EASY Pineapple Cake Recipe

I just made an Easy Pineapple Cake that somehow turned out impossibly moist and perfectly old-fashioned, and I’m not sharing the secret—keep scrolling.

I’m obsessed with this Easy Pineapple Cake because it tastes like summer dumped into a pan. I love that it’s basically a Pineapple Snack you can grab any time, messy fork and sticky fingers encouraged.

The crumb is tender from melted unsalted butter, and it sings with bright, juicy canned crushed pineapple, undrained. But it’s the simple, honest flavor that gets me every single time.

No fuss, just sweet tang and soft cake. I keep thinking about it all day.

Seriously, I dream about the sticky edges and that sweet pineapple hit. I would eat this every day, no question.

Ingredients

• All purpose flour, the cake’s structure, gives a tender, not too dense crumb.
• Granulated sugar, sweetens and helps browning, makes it feel like dessert.
• Baking powder, gives lift so the cake isn’t flat and sad.
• Baking soda, reacts with pineapple for extra rise and slight browning.
• Salt, balances sweetness and makes the flavors pop, tiny but mighty.
• Unsalted butter, adds rich mouthfeel and a cozy, buttery note.
• Eggs, bind everything together and add a little protein and fluff.
• Milk, keeps the batter moist and makes it easy to pour.
• Vanilla extract, warms the flavor, basically gives it a homey vibe.
• Crushed pineapple, juicy and tangy, adds real fruit and tender texture.
• Powdered sugar, optional dusting that’s simple, sweet, and pretty.
• Shredded coconut, optional sprinkle for chew and tropical texture contrast.

Ingredient Quantities

• 2 cups (250 g) all purpose flour
• 1 1/4 cups (250 g) granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (115 g) unsalted butter, melted
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup milk (whole or 2% works)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 can (20 ounces) crushed pineapple, undrained (you can drain some juice if you want it less soggy)
• Optional topping: 1/2 cup powdered sugar for dusting or 1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut for sprinkling

How to Make this

1. Preheat oven to 350 F (175 C) and grease a 9×13 inch baking pan or line it with parchment, you dont want the cake to stick.

2. In a large bowl whisk together 2 cups (250 g) all purpose flour, 1 1/4 cups (250 g) granulated sugar, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon salt until evenly mixed.

3. In a separate bowl combine 1/2 cup (115 g) melted unsalted butter (cool a little so it wont cook the eggs), 2 large room temperature eggs, 1/2 cup milk and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; beat until smooth.

4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir gently until just combined, dont overmix or the cake gets tough.

5. Fold in 1 can (20 ounces) crushed pineapple, undrained. If you want it less soggy drain off some juice before folding, but keep most for moisture.

6. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and spread it evenly with a spatula, try not to press too hard.

7. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes, check at 30 minutes with a toothpick inserted in center it should come out with a few moist crumbs not wet batter. Ovens vary so your time may be different.

8. Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 to 15 minutes, then remove to the rack to cool completely if you plan to dust or top it.

9. Finish: dust with 1/2 cup powdered sugar or sprinkle 1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut while the cake is still slightly warm so the coconut sticks. Slice and serve, this keeps well covered for 2 to 3 days.

Equipment Needed

1. 9×13 inch baking pan (greased or lined with parchment)
2. Oven (preheated to 350 F / 175 C)
3. Large mixing bowl and a medium mixing bowl
4. Whisk (for dry ingredients) and a fork or hand whisk for wet, or a hand mixer if you prefer
5. Measuring cups and spoons (cups for flour/sugar and teaspoons for baking powder etc)
6. Rubber spatula for folding and scraping the pan
7. Can opener for the crushed pineapple
8. Wire cooling rack and a toothpick for doneness testing

FAQ

EASY Pineapple Cake Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• Flour: use 2 cups cake flour for a lighter crumb (sift it first) or swap half the all purpose with 1 cup whole wheat for a nuttier, denser cake — reduce baking time a couple minutes if it browns fast.
• Sugar: swap 1:1 with packed light brown sugar for extra moisture and a caramel note, or use 3/4 cup honey plus reduce milk by 2 tbsp to keep batter consistency similar.
• Butter: replace melted butter with equal amount neutral oil like canola or vegetable oil for a moister cake, or use 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce to cut fat and add tenderness.
• Milk / Eggs: use 1/2 cup buttermilk instead of the milk for tang and lift, or for egg substitute use 2 flax eggs (2 tbsp ground flax mixed with 6 tbsp water, let sit 5 minutes) to make it egg free.

Pro Tips

1) Drain some of the pineapple juice if you want less soggy cake, but not all. Keep a couple tablespoons in so the crumb stays moist, otherwise it can get dense and dry.

2) Make sure the melted butter is cool and the eggs are at room temp. If the butter is too hot itll cook the eggs and make lumps, and cold eggs make the batter seize up.

3) Mix only until just combined, folding gently. Overmixing develops gluten and makes the cake chewy, so stop when you still see a few streaks of flour.

4) Watch the bake time, every oven is different. Start checking at 30 minutes with a toothpick, and if the top browns too fast tent loosely with foil for the last 10 minutes so the inside can finish without burning.