Ingredients

1 ¼ cup+ 2 Tablespoons salted butter, softened

3 cups Imperial granulated sugar, divided

5 large eggs

1 ½ Tablespoon vanilla extract (1 Tablespoon for cake; ½ Tablespoon for pineapple filling)

3 ¾ cup all-purpose flour

1 ¾ teaspoon baking powder

2 Tablespoons vanilla instant pudding mix

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon baking soda

1 ½ cup full fat buttermilk, room temp

1 cup shredded and sweetened coconut flakes

1 (20 ounce) can crushed pineapple

2 Tablespoons cornstarch

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Generously grease 2 cake pans, 8” deep pans, or 9” pans.  Line bottom and sides with parchment; grease sides and bottom parchment paper.

In medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda and vanilla instant pudding mix.  Whisk together good.  In large mixing bowl, cream  1 ¼ cup butter and 2 ½ cups of sugar until light and fluffy.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each.  Add vanilla & beat well.  Alternate with  flour mixture & buttermilk, beating well after each addition.   Fold in coconut.  Divide evenly into prepared cake pans.  Bake for about 35 minutes, or until center of cake is done.  NOTE:  If using deep cake pans, reduce oven to 325 degrees; it will take about 45 minutes to bake at lower temperature.  Remove cakes from oven and cool for about 8 minutes.  Remove from pans and cool completely on wire rack. 

NOTE:  While cake is baking, prepare simple syrup but combining 1 cup Imperial granulated sugar and 1 cup water.  Slowly bring to a boil and cook no longer than 2 minutes.  Remove and cool.  After cake is slightly cooled and out of pans, poke tiny holes in cake with cake tester and brush simple syrup over tops of cake layers.

Pineapple filling:

In small saucepan, add crushed pineapple.  Bring to a boil.  In small bowl, add ½  cup granulated sugar & cornstarch.  Whisk together.  Gradually stir in sugar/cornstarch mixture and stir until it starts to thicken.  Remove from heat and stir in 2 Tablespoons butter and ½ Tablespoon vanilla extract.  Stir well.  Let cool and then add top of layers. 

Frost with desired frosting.