A Million Dollar Cake is a must-have, easy-to-make dessert for potlucks and parties. It’s a light and refreshing layered cake recipe with a tropical twist.
Million Dollar Cake
Our Million Dollar Cake recipe is easy to make using a box of yellow cake mix combined with a packet of pudding and then mixed with pineapple juice, butter, eggs, coconut flakes, and walnuts to create the batter.
What could be better than three baked cakes filled with the perfect amount of crunch and fruity flavor, all stacked and frosted with a homemade cream cheese filling and sprinkled with toasted coconut?
A cross between an ambrosia cake and Granny’s million-dollar cake recipe, this 3-tiered tropical treat is truly a no-fuss family favorite dessert that looks and tastes like a million dollars (some think the pineapple chunks resemble gold nuggets) but costs a whole lot less!
Why We Love Million Dollar Cake Recipes
- Quick and easy to make with shortcuts.
- Uses a handful of simple ingredients.
- Fruity, cool, moist, and creamy with the perfect nut and coconut crunch.
- Pineapple and coconut flakes give this classic cake a refreshing, tropical taste.
- Perfect make-ahead dessert for potlucks, parties, and warm-weather celebrations.
Million Dollar Cake Ingredients
- Yellow cake mix: I used Duncan Hines, but feel free to use your favorite brand. (if you use a different brand, you should compare to Duncan Hines to get the most consistent results)
- Instant vanilla pudding mix: I used the Jello brand, but you can use your favorite brand.
- Crushed pineapple and its juice
- Salted sweet cream butter
- Eggs
- Sweetened coconut flakes
- Chopped walnuts
- Powdered sugar
- Cornstarch
- Cream cheese
Substitutions and Additions
- Replace The Butter In The Batter: You can substitute vegetable oil for the melted butter in the cake batter.
- Prepare With Pecans: You can substitute chopped pecans for chopped walnuts. You can also sprinkle chopped nuts on top of the cake as well.
- Frost From A Can: You can substitute canned cream cheese frosting for homemade if pressed for time.
- Make With Mandarin Oranges: Feel free to add mandarin oranges to the cream cheese mixture and decorate your cake with more mandarins.
Recommended Tools
- Three 9-inch round cake pans
- Baker’s spray (Baker’s Joy or generic version)
- Mixing bowls
- Whisk
- Handheld mixer
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper
- Silicone spatula
How to Make Million Dollar Cake
- Make The Batter: Whisk together the yellow cake mix and instant pudding mix. Add the pineapple juice, melted butter, and eggs and mix until well incorporated. Fold in the coconut flakes and walnuts.
- Bake Three Cakes: Divide the batter between the 3 cake pans and bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 22-25 minutes. Cool completely before frosting.
- Cook The Coconut: Bake the coconut flakes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 6 minutes, stir, and continue baking for another 4 minutes. Cool completely.
Pro Tip: Keep a very close eye on the coconut. The coconut will not take long to go from golden to burned. - Form The Frosting: Whisk together the powdered sugar and cornstarch. In a separate bowl, beat the butter and cream cheese. Add the powdered sugar and cornstarch, ½ cup at a time, beating in between. Mix in the drained crushed pineapple. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
- Assemble: Remove the first cake from the pan and spread a layer of frosting over the top. Place the second cake on top of the first cake and add another layer of frosting. Place the third cake on top of the second layer and cover with a thicker layer of frosting.
- Spread And Sprinkle: Spread the rest of the frosting around the sides of the cakes and sprinkle the toasted coconut over the top and around the sides.
- Slice And Serve: Keep the cake chilled in the refrigerator until you’re ready to slice and serve. Enjoy!
Tips For Making The Best Million Dollar Cake
- 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 accuracy. Check your cake at the lower end of the recommended baking time.
- Ensure your cream cheese is at room temperature so you don’t end up with lumps in your frosting.
- If you use a different brand cake mix, you should compare to Duncan Hines to get the most consistent results.
How to Store Million Dollar Cake
- To Store: Store any leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- To Freeze: You can freeze the unfrosted cake layers for up to 3 months.
More Delicious Cake Recipes
Other Easy Dessert Recipes
- Milky Way Fudge
- Birthday Cake Pops
- Banana Split Ice Cream Sandwich Cake
- Homemade Snickers Bars
- Rainbow Sheet Cake
- Raspberry Coffee Cake
- Chocolate Mint Poke Cake
- Boston Cream Pie Trifle
Million Dollar Cake
Serves — 12
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Rest and Chill Time 5 hours
Total Time 5 hours 55 minutes
Ingredients
Cake Batter
- 15.25 ounce box of yellow cake mix (your favorite brand, I used Duncan Hines)
- 3.4 ounce box of instant vanilla pudding mix (your favorite brand, I used the Jello brand)
- 20 ounce can of 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 1½-2 minutes.
- Fold in the coconut flakes and chopped walnuts.
- Divide the batter between the prepared cake pans. Bake for 22-25 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 1-1½ 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.
Jenn’s Notes
Storage:
-
- To Store: Store any leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
-
- To Freeze: You can freeze the unfrosted cake layers for up to 3 months.
- 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 accuracy. Check your cake at the lower end of the recommended baking time.
- If you use a different brand, you should compare to Duncan Hines to get the most consistent results.
- Ensure your cream cheese is at room temperature so you don’t end up with lumps in your frosting.
Nutrition Info
Calories: 724kcal | Carbohydrates: 91g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 38g | Saturated Fat: 22g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 105mg | Sodium: 772mg | Potassium: 298mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 68g | Vitamin A: 809IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 209mg | Iron: 2mg
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