Pina Colada Cake

If you like Pina Colada's da duh da da and getting caught in the rain ... come on I know you were thinking it! But yes it is possible to make a cake taste like a tropical cocktail, and it is the most luscious cake you will ever eat!

I first tried Pina Colada cake at a cafe 9 years ago, and they wouldn't let me have the recipe (*cough* Jay), so I have spent all these years trying to recreate that taste memory via trial and error and have finally cracked it. I like making it in a loaf tin, as it is easy to slice and serve. Make sure that you make it in either a loaf or a ring tin as this is a very moist cake.

Pina Colada Cake

Cake Mix

150g butter softened, plus a little extra for greasing.
150g (2/3 cup) caster sugar
2/3 cup crushed pineapple (drained)
1/2 vanilla pod (or a couple drops of vanilla extract)
2 medium eggs at room temperature
150g (1 cup) plain flour
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
Pinch of salt
1 tbsp of Malibu or Dark Rum (or 1tsp rum essence if you don't want to use alcohol!)

Frosting

230g of cream cheese
50g butter softened
3-4 cups of icing sugar
1 tsp of Dark Rum
Couple of drops of Rum essense
Desiccated coconut for dusting on top

1. Preheat the oven at 180 degrees (fan 160 degrees). Grease and line the loaf tin with baking parchment.

2. Cream butter and sugar together in a bowl with a hand held electric whisk or a free-standing electric mixer until light and fluffy. Split open the vanilla pod and scrape out the seeds and add them (or the extract) along with the Malibu or dark rum with the 2 eggs and beat again. Keep beating until the mixture starts to come right.

3. Add flour, baking powder and salt and stir in the crushed pineapple. Tip the mix into the loaf tin. Spread the mixture flat with the back of the spoon and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the skewer comes out clean. The mix is quite wet, so depending on your oven it may take a little longer. Take out of the oven and leave to cool.

4. To make the icing, Beat together softened butter and cream cheese for around 2 minutes until smooth. Add the dark rum (optional) and add the icing sugar 1/2 cup at a time until the desired consistency. Spread over the cake, and sprinkle desiccated coconut over the top. I piped mine over, but you can ice whichever way you please. Slice into 12 and serve. Lush!

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