Pineapple Cake

This simple pineapple cake is truly a must-make for all your spring and summer gatherings. It’s ultra-moist, perfectly sweet, and packed with all the goodness and brightness of pineapples!

You’ll love this one!

With the upcoming summer months just around the corner, I’m sharing a new cake recipe that is flavorful and totally delicious. It makes the most of seasonal, fresh pineapples, but works perfectly fine with canned pineapple as well.

It’s the perfect summer cake—simple and bursting with pineapple flavour at every bite. It’s great for gatherings, BBQs, and picnics. I’ve baked it three times in a row, and we also enjoyed it at breakfast. We just loved it.

It’s a recipe for a pineapple cake using simple ingredients: sugar, eggs, vegetable oil, the classic dry ingredients, and, of course, pineapple. This time, I tested the recipe using sour cream instead of yoghurt. I was after a super tender and dense crumb, and I LOVED how it turned out. But yoghurt makes a great substitution, too.

Once you combine the batter, add the diced and sliced pineapple and bake. The pineapple’s juicy, fresh, and beautiful sweetness makes this cake special.

And if you have extra pineapple on hand, be sure to also try my refreshing 3-ingredient pineapple sorbet or pineapple banana smoothie.

Now, let’s make pineapple cake and celebrate the upcoming summer!

List of the ingredients

• Pineapple
• Eggs
• Sugar
• Vegetable oil
• Sour cream or yoghurt
• All-purpose flour
• Vanilla extract
• Lime or lemon
• Baking powder + salt

How to make pineapple cake

(Note: this is a quick description; the full recipe is at the bottom of the page.)

• The recipe uses half a pineapple. Peel, core, and cut it into halves.
• Dice one half (for the cake batter) and slice the other half (for the topping).
• Next, whisk eggs and sugar in one bowl until pale and fluffy.

• Add vegetable oil, sour cream, vanilla extract, and whisk again.
• Stir in the dry ingredients until well combined. AVOID OVERMIXING, as this can result in a rubbery texture and large holes in the cake.

• Pour half of the cake batter into the prepared baking pan.
• Scatter diced pineapple evenly. No worries, the pineapple does not sink to the bottom, as the batter is quite thick.
• Using a spatula, scrape and level the remaining batter.
• Arrange the pineapple slices neatly on top. Now you’ll have pineapple bites everywhere and evenly distributed!

• Bake for 40-45 minutes, and no need to flip the cake upside down! : )
• Serve dusted with powdered sugar or brush with apricot jam as I do in this Apple Yoghurt Cake. It’s simple and delicious just as it is. Enjoy!

Recipe notes

Pineapple cake ingredients

Pineapple: For the best results, I recommend using half a fresh pineapple (approximately 400-450 grams, weighed after peeling). You can also use canned pineapple in juice, not in heavy syrup. Use a 432-gram can if you’re in the UK, or a 20-oz can of pineapple slices if you’re in the USA, although you might end up with more pineapple slices than you need. Eat the leftovers! : )

Sour cream: It provides exceptional moisture and tender crumbs. You can use Greek yoghurt or regular full-fat yoghurt if you don’t have sour cream. The fat percentage is lower, resulting in a lighter and less dense texture. The recipe works with low-fat yoghurt, too, but the flavour and texture are not quite the same. I’ve never tested this pineapple cake with buttermilk.

Sugar + eggs: You can use caster or fine sugar, but regular or light brown sugar also works well.

Vegetable oil: It’s easy to use and excellent for keeping the crumbs moist—any neutral-flavoured oil, such as canola or vegetable oil, works. I don’t recommend using butter in this case.

Flour + baking powder: The combination of all-purpose flour and baking powder yields excellent results, resulting in a thick batter that holds the pineapple chunks. Cake flour works too.

Extract: Vanilla extract is a must in my cake recipes; it adds flavour.

Lime: It brings tropical flavors to every bite, but you can also use lemon juice and zest instead, or 2-3 tablespoons of pineapple juice (if using canned pineapple).

Baking tips

1. Measure the ingredients properly! A kitchen scale is the best. If you use cups, use a spoon to transfer the flour into the measuring cup instead, and use the back of a knife to level off the top. But don’t scoop the flour out of the bag with your cup; you’ll end up with too much flour.
2. Use the ingredients at room temperature.
3. Do not overmix the batter, as this can create a rubbery texture and holes.
4. Preheat the oven, and do not open the oven door for the first 25 minutes.
5. Test the doneness a few minutes before it’s due to be done
6. Do not overbake; a few extra minutes in the oven make your cake dry.

Storage tips

This pineapple cake stays moist and fresh for up to 4 days at room temperature when stored in an airtight container, or it can be frozen for up to 1 month. To serve it, thaw it in the refrigerator overnight and let it come to room temperature.

MORE FRUITY DESSERTS YOU’LL LOVE!

• Apple fritters
• Orange cake
• Strawberry bread
• Fruit cake
• Coconut bread
• Strawberry ricotta cake
• Apple ice cream
• Blueberry ricotta cake

Get all of my sweet recipes here!

Let me know if you make this delicious Pineapple cake! Leave a comment, rate it, or tag a photo #theclevermeal on Instagram. I would love to hear from you!

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