This is an easy pina colada cake for when you want to have a taste of the tropics for dessert!  It’s delicious and so simple to make. Just dump everything in the pan in layers and bake. Really!

I created this recipe for easy pina colada cake after seeing many “dump cake” recipes. Just like the name implies, you simply dump the ingredients in the pan and bake it.  

Several recipes I liked used three 20 oz. cans of pineapple. However, I only had 1 large and 1 small can of crushed pineapple. I also had 1 can of pineapple rings (which I easily cut up into chunks). So, I got creative and found a 15 oz. can of mandarin oranges in the back of the pantry. I was probably going to use it in a recipe that I never got around to making. So I eliminated the small can of crushed pineapple and it did fine.  

There are only a few ingredients to this yummy cake.

By the way, are you looking for ways to save time and money with meal prep? Grab your free freezer and pantry inventory sheets below! 👇

Ingredients for easy piña colada cake:

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Printable recipe at the bottom of post

• Two 20 oz. cans of crushed pineapple (or for a different texture – 1 can of crushed and 1 can of chunks)
• One 15 oz. can of drained mandarin oranges, chopped into chunks, reserving 1/3 c. of juice
• One 7 oz. bag of sweetened coconut flakes
• One box yellow cake mix
• 1 stick of butter or margarine (oops – not pictured)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°

When the oven is hot, cut 1/2 stick of butter into small pieces and melt it in the pan.

2. In the meantime, drain 1 can of pineapple and then drain the can of mandarin oranges, reserving 1/3 c. of the orange juice. Keep all of the juice from the other can of pineapple.

3. Take the pan out of the oven. Then dump in the drained pineapple, the pineapple still in its juice, the chopped oranges, and the reserved 1/3 c. of mandarin orange juice.

4. Sprinkle the entire bag of dry cake mix evenly over the fruit.

5. Sprinkle the entire bag of coconut over the cake mix.

6. Chop up the other 1/2 stick of butter and dot it over the top of the coconut.

7. Bake 45 min to an hour (or until coconut is browned).

Piña colada cake PRINTABLE RECIPE

Easy pina colada cake that is absolutely delicious!  A taste of a tropical day at the beach for those of you who are still stuck with cold temps.  Hang in there  – summer is coming 🙂

I hope you enjoy this recipe! Here is one of my family’s favorite recipes that is also easy and delicious to put together.  And it uses a surprise ingredient!  Check out the recipe here: Easy vintage dessert that will wow your guests.

~ Pam