Tropical Cake Recipes

Steps:

• Prepare both boxes of vanilla pudding according to the package directions, using an electric mixer. Blend the cream cheese into the pudding, mixing thoroughly to remove any lumps. Fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese-pudding mixture.
• Spread a third of the graham cracker crumbs into an even layer in a low-sided clear bowl. Pour half of the pudding over the crumbs and spread until it reaches the sides of the bowl using an offset spatula. Repeat this process once, setting the remaining third of the graham cracker crumbs aside. Cover with plastic wrap pressed directly against the surface of the pudding and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
• Remove and discard the plastic wrap. Following the edge of the bowl, create a 1 1/2-inch border of blue sparkle gel around the edge of of the pudding. Use a small offset spatula to gently spread the blue sparkle gel, creating the look and texture of ocean waves. Cover the remaining exposed pudding by piling the reserved graham cracker crumbs on top, mounding in the center, to resemble an island in the ocean.
• Cut the sour candy belts into small rectangles to resemble beach towels and place them around the cake with the bear crackers on top of each one. Place a few bear crackers inside peach candy rings (to look like inner tubes) and place them in the blue sparkle gel so that they appear to be bobbing in the water.
• To make the palm trees: Insert a mint stem into each wafer cookie, pushing down until the leaves meet the top of the cookie. Gently press into the center of the graham cracker crumb island.
• To make the candy crab: Use scissors to snip a small triangle out of the rounded side of a cherry slice, positioning it close to the flat side, to look like a claw. Snip a small notch out of the opposite side along the curve, to fashion the arm that the claw is attached to. Repeat this process with a second cherry slice. Insert a toothpick lengthwise into each arm and set aside. Prepare the crab body by holding the rounded sides of 2 cherry slices together back to back. Secure together using 2 toothpicks, being sure to push the toothpicks deep enough so they are only exposed on top. To make the eyes, use a dab of blue sparkle gel to attach an eyeball to the bottom of each gumdrop. Secure the gumdrops on the toothpicks sticking out of the crab body. Push the claw toothpicks into the sides of the crab body. Bury the bottom half of the crab body in the graham cracker crumb sand.
• Sprinkle the island with sanding sugars where the ocean meets the graham cracker crumbs. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350ºF.
• Drain pineapple, reserving 1 cup juice. Prepare cake batter as directed on package, substituting reserved juice for 1 cup of the water. Pour into 15x10x1-inch pan sprayed with cooking spray.
• Bake 15 to 18 min. or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely.
• Beat pudding mix and milk with whisk 2 min. Stir in pineapple; spread over cake. Cover with COOL WHIP; top with coconut and nuts. Keep refrigerated.

Steps:

• 1. Bake cake as directed in 9x13 pan let cool completely while cake is baking mix the pudding according to box directions and let stand in refrigerator until needed once cake has cooled poke holes in top with a wooden spoon handle.
• 2. Add a half can of pineapple and juice to cake then layer pudding on top. Next layer the other half of pineapple and juice, a 1/2 bag of the coconut and then cool whip.
• 3. Lastly top with remaining cool whip, walnuts and cherries there you have a hawaiian delight cake.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a fluted tube pan (such as Bundt®).
• Mix bananas, pineapple juice, water, applesauce, eggs, and coconut extract with an electric mixer until well combined. Add cake mix, coconut, and pudding mix; mix on medium speed for 2 minutes. Pour batter into the prepared pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes. Let cake cool in the pan.
• Combine brown sugar, cream, and butter for the sauce in a saucepan. Bring to a boil. Add rum and crushed pineapple and boil, stirring occasionally, until it starts to thicken, 4 to 5 minutes. Set aside to cool down.
• Poke holes all around the top of the cake still in the pan. Pour about 1/3 of the sauce over the cake with a spoon, trying not to get the pineapple during this stage. Place a serving plate on top of the cake pan and invert the cake, holding onto the pan and plate tightly. Pour remaining sauce and pineapples evenly over the cake. Let sit until cake has absorbed the sauce, about 30 minutes. Slice and serve.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
• Spray a 10-cup tube pan with floured cooking spray and set aside (make sure the pan is coated well).
• Cream together the butter and cream cheese on low speed until mixed well. Slowly add the sugar. Beat until the mixture is light and fluffy at medium-high speed for 5 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating on low speed. (Mix from 15 to 30 seconds.) Slowly add flour. Once the flour is mixed in add the extracts. Beat the mixture on medium-low speed for about 30 seconds. Stop and scrape down the sides, beat another 30 seconds. TIP: do not overbeat, cake will be dry.
• Pour batter into the tube pan and distribute evenly. Bake for 1 hour 30 minutes. Test for doneness. Remove from over and let the cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes turn the cake out on a serving dish. Put the dish on a wire rack to complete cooling. One cake is cool, frost.
• Icing: Take the strained crushed pineapple, put in a small bowl, and with the back of a large spoon, press out as much juice as possible. Set aside.
• Cream together the cream cheese and butter. Add the crushed pineapple and extracts. Beat about a minute. Slowly add the confectioners' sugar, 1 cup at a time, until you reach the desired spreading consistency. You will most likely use the entire box. Beat until light and fluffy. Frost the pound cake on all sides, top and middle. Carefully press the coconut on the sides, and sprinkle on the top. Hint, put the cake dish on waxed paper so that the coconut that falls off can be easily collected.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Use some of the butter to lightly coat a 9inch round cake pan. Place remaining butter in a mixing bowl and add the sugar. Beat well with a whisk until light and fluffy. Add the molasses and whisk well to combine. Slowly add the half and half, then the egg, whisking constantly to incorporate thoroughly. Sift together the flour, baking soda, and spices and add to batter. Whisk until just combined; do not overwork. Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake for 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from oven and run a knife around the inside of the pan. Let cake cool in pan ten minutes then invert to remove from pan. Let cool completely and sift powdered sugar over the top to decorate.

Steps:

• Mix first four ingredients, using only the juice from the oranges, reserving oranges to add later.
• After mixed well, gently fold in oranges.
• Bake in a 9x13 pan at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until done.
• Cool completely!
• Mix remaining four ingredients and spread over cake.
• Refrigerate for one hour and serve cold.

Steps:

• Grease and lightly flour eight 1-cup fluted tube pans or six 4-1/2x2-1/2x1-1/2-inch individual loaf pans and set pans aside.
• In a medium bowl combine flour, baking powder, and baking soda; set aside.
• In a large bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds, add brown sugar; beat until combined.
• Add eggs, one at a time, beating on medium speed until combined (The batter may appear curdled).
• Combine 1/4 cup rum or pineapple juice, 1/4 cup pineapple juice, the corn syrup, ginger, and vanilla.
• Add flour mixture and rum mixture alternately to butter mixture, beating on low speed after each addition just until combined.
• Fold in fruit bits and nuts.
• Spread batter in prepared pan.
• Bake in a 325 degree oven for 20 to 25 minutes for fluted tube pans or 30 to 35 minutes for loaf pans or until a toothpick inserted into centers comes out clean.
• Cool cakes in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes. Remove from pans; cool at least 1 hour on racks.
• Poke holes in cakes using a wooden toothpick or bamboo skewer.
• Soak eight or six 8-inch-square pieces of double thickness 100-percent cotton cheesecloth with the 1/3 cup rum or pineapple juice and wrap each cake in rum- or juice-soaked cheesecloth.
• Wrap each cake tightly in foil or seal in a plastic bag.
• Chill in refrigerator for 24 hours.
• Remove foil or remove cakes from bags; drizzle with 1/4 cup rum or pineapple juice. Rewrap with foil or return to plastic bags and refrigerate at least 24 hours.
• Remove cheesecloth before serving.
• If desired, sprinkle with sifted powdered sugar. Makes 6 or 8 cakes (24 servings).
• Make-Ahead Tip: Prepare Tropical Fruit Cake as directed through until the 24 hr chill, except refrigerate up to 5 days. (Or prepare Tropical Fruit Cakes as directed through up to 24 hr chill, except do not sprinkle with powdered sugar. Place in self-sealing freezer bags. Seal, label, and freeze up to 3 months.)
• To serve, thaw frozen cakes in freezer bags in the refrigerator overnight. Serve as directed.

Steps:

• In a bowl, blend the sugar and oil. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in sour cream. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; add to the sour cream mixture. Stir in pineapple., Transfer to a greased 9-in. square baking dish. Combine the topping ingredients; sprinkle over batter. Bake at 350° for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.

Steps:

• In a large bowl, beat eggs, oil and buttermilk. Combine flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; add to egg mixture and mix well. Stir in vanilla, carrots, raisins, pineapple, walnuts and coconut; mix well. Pour into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking pan. Bake at 350° for 45-50 minutes or until cake tests done. Cool. , For frosting, beat all ingredients in a bowl until smooth. Frost cake.