This Pineapple Cake Recipe with Cream Cheese Frosting is a pineapple lover’s dream come true, with flavors of pineapple, coconut, and pecan. This moist, delectable single-layer cake has an easy cream cheese frosting flavored with pineapple juice and topped with toasted coconut and pecans. It screams summer in every bite and is perfect for graduations, pool parties, patio shindigs, and baby showers.
Delicious and Easy Pineapple Cake
Satisfy your sweet tooth with this simple and mouth-watering pineapple cake recipe. Made with crushed pineapple, this cake is sure to be a crowd-pleaser at any gathering or as a tasty treat for yourself. Get step-by-step instructions and ingredients list here. You really should have a plan in place for sharing this because it is almost impossible to eat one piece. Not a huge coconut fan? Just omit it, and the cake is still outstanding. Are you not a fan of nuts in your cake? No worries. Just omit them or swap them out for walnuts. As I always say, don’t throw the baby out with the bath water.
Pineapple Cake Ingredients
- All-purpose flour – or cake flour
- Granulated sugar
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Eggs
- Vegetable oil – or canola oil
- Crushed pineapple – canned works best
- Vanilla extract – the pure stuff
- Pecans – or walnuts
- Coconut flakes – sweetened
- Cream cheese – full fat is best
- Butter – unsalted
- Powdered sugar – also known as confectioner’s sugar
How to Make Pineapple Cake
This is a very easy cake to prepare. Grab a big bowl and whisk the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt together. Add the beaten eggs, vegetable oil, crushed pineapple (reserving 3 tablespoons of the juice), vanilla extract, and 3/4 cup pecans. Mix just until combined, and then pour the mixture into a well-greased 9×13 baking pan. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow the cake to fully cool for several hours.
Spread sweetened coconut in a thin layer onto a baking sheet. Place in the preheated oven for about 8 minutes or until lightly browned. Gently flip the coconut several times to help it brown more evenly. Completely cool the coconut.
Combine the cream cheese, butter, and reserved pineapple juice in a medium bowl. Using a mixer, beat until smooth and creamy. Add the powdered sugar 1 cup at a time, scraping down the sides as you mix it. Spread over the completely cooled cake. Spread the top with the completely cooled coconut and the remaining chopped pecans.
Recipe Tips
- Take enough time to measure your ingredients properly. Spoon your flour into the measuring cup and level it off with a table knife.
- The cake batter is best mixed by hand so as not to over-mix it.
- Prepare ahead of time and soften the cream cheese and butter. Softened cream cheese and butter always mix better together.
- Make sure the cake is completely cooled before frosting.
Frequently Asked Questions
I highly recommend canned crushed pineapple for this recipe. Fresh pineapple contains enzymes that may weaken the gluten structure, leading to a cake with a low rise.
Store this cake covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
This cake can be prepared ahead of time as it freezes quite well. You can freeze just the cake part or the whole cake with the frosting and the toasted coconut. The cake should be completely cooled before wrapping and placing it in the freezer. Wrap the dish several times with heavy plastic wrap and then cover it with one layer of aluminum foil.
Pineapple Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
Pineapple Cake
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs beaten
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 3 8-ounce cans crushed pineapple with juice (reserve 3 tablespoons juice)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup chopped pecans
Pineapple Cream Cheese Frosting
- 1 cup sweetened coconut flakes
- 1 8 ounce box cream cheese softened
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
- 3 1/2 -4 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt. Add the beaten eggs, vegetable oil, crushed pineapple (reserving 3 tablespoons of the juice), vanilla extract, and 3/4 cup chopped pecans. Mix just until combined and pour into the prepared baking pan.
- Bake for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow cake to fully cool for several hours before icing.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread sweetened coconut in a thin layer on a baking sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned; flipping halfway. Let the coconut cool.
- Using a stand mixer or hand mixer, beat the cream cheese, butter, and reserved pineapple juice until smooth and creamy. Add the powdered sugar 1 cup at a time, scraping down the sides. Spread over the completely cooled cake. Sprinkle the top with toasted coconut and remaining pecans.
Notes
- Take enough time to measure your ingredients properly. Spoon your flour into the measuring cup and level it off with a table knife.
- The cake batter is best mixed by hand so as not to over-mix it.
- Prepare ahead of time and soften the cream cheese and butter. Softened cream cheese and butter always mix better together.
- Make sure the cake is completely cooled before frosting.
Nutrition
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Kim Bondi
Excellent. Great tropical cake. Very moist. Everyone loved it.
Beth Pierce
Thanks Kim! So glad that everyone liked it!!
Wanda
This looks absolutely stunning. The toasted coconut on top has me drooling!
veenaazmanov
Super delicious and tasty and combinations yum. Nothing like for this perfect Valentine Day,
Bintu
This sounds like the perfect cake for summer – we love pineapple in our house so might make this with the kids this weekend!
Angela
Oh my goodness! This cake is amazing! All of my favorite flavors, and it stayed super moist. YUM!
April K.
I love anything with pineapple in it. The cake was so most and flavorful.
Beth Pierce
Thanks April! So glad that you liked it!!
Dannii
I love pineapple cake, and this looks so light and fluffy. I can’t wait to try it.
Jane
Hi Beth, cake recipe sounds so good! Can I bake it as a round cake instead of a sheetcake?
Beth Pierce
Yes I believe that you can. I got the pan out this morning and was doing some remeasurements and looking at the pictures of the cake.
Jeannette
I haven’t made this cake yet, but definitely want to make it. Just wondering with the cans of pineapple do you drain each can except the reserved amount you keep, or do you use all the liquid from the three cans of crushed pineapple for making the cake batter?
Thank you
PS Cann’t wait to make this cake once I hear back from you
Sincerely,
Jeannette
Beth Pierce
Hey Jeanette,
Do not drain however reserve 3 tablespoons for the frosting! Happy baking.
Jeanne Leenders
Hi Beth, can I bake this cake in 2 8 inch round cake pans?
Beth Pierce
Yes you can can. Do you have 9 inch round pans?
Carol
My niece made and brought this to a party. It was fabulous! When I make it, will I be able to flip cake onto a cake board and then icing it?? Or , will it be too moist to come out whole? Thank you.
Beth Pierce
I think it will turn out fine even though I have not tried it. It is a moist cake but it should hold together.
Chris
Fabulous! Truly amazing! I was not sure about the coconut but the toasted coconut adds a lot. I have to admit I did use a yellow cake mix but added everything to the mix, including some vanilla. It is such a great combo. I made for hubby’s birthday and may freeze some of it because we are trying to be good, and I could eat the whole thing it is that good. Thank you for the recipe. Glad I saw it on Pinterest!
Beth Pierce
You are most welcome! I am so glad that you liked it. I always have to freeze some or I will eat the whole thing. Of course I might just eat it frozen too! So yummy!
Jen
I’ve been on a cake baking rampage and I can’t wait to try this pineapple cake. I’ll come back and let you know how it goes. YUM.
Jessie
My daughter and I LOVE pineapple and you had me at the cream cheese frosting! We are going to try this soon!
Tayler Ross
I love anything with pineapple, so I can’t wait to try this delicious recipe!
Yeriel Bertoni
I don’t really like pineapple that much, but this looks awesome. I’ll try it!
Mikayla
The pineapple/coconut/pecan flavor combo is just perfect here, so simple to make and delicious!