Pineapple-Coconut Gooey Butter Cake

This is an exceptionally easy cake to make. I've not found anyone yet who doesn't love it. It is my favorite cake, and I do enjoy getting all the fantastic compliments.

Ingredients:

Cake:

• 1 (18 1/4 oz.) box yellow cake mix
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup melted unsalted butter

Filling:

• 1 (8 oz.) softened cream cheese
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• 1 (16 oz.) box confectioners' sugar
• 1/2 cup melted unsalted butter
• 1 cup flaked coconut
• 20 oz. crushed pineapple, drained

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 13 x 9 x 2 inch baking pan.

For the cake: In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine cake mix, egg, and butter and mix well. Pat into bottom of prepared pan and set aside.

For filling: Still using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Beat in the eggs and vanilla. Dump in confectioners' sugar and beat well. Reduce the speed and slowly pour in butter. Mix well. Fold in coconut and pineapple.

Pour filling onto cake mixture and spread evenly. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes.

Oven temperatures almost always vary a little. You want the center of your cake to be a little gooey, so don't bake it past that point. After it has baked for 40 minutes, check for doneness and if it needs a little more, bake for 5 minutes, and test again. Test at 5 minute intervals until the cake has that little bit of "gooiness" that we love.

Remove from oven and allow to cool in the pan completely. Cut into squares and serve at room temperature. A big spoonful of whipped cream never hurt, but it is a little bit like "gilding the lily".

Source: My lifelong friend Ivone sent this recipe to me about 2 years ago. I made it once, and it became my favorite cake in the whole world. It was also her favorite and when I make it now, her spirit is close by and the memories come flooding back of all our good times growing up and making mud pies together. I miss her.

By Julia from Boca Raton, FL