Million Dollar Cake

Our million dollar cake is a rich and indulgent moist cake topped with a tangy cream cheese frosting for an exotic flavor experience.

Prep Time25

Cook Time30

Rest/Chill Time5

Total Time5 55

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Million Dollar Cake Recipe

Servings:

Calories: 1193kcal

Ingredients

Cake Batter

15.25 ounces yellow cake mix (your favorite brand, I used Duncan Hines)
3.4 ounces instant vanilla pudding mix (your favorite brand, I used the Jello brand)
20 ounces crushed pineapple, very well drained (you will use the drained juice in the cake batter and reserve the crushed pineapple for the frosting. The juice should measure 1¼ cups)
½ cup salted sweet cream butter, melted
3 large eggs, room temperature
3 cups sweetened coconut flakes, divided into 1½ cups and 1½ cups
1 cup chopped walnuts

Frosting and Filling

3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
2½ tablespoons cornstarch
1 cup salted sweet cream butter, softened
12 ounces cream cheese, softened

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray three 9-inch round cake pans with baker’s spray (Baker’s Joy or generic version).
Add the yellow cake mix and instant pudding mix to a medium-sized mixing bowl. Whisk to combine.
Add drained pineapple juice (just the pineapple juice, you will use the crushed pineapple in the frosting), melted butter, and eggs to the cake mix and pudding mix. Use a handheld mixer on medium speed to mix the ingredients together until well incorporated, about 1½ to 2 minutes.
Fold in the coconut flakes and chopped walnuts.
Divide the batter between the prepared cake pans. Bake for 22 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes away clean. Allow the cakes to cool completely.
Keep the oven on 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread the remaining 1½ cups of sweetened coconut flakes over the lined baking sheet. Bake for 6 minutes, keeping a close eye on the coconut. Use a silicone spatula to stir the coconut flakes. Continue baking for another 4 minutes. Again, keep a very close eye on the coconut. It will not take long for the coconut to go from golden to burned. Allow the coconut to cool completely.
Add the sifted powdered sugar and cornstarch to a medium size mixing bowl. Whisk to combine.
Using a stand mixer or a medium-sized mixing bowl and a handheld mixer on medium-high speed, beat the softened butter and softened cream cheese for 1 to 1½ minutes.
Lower the mixer speed to medium. Add the powdered sugar and cornstarch ½ cup at a time, beating well after each addition.
Add the drained and reserved crushed pineapple and continue mixing just until incorporated. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Remove the first cake from the pan and place it onto a serving plate or 10-inch round cake board.
Using a silicone spatula or an offset spatula, spread a layer of frosting over the top of the cake. Place the second cake on top of the first cake layer and repeat the layer of frosting.
Place the third cake on top of the second layer. Mound a thicker layer of frosting on top of the third layer, using the silicone spatula or the offset spatula to spread the frosting evenly.
Evenly spread the rest of the frosting around the sides of the cakes.
Once the cake is completely frosted, sprinkle the toasted coconut over the top and around the sides of the cake. Keep the cake chilled in the refrigerator until ready to slice and serve.

Notes

You can use pre-cut parchment paper circles to line the cake pans. You will still need to spray the pans with baking spray. You can also use baking bands to help keep the cake layers level when baking the cakes.
Oven temperatures vary and may need to be recalibrated periodically to ensure they are accurate. Make sure to check your cake at the lower end of the recommended baking time.
Make sure your cream cheese is at room temperature so you don’t end up with lumps in your frosting.

Nutrition