Pina Colada Cake

A couple of weeks ago I randomly decided that I wanted to try to make a pina colada cake.  No real reason other than I had pineapple and coconut milk in the cupboard and I wanted cake.  I tried this cake recipe and made up my own frosting.  The result was very tasty, but not as strongly flavored as I was hoping.  Yesterday I tried again, making minor changes to both the cake and the frosting.  I'm pretty pleased with the result.  I may continue to modify it, but for now I'm happy.

Cake:
2 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 eggs
1 3/4 cups sugar
3/4 cups vegetable oil
1 teaspoon rum flavoring
3/4 cup sour cream
2 cans crushed pineapple, drained

Frosting:
1 can coconut milk
1 stick butter, softened
2 tablespoons rum
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup shredded coconut (or to taste)
toasted coconut for topping (optional)

Butter a 13 x 9 pan (use real butter for that touch of extra richness).  Preheat oven to 350.  Mix dry cake ingredients together and set aside.  In a large bowl (yay, stand mixer!) beat eggs and sugar together for about 2 minutes until light and creamy looking.  Add oil and rum flavoring.  Add sour cream and pineapple, mix thoroughly.  Add dry mix and blend until just combined.  Pour batter into pan and place in oven.  Bake 45-60 minutes (depending on your oven) until top is golden brown and an inserted toothpick comes out clean.  Allow cake to cool on a wire rack before frosting.  This is a convenient time to toast coconut for the top, since you already have a hot oven.

While the cake is baking, pour coconut milk into a small pot and heat over medium-low heat until reduced by about half.  You should end up with 3/4 to 1 cup of thickened coconut milk.  Cool completely.  Mix together thickened coconut milk and butter (yay, stand mixer!) until mostly smooth.  Add in rum and salt.  Mix in enough powdered sugar to reach your desired consistency/sweetness.  I used about 3 cups.  Mix in shredded coconut.  Frost the now cooled cake in an even layer.  Top with toasted coconut.  Eat!