Pineapple Coconut Cream Cake (Printable version)
Tropical no-bake dessert with creamy coconut, fresh pineapple, and a crunchy cookie base.
# What you need:
→ Crust
01 - 7 oz graham crackers or digestive biscuits, finely crushed
02 - 2.6 oz unsalted butter, melted
→ Pineapple Coconut 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
→ Garnish
10 - 1.8 oz toasted coconut flakes
11 - 3.5 oz fresh pineapple slices or tidbits
# How To:
01 - Line the base of a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper, pressing it flat to ensure an even surface.
02 - Combine the crushed graham crackers with the melted butter in a medium bowl until the mixture resembles wet sand. Press firmly and evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Place in the refrigerator to set while preparing the filling.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened cream cheese with the 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 fully combined and silky in texture.
05 - Gently fold in the drained, chopped pineapple tidbits and desiccated coconut using a rubber spatula, distributing them evenly throughout the mixture.
06 - In a separate chilled bowl, whip the cold heavy cream until stiff peaks hold their shape. Carefully fold the whipped cream into the pineapple coconut mixture in two additions, preserving as much air as possible.
07 - Pour the filling over the chilled crust, spreading it into an even layer. Smooth the top with an offset spatula or the back of a spoon.
08 - Cover the pan tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for a minimum of 4 hours, or preferably overnight, until the filling is firm and fully set.
09 - Remove the cake from the refrigerator, release the springform ring, and garnish the top with toasted coconut flakes and fresh pineapple slices or tidbits before slicing.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- You will never once turn on your oven, which makes this the perfect rescue mission during hot weather or when your kitchen is already occupied.
- The contrast between the buttery cookie base and the pillowy coconut pineapple cream filling is the kind of thing that makes people close their eyes when they take a bite.
02 -
- Skipping the draining step for canned pineapple will leave you with a soupy filling that never fully sets, no matter how long it chills.
- Opening your coconut milk can and finding a thick solid layer at the top is completely normal and actually ideal for this recipe.
03 -
- Chill your mixing bowl and beaters in the freezer for ten minutes before whipping cream, and you will reach stiff peaks in half the time.
- Toasting coconut flakes in a dry skillet over low heat for about two minutes transforms them from bland shreds into something fragrant and golden that elevates the entire cake.