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Southern Coconut Cake with Pineapple

List of Ingredients

1 (15 1/4 -OUNCE) can crushed pineapple in juice, undrained
1 1/2 cups butter or margarine, softened
3 cups sugar
5 large eggs
1/2 cup lemon-lime soft drink (7-UP BEST)
3 cups cake flour, sifted
1 teaspoon lemon extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pineapple Filling
Cream Cheese Filling
1 (6-ounce) package frozen shredded coconut, thawed
Garnish: fresh mint sprig

Grease bottom and sides of three 9-inch round cakepans; line bottoms with was paper. Grease and flour was paper.
Drain pineapple, reserving 3/4 cup juice. Remove 1/4 cup reserved pineapple juice for Cream Cheese Frosting, and reserve crushed pineapple for Pineapple Filling.

Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creams; gradually add sugar, beating well. Add eggs, one at a time, beting until blended after each addition.

Combine 1/2 cup reserved piineapple juice and soft drink. Add flour to butter mixture alternately with juice mixture, beginning and ending with flour. Beat at low speed until blended after each addition. Stir in flavorings. Pour batter into prepared cakepans.

Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from pans immediately; cool on wire racks.

Spread 3/4 cup Pineapple Filling between each cake layer, and spread remaining filling on top of cake, spreading to within 1/2/ inch of edges on all layers. Spread Cream Cheese Frosting on sides of cake, and pipe border around top, if desired.

Sprinkle coconut on sides and border, and garnish, if desired. YIELD: 1 (3-LAYER) cake. ** I made as a sheet cake also.

PINEAPPLE FILLING:

2 cups sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 cup reserved drained crushed pineapple
1 cup water
Stir together sugar and cornstarch in a saucepan. Stir in pineapple and water.
Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, 15 minutes or until very thick. Cool.
YIELD: 3 cups

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 (3-OUNCE) package cream cheese, softened
1 (16-ounce) package powdered sugar, sifted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 to 4 tablespoons reserved pineapple juice

Beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until blended. Gradually add powdered sugar, vanilla, and enough pineapple juice to make frosting a good spreading consistency, mixing well. YIELD: 2 CUPS


Recipe