My mom baked all the time – we never had store bought bread, cookies, brownies, or cakes. You name it, she made it from scratch. She and I share a love of pineapple and we made pineapple cake quite often.
I continue to make this cake and I love sprinkling toasted coconut on top – it is like tropical paradise! One of my weaknesses is Pineapple Upside Down Cake. This cake is very similar, but it is brilliant in its own way. Yes, because it is that delicious.
When a cake is different from traditional chocolate or vanilla cake, I get excited! Friends of ours who don’t eat many sweets, and neither one cares for cake, fell absolutely in love with this cake. The pineapple sold them from the moment I offered them a piece. I think cakes with fruit are the best; there is something surprising and glorious about adding fruit
This is a perfect cake for any occasion, celebration, or ordinary day… it is a versatile cake with flavors that are fresh and bright.
INGREDIENTS
CAKE
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 pinch of salt
1 can crushed pineapple (20 oz.) in its own juice (NOT syrup) – undrained
1 cup chopped nuts – optional
CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
1 pkg. cream cheese, softened, 8 oz.
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
shredded coconut, optional topping (toasted is really delicious!)
DIRECTIONS
FOR THE CAKE
Preheat oven to 350° F.
Grease or butter a 9×13 baking pan. Set aside.
Put all the cake ingredients into a large mixing bowl. Mix together to combine well.
Bake for 35 – 40 minutes (until the top is golden brown).
Remove from the oven and set on a cooling rack. (You will frost this when still warm)
FOR THE FROSTING
Beat butter, cream cheese and vanilla together until creamy.
Gradually mix in powdered sugar.
Blend until frosting is mixed well.
FINISHING THE CAKE
Frost cake with cream cheese frosting while still warm.
Sprinkle with shredded coconut if desired.
NOTES
PINEAPPLE: Make sure to use pineapple in the juice and not heavy syrup. The heavy syrup will cause the cake to burn.
COCONUT: For extra flavor, toast the coconut. I love sprinkling toasted coconut on top – it is like tropical paradise!
NUTS: Chopped pecans or chopped walnuts are the two I use. But feel free to throw in your favorite nut or leave the nuts out altogether. It will be great!
ADD-INS: Mash a very ripe banana and add to the batter. You may want to cut back the sugar.
CREAM CHEESE: Make sure the cream cheese is at full room temperature. If it is not, the front p