Pineapple Heaven Cake
Pineapple Heaven Cake is a light, moist dessert featuring sweet pineapple chunks and juice folded into a tender vanilla batter, topped with a fluffy cream cheese frosting and toasted coconut for the ultimate tropical indulgence.
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1½ cups granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 can 20 oz crushed pineapple in juice, undrained
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans optional
For the Frosting
- 8 oz cream cheese softened
- ½ cup 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup toasted coconut flakes for garnish
- Fresh pineapple chunks for garnish optional
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9×13 inch baking pan. Line with parchment paper for easier removal if desired.
- Whisk together the dry ingredients in a large bowl—flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until well combined.
- In a separate bowl, combine the wet ingredients by whisking together the undrained crushed pineapple, eggs, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract until smooth.
- Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir just until combined. Don’t overmix—a few small lumps are perfectly fine and will create a more tender cake.
- Fold in the chopped nuts if using, distributing them evenly throughout the batter.
- Transfer the batter to your prepared pan and spread evenly with a spatula. The batter will be relatively thick.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- Allow the cake to cool completely in the pan on a wire rack before frosting, about 1-2 hours.
- Prepare the frosting by beating the cream cheese and butter together until smooth and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes on medium speed.
- Add the powdered sugar gradually while mixing on low speed, then increase to medium and beat until smooth.
- Mix in the vanilla extract until fully incorporated into the frosting.
- Spread the frosting evenly over the cooled cake and sprinkle with toasted coconut.
- Garnish with fresh pineapple chunks if desired, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow the frosting to set.
Notes
- For the best flavor, toast the coconut flakes in a dry skillet over medium heat until golden brown, stirring constantly.
- This cake actually tastes even better the next day after the flavors have had time to meld.
- For a lighter version, you can substitute unsweetened applesauce for half of the oil.
- The cake can be made up to 2 days ahead and stored covered in the refrigerator.
- If you prefer a more pronounced pineapple flavor, add 1 teaspoon of pineapple extract to the batter.