Pina Colada Pound Cake is full of pineapple flavor and topped with an irresistible coconut glaze. It’s everyone’s favorite tropical beverage turned into a scrumptious and easy pound cake!
If you have a weakness for pineapple desserts, you’ll also love this classic Pineapple Upside Down Cake. For something a little different, try my Pineapple Orange Cupcakes Recipe!
Why You’ll Love Pound Cake
This Pina Colada Pound Cake is moist, sweet and fruity. Are there any two fruits more suited for each other than pineapple and coconut? I don’t think so!
We used our favorite pound cake recipe as a base. But, this is not your ordinary coconut pound cake.
Yes, I could have just thrown some crushed pineapple into a pound cake recipe, topped it with coconut and called it a “Pineapple Pound Cake” but I had to take things a step further.
A little rum flavoring added to the cake AND the glaze takes the Pina Colada theme to the next level. One bite and I felt like I could be sitting poolside sipping my favorite vacation cocktail.
(That reminds me I also need to make myself a Pina Colada Smoothie later this week; I’m in a pineapple mood!)
Here’s what makes this recipe a standout:
- The flaked coconut on top makes this cake look super impressive, but you’ll be happy to discover that this bundt cake is easy to make and decorate.
- It’s huge! Which means it’s perfect for serving a crowd. And if you can’t eat it all? I understand. Invite someone over–I promise they’ll be more than happy to help you out.
- It also stores well for later. This is one of those magical recipes that tastes even better after a day or two!
Important Ingredient Notes
- Unsalted butter – Be sure to use unsalted! It gives you more control over the flavor of the finished cake.
- Eggs – Pound cakes are made with lots of eggs! It’s part of the reason they’re so rich.
- Sour cream – The secret to moist pound cake! This is the key to moist banana bread too!
- Crushed pineapple – Not only does this add flavor, it also helps make the pound cake super moist.
- Rum flavoring – This adds lots of rum flavor to the cake and glaze without watering it down (or making it taste too strongly of alcohol!). Find your favorite variety on Amazon!
- Sweetened coconut toasted – For a pretty finishing touch that doesn’t take a lot of effort. Use our guide on how to toast coconut.
How to Make Pina Colada Pound Cake
Toast the Coconut: Spread the coconut in a large skillet over medium heat. Stir and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, or until toasted.
Make the Cake Batter:
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter until it’s creamy. Add the sugar and rum flavoring and beat until fluffy. Then, beat in the eggs one at a time.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
- Slowly add the flour mixture to the mixing bowl, alternating with the sour cream, until fully mixed. Fold in the crushed pineapple.
Bake: Pour the batter into a greased and floured bundt pan. Bake in a 325 degree oven for 85-90 minutes.
Cool: Remove the cake from the oven and allow it to cool for about 15 minutes in the pan. Invert onto a wire rack and cool completely.
Finish the Pina Colada Pound Cake:
- Whisk the milk, rum flavoring, and powdered sugar until smooth.
- Drizzle the glaze over cooled cake.
- Sprinkle the glaze with the toasted coconut. Let the glaze set, then slice and serve.
Tips and Tricks
- Let the butter soften to room temperature. And, while you’re at it, set the eggs on the countertop and let them warm up a bit too. Room temperature ingredients mix more evenly and hold more air when beaten, giving your cake more rise.
- This Pina Colada Pound Cake can be made a day or two ahead of time and will stay moist and delicious as long as you store it covered. The glaze does a perfect job helping the cake keep from drying out.
- This pound cake freezes beautifully, too. Cut big slices, wrap them individually in wax paper (or parchment). Put the individually wrapped slices in a ziploc or air-tight container and freeze them. Take them out of the freezer to thaw for about one hour before enjoying.
Recipe FAQs
You can use my Homemade Cake Release, or just grease the pan thoroughly and then dust it with flour. A baking spray with flour in it also works well. Bundt pans have a lot of nooks and crannies, so you do need to make sure it’s well-coated!
In addition to greasing the pan thoroughly, you also want to wait a few minutes before inverting it. This is truly the secret to getting the cake out cleanly! If you turn it out too soon, the cake will fall apart; if you let it cool completely, it’s more likely to stick. There’s a sweet spot right around that 15 minute mark.
Real rum won’t add much flavor to the cake itself, but you can use it in the glaze. Feel free to add two tablespoons of rum and one tablespoon of milk.
More Easy Desserts
- Banana Pudding Recipe
- Peanut Butter Blossoms
- Apple Crumble
- Rice Krispie Treats
- Chocolate Eclair Cake
- Best Banana Bread Recipe
- Carrot Cake Recipe
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Pina Colada Pound Cake
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 3 cups granulated sugar
- 5 large eggs
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¾ cup sour cream
- 1 cup crushed pineapple drained
- 2 teaspoons rum flavoring
For the Glaze:
- 2 Tablespoons milk
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 Tablespoon rum flavoring
- 1 cup sweetened coconut toasted
Instructions
- Toast coconut by spreading in a large skillet over medium heat. Stir and cook for about 3-5 minutes until toasted.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat butter until creamy. Add in sugar and rum flavoring, beating until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time.
- In a small bowl, mix together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Slowly add flour mixtures to mixing bowl, alternating with sour cream until fully mixed. Fold in crushed pineapple.
- Pour into a well greased and floured bundt pan. Bake in a 325 degree oven for 85-90 minutes. This makes a very big cake that will puff up over the top of your pan. It’s okay.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool about 15 minutes in pan. Invert onto a wire rack and cool completely.
- For the glaze, whisk the milk, rum and powdered sugar until smooth. Drizzle on cooled cake and immediately sprinkle with toasted coconut. ENJOY!
Notes
- This Pina Colada Pound Cake can be made a day or two ahead of time and will stay moist and delicious as long as you store it covered. The glaze does a perfect job helping the cake keep from drying out.
- This pound cake freezes beautifully, too. Make big slices, wrap them individually in wax paper (or parchment). Put the individually wrapped slices in a ziploc or air-tight container and freeze them. Bring them out of the freezer to thaw (about one hour) and enjoy.
- See blog post for more recipe tips and tricks.
Nutrition
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With all the flavors of the tropical cocktail you love, Pina Colada Pound Cake is an easy dessert that’ll wow you with its taste and appearance!
This cake is delicious! I did not have rum extract, and I made a copycat version of “Nothing Bundt Cake” icing. Everyone loved it,
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Looks great, but it’s still cooling. Can’t wait to taste it! I had neither rum extract or sour cream, instead using plain Greek yogurt and vanilla. I also added coconut to the cake. It rose over the middle tube though.
Can I substitute Coco Lopez cream of coconut for the sour cream? TIA
I haven’t tested that, but if you try it, let us know!
I’m making this cake now I alternated rum extract and use rum. I’ll let you know how it turned out.
Hi Can real rum be used instead of rum flavouring?
I modified the recipe slightly. I used half all purpose and half cake flour. I switched out one tsp. of rum flavouring with one tsp coconut extract. I used the drained pineapple juice plus rum and coconut flavouring in a simple syrup that I spread over the cooled cake. Tasted just like a pina colada but not overpowering. Fantastic texture.
This cake is moist and FULL OF FLAVOR!
Thank you so much. I am a new baker and this one one was marvelous.
There is no coconut flavoring in the cake and only the topped coconut for the glaze. It looks more like a recipe for pineapple pound cake, to me.
Excellent cake.
Moist and great around the holidays
Is this recipe using all purpose flour or cake flour? I would like to use cake flour 🙂 how much should I use? Thanks!
Aimee, thank you so much for this recipe. This is acopy of a beloved recipe I lost long age. I can’t wait to make it again!
Enjoy 🙂
This looks fantastic. Can’t wait until I try it.
Novice baker here…can this be made gluten-free???
I haven’t tried it for gluten free, but if you do, please report back!
This wAS INCREDIBLE GONE IN TWO AND A half days will b making this one alot
Thank you 🙂
did not like this at all….was so dry and crumbly when I tried to cut it….was too big to.
will not made this again. flavor not so good either. sorry folks.
One of my goals for 2014 is to bake a new pound cake each month of the year. When I found your recipe for the Pina Colada Pound Cake, I knew I’d give it a try during the summer. Well, my cake turned out as beautifully as the one pictured and tasted delicious! I posted my success on my blog and encouraged others to check out your recipes. I know I’ll be trying some more. momsmondaymemo.com