Cajun Cake

For the cake:

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 20-ounce can crushed pineapple, with juice
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
For the icing:
1 12-ounce can evaporated milk
1 cup (2 sticks) butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups sweetened, flaked coconut*
1 1/4 cups chopped pecans

Make the cake:

Spray a 13x9 baking pan with cooking spray; set aside. Mix together flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.

Cream together eggs, vegetable oil, pineapple (with juice from can), sugar and brown sugar. Mix in flour mixture until all ingredients are well combined.  

Pour batter into baking pan and bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown and toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean. While cake is baking, prepare the icing.

Prepare the icing:

Heat evaporated milk, butter, sugar and salt in a medium-size saucepan over medium heat until boiling; stirring frequently.

Reduce heat to medium-low and boil mixture for 12-15 minutes or until a light caramel color; stirring occasionally.  Remove from heat and stir in vanilla, coconut and pecans.  Let icing cool 5 minutes then spread over warm cake.  Rest cake, uncovered, 2 hours before serving.

To store, cover and set at room temperature – cake does not need to be refrigerated.

*I used a 7-ounce bag of coconut which physically measured 2 cups for me though the manufacturer states on the package the bag contains 2 2/3 cups.