Tropical Island Dessert Recipes

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:

• In a bowl, dissolve gelatin in boiling water. Stir in cold water. Pour into a 6-cup ring mold coated with cooking spray. Add 2 tablespoons gummy candies. Chill for 1 hour. Stir in remaining candies. Chill for 1-2 hours or until set. , In a bowl, whisk milk and pudding. Cover and chill until ready to use. , To make palm tree leaves, cut lime in half; remove and discard pulp. Place lime halves, cut side down, on a cutting board. With a pencil, sketch five leaves from bottom to top on each half. Cut out leaves, leaving center intact; make little cuts to create a palm leaf appearance. To create a base for the trees, turn disposable cup upside down; cut two small slits in the bottom. Insert a cinnamon stick in each slit for tree trunks. Break toothpick in half. Insert pointed ends into center of lime halves; insert broken ends into cinnamon sticks. , Unmold gelatin onto 12-in. serving platter. Place cup in the center of gelatin ring. Spoon vanilla pudding over cup, filling center of ring. Sprinkle with graham cracker crumbs for sand. Place allspice at base of trees for coconuts (discard allspice before serving). Garnish with blueberries and additional gummy fish if desired.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400°F. In large bowl, beat flour, butter and powdered sugar with electric mixer on low speed 1 minute, scraping bowl constantly. Beat on high speed about 2 minutes or until creamy. Stir in almonds. Press mixture evenly in bottom of ungreased 13x9-inch pan. Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
• In large bowl, mix cream cheese, granulated sugar and vanilla with spoon. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pineapple. Stir remaining pineapple into cream cheese mixture.
• In chilled medium bowl, beat whipping cream with electric mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form. Fold whipped cream and marshmallows into cream cheese mixture. Spread over crust. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours until set but no longer than 48 hours.
• In 1-quart saucepan, place cornstarch. Gradually stir in reserved 1 cup pineapple juice. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir 2 minutes longer. Cool completely, about 30 minutes. Fold in reserved 1/2 cup pineapple, the papaya and kiwifruit. For servings, cut dessert into 5 rows by 3 rows. Serve with fruit mixture. Store covered in refrigerator.