure if that was the mistake, or if it was something else, because the cake came out way underdone even though the toothpick came out clean and the top was very browned. For the double batch I used one can of crushed pineapple, and an equivalent amount of frozen chunks. I accidentally forgot to add the last egg. I think the batter may have been beat too much b/c the instructions say to beat after each egg, and I did this thoroughly 5 times for the double recipe (because I forgot one egg) instead of 3. It still tastes delicious but I think i am going to have to recast it as a bread pudding.
Martha Stewart Member
06/04/2008
I made this once with chunk pineapple and once with crushed pineapple. Both times the middle didn't seem quite cooked and I had to bake the cake for at least 20 minutes more than the recipe called for. The crushed pineapple version was WAY too wet! I'm going to try it in an 8x8 square pan to see if that helps the bakign time issue!
Martha Stewart Member
05/30/2008
Conversely, I really enjoyed the texturen n n n n n seemed very cake-like. The pineapple was also well distributed, so the slices looked beautiful on the plate. I would recommend a little more coconut on top as I didn't taste the coconut as much as I would have liked. I didn't add the coconut on top until the last 15 minutes so I wouldn't have to mess with covering it.
Martha Stewart Member
05/29/2008
Made this today
Martha Stewart Member
05/26/2008
Did not like the consistency at all. Very heavy. Pinepples fell to bottom of loaf. Even though toothpick came out clean, it seemed like it was not fully cooked. Would not make it again.
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