Hawaiian Cake: A Vintage Tropical Dessert Masterpiece

Hawaiian Cake is an incredible vintage dessert that stands apart from modern cake recipes. This moist and flavorful three-layer cake uses a base of graham cracker crumbs instead of traditional flour, complemented by flaked coconut and crunchy pecans. Finished with a luscious pineapple buttercream frosting, this unique creation delivers tropical flavors in every bite. Perfect for potlucks, birthdays, or holiday gatherings when you want to serve something deliciously unexpected!

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What Makes This Hawaiian Cake So Unique? 

This is a fascinating recipe for a type of cake you don’t see often. Don’t confuse this Hawaiian Cake with other cakes that have “Hawaiian” in their names.

Those recipes tend to use yellow cake mix for their cake batter, but this primarily uses graham cracker crumbs. Although graham cracker-based cakes are no longer popular, they were once relatively common, especially before cake mixes were widely available.

Give this Hawaiian Cake recipe a try, not just because it is something different, but because it is so tasty. 

Why This Recipe Works

Unlike modern “Hawaiian” cakes that typically start with boxed yellow cake mix, this authentic vintage recipe relies on graham cracker crumbs as its primary base – a technique that was popular before commercial cake mixes became widespread. The graham cracker foundation creates a wonderfully distinct texture and honeyed flavor that perfectly complements the tropical elements. The combination of coconut and pecans adds delightful texture contrast, while the pineapple buttercream provides just enough acidity to balance the sweetness. The result is a harmonious blend of flavors and textures that made this cake a standout at mid-century gatherings.

Ingredients For Hawaiian Pineapple Cake

To make the graham cracker cake base, you’ll need:

• Graham crackers – Form the unique cake base with their honey-sweet flavor
• Unsalted butter – Creates richness and tender crumb structure
• White sugar – Provides essential sweetness and helps aerate the batter
• Eggs – Add structure, richness, and binding properties
• Milk – Creates moisture and helps activate leavening agents
• Baking soda – Provides necessary lift and tenderness
• Baking powder – Works with baking soda for proper rise
• Pecans – Add crunchy texture and nutty flavor
• Flaked coconut – Contributes tropical flavor and chewy texture
• All-purpose flour – Used only for preparing the pans

If you can’t find flaked coconut, you can use shredded coconut instead. 

For the Pineapple Buttercream Frosting:

• Unsalted butter – Creates the creamy frosting base
• Powdered sugar – Provides sweetness and proper frosting consistency
• Crushed pineapple – Adds tropical flavor and balancing acidity

How To Make This Hawaiian Cake Recipe

To bake the graham cracker cake base:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Take the butter from the fridge and let it come up to room temperature.
3. Place 5 or 6 graham crackers at a time into a plastic bag and crush them into small crumbs. You can use a rolling pin, meat tenderizer, or the bottom of a heavy glass measuring cup. Repeat as needed.
4. Grease the interior of the three 8-inch cake pans with butter. Sprinkle a light dusting of sifted all-purpose flour on the inside of the pans to help prevent the cake from sticking.
5. Add the rest of the softened butter and sugar to the large bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment. If your stand mixer has a paddle attachment with an incorporated silicone scraper, use it. Otherwise, you will need to stop the mixer from time to time to scrape down the sides with a silicone spatula.
6. Mix the butter and sugar on MEDIUM speed for about 30 seconds and then slowly ramp up the speed of the mixer to HIGH.
7. Continue to cream the butter until it is airy and light in color.
8. Reduce the speed of the mixer to MEDIUM. Add the eggs one at a time to the bowl with the mixer running. 

9. Stir together the graham cracker crumbs, baking soda, and baking powder in a mixing bowl.
10. Reduce the mixer to LOW. In stages, alternate between adding the milk and graham cracker mixture to the bowl of the mixer.

11. Add the crushed pecans and coconuts to the batter and mix until evenly distributed. 

12. Split the cake batter between the three cake pans and bake for 30 to 35 minutes. To check whether the cake is ready, stick a toothpick in the middle of each cake. You can remove the cake when the toothpick comes out clean.

13. Let the cakes cool in the pans until you can handle them without burning your hands; about 8 minutes. Turn the cakes out onto a wire rack and let them cool to room temperature. 

To prepare the pineapple frosting:

1. Drain the crushed pineapple.
2. Add the butter and powdered sugar to a clean stand mixer bowl, 
3. Mix with a paddle attachment on MEDIUM and then slowly increase the speed to HIGH until the butter mixture is light and airy. 
4. Reduce the mixer speed to MEDIUM and add the drained crushed pineapple. Mix well. 

To assemble the cake: 

1. If you have time, wrap the room-temperature cakes in plastic and stick them in the fridge for an hour or two to make trimming easier. If you don’t have the time, it’s okay. 
2. Carefully cut off any dome that formed on the top of your cakes with a serrated knife. Try to keep the thickness of the cakes as even as possible. 
3. Spread a thin layer of frosting on top of each trimmed cake and stack. 
4. Spread another thin layer on the sides. Pop the cake in the fridge for about ten minutes to allow the crumb layer to set and protect the cake from tearing when applying the thicker final layer of frosting. 
5. Remove the cake from the fridge and cover the top of the cake with a thick, even layer of frosting. 
6. Garnish with extra flaked coconut, if desired. Slice and serve.

What You Can Serve With This Graham Cracker Layer Cake 

Serve with coffee, tea, or a cold glass of milk. A nice glass of dark rum wouldn’t be out of place, either. 

How To Store a Hawaiian Pineapple Coconut Cake

Hawaiian pineapple cake will last up to five days in the fridge. To prolong its shelf life, lightly cover the cake with plastic wrap or store it in a cake saver.

The butter-based frosting does not freeze well. You can bake the cake layers in advance and keep them in the freezer. Be sure to let them cool completely then wrap them with a layer of plastic wrap then aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw on the counter or in the fridge and prepare the frosting while it is thawing.

Favorite Cake Recipes

• Angel Food Cake with Crushed Pineapple
• Banana Split Cake
• Lemon Cream Cake
• Mandarin Cake
• Peach Dump Cake
• Pig Pickin Cake
• Pineapple Upside Down Cake
• Strawberry Poke Cake
• Zucchini Cake

Popular Desserts

• Buttermilk Pie
• Coconut Pie
• Lemon Cream Cheese Pie

Check out my easy cake recipes and the best family desserts on CopyKat!

Source Neighbor. Independence, MO. 1969.