Ingredients
Equipment
Method
Bake the cake
- Preheat the oven to 350°F, then grease a 9x13 baking dish. Whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt until evenly combined.
- Beat the egg yolks with granulated sugar until pale, about 3 minutes. Add the coconut milk and vanilla extract and mix until smooth.
- Fold the flour mixture into the yolk mixture just until no dry streaks remain. Beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form and gently fold them into the batter.
- Pour the batter into the greased 9x13 baking dish and bake for 30 minutes. Look for a lightly golden top and a toothpick coming out mostly clean.
Soak and chill
- Combine the sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, and rum or pineapple juice in a bowl. Stir until the milk mixture is fully blended.
- Pierce the cooled cake all over with a fork. Pour the milk mixture evenly over the top so it soaks in.
- Refrigerate the cake for at least 2 hours. Keep it chilled until the surface looks set and the cake feels tender when pressed lightly.
Top and serve
- Whip the heavy cream with powdered sugar until stiff peaks form. The cream should hold firm ridges when lifted.
- Spread or pipe the whipped cream onto the cooled, soaked cake. Top with toasted coconut flakes for a lightly golden look.
- Add fresh pineapple chunks on top right before serving. Serve chilled and keep leftovers refrigerated.
Notes
Pro tip: make sure the cake is fully cooled before pouring the milk mixture so it absorbs evenly without turning gummy. Store covered in the refrigerator up to 4 days; freezing is not recommended for best whipped-cream texture. For a lighter option, use rum-free pineapple juice in place of rum to keep the same tropical profile.