These pineapple coconut cake bars with crumb topping will put you right in the mood for summer picnics and pool parties!
With summer here, I’m always looking for something refreshing and new to make for all of the upcoming gatherings and hangouts on the porch!
Pineapple Coconut Cake Bars
This dessert is kinda like a pina colada in a dessert bar – minus the rum of course!
Pineapple’s Popularity
Seems like lately pineapple is the star of the show when it comes to fruits!
Maybe it’s because it’s yellow, juicy, so refreshing and just epitomizes a tropical good time.
Parade Magazine recently published an article on 12 Creative Ways To Utilize Summer’s Favorite Fruit: Pineapple.
Whatever the reason for pineapple’s popularity, the combination of pineapple and coconut is always a great idea for a tropical dessert.
For this recipe, I used flour, coconut flakes, butter, and crushed pineapple from my local grocery store.
And, I already had granulated sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cornstarch on hand.
Easy & Inexpensive
I like to choose recipes that are easy to make, inexpensive, and don’t require a ton of ingredients.
This recipe is no exception.
They’re super easy to make and you’ll definitely get that bang for your buck.
Pineapple Coconut Cake Bars Recipe
Pineapple Coconut Cake Bars Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups All-Purpose Flour
- 1 cup Coconut Flakes (can be toasted if preferred)
- ½ cup Granulated Sugar
- ½ tsp Baking Soda
- ½ tsp Baking Powder
- ¼ tsp Salt
- ½ cup Butter (melted & cooled)
- 1 20 oz can Crushed Pineapple (drained)
- 3 tbsp Granulated Sugar
- 2 tbsp Cornstarch
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Spray an 8" square baking dish with cooking spray
- In a medium bowl, mix flour, coconut flakes, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, & salt.
- Melt butter and then set aside to cool for 5 minutes; then place in the refrigerator for 4 minutes to ensure that it is cool enough to add to the flour mixture.
- Add cooled butter to flour mixture and press with a large, sturdy fork until well blended and the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Reserve one cup of the flour mixture and set aside.
- Press the remaining flour mixture into the bottom of the glass baking dish to form the bottom crust.
- In a separate bowl, combine the drained crushed pineapple, sugar, and cornstarch.
- Pour mixture over the pressed crust and spread evenly.
- Sprinkle remaining 1 cup of flour mixture on top of the pineapple filling.
- Bake bars on center rack of oven for 30 minutes or until topping is golden. My oven took 35 minutes.
- Cool bars completely before cutting.
Our pineapple coconut cake bars didn’t last long after I made them!
The crumbly topping and flaky crust were the perfect combination with the pineapple coconut filling.
Next time I make them, I will toast the coconut flakes in the oven on a cookie sheet before I add them to the mix.
Toasted coconut will add more flavor to the bars.
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