1-Preheat your oven to 325°F (160°C) to get everything ready for baking. This step ensures even cooking and helps the cake rise properly without any fuss.

2-Sift together 1 cup cake flour and ¾ cup of the 1 ½ cups caster sugar in a bowl. This mixture will give your cake that airy texture we all love.

3-Beat 12 egg whites until they are foamy on low speed, then add 1 teaspoon cream of tartar and ½ teaspoon salt, gradually increasing the speed for better volume.

4-Once the egg whites turn white, add the remaining ¾ cup caster sugar one tablespoon at a time while beating, then mix in 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract until hard peaks form.

5-Gently transfer the whipped egg whites to a large bowl and fold in the flour-sugar mixture carefully to avoid deflating it, keeping that lightness intact.

6-Pour the batter into an ungreased angel food cake pan, smooth the top, and remove any air bubbles by tapping the pan lightly for an even bake.

7-Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a wooden stick inserted comes out clean, then cool the cake upside down in the pan for 90-120 minutes to maintain its structure.

8-For the pineapple whipped cream filling, whisk ½ cup heavy whipping cream with 2-4 tablespoons sugar until hard peaks form, then drain the 8 oz can of crushed pineapple and fold it in.

9-For the coconut pineapple cream cheese frosting, beat 8 oz cream cheese and ¼ cup unsalted butter until smooth, add 2 cups powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon pineapple juice, and 2 teaspoons coconut extract, then beat until creamy.

10-Toast 2 cups sweetened coconut flakes by spreading them on a cookie sheet and baking at 350°F (177°C) for 5-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden.

11-To assemble, slice the cooled cake horizontally, remove the top layer, cut a tunnel in the bottom layer, optionally soak it with reserved pineapple juice, fill with whipped cream, replace the top, frost with cream cheese mixture, and cover with toasted coconut. Garnish with maraschino cherries if desired.