This pineapple pound cake from scratch has a rich, buttery taste with a light pineapple flavor, topped off with a cream cheese glaze.
A pineapple bundt cake is a perfect treat for summer. This cake has a pound cake-like texture to it, but it’s still super moist with the help of sour cream.
Although this cake is a scratch cake, I still consider it easy to make. I’m a huge fan of sour cream pound cakes and this cake is just that, but with the addition of crushed pineapple to add a little flavor.
The cream cheese glaze also has a bit of pineapple flavor to it which really adds wonderful flavor and is the perfect way to finish it off.
A quick note: This recipe is a little different than your traditional pound cake. I find the old types of pound cakes a little dry and really prefer a super moist cake.
This one is an altered version of a pound cake. You still get that same texture, but it’s more moist than a traditional one.
Hey there! Before you scroll, there’s lot’s of important stuff in the post!…including the FAQ section, which may answer any questions you might have about this recipe. Enjoy!
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Ingredient Notes:
Now let’s talk about just some of the ingredients that are in this pineapple sour cream pound cake. (The printable list of all ingredients is in the recipe card below.)
Crushed pineapple: You’ll definitely need pineapple and crushed pineapple is the easiest way to go here. The directions will state to drain it first though so that you don’t unintentionally add too much liquid to the cake batter. Make sure to save the juice for the glaze though.
Unsalted butter: This cake is buttery and gets a lot of flavor from the butter. It’s best to use real butter here and unsalted is my first choice as you have better control over how much salt you add to the cake.
Baking powder and baking soda: This recipe calls for both. Don’t switch them around or omit them. They’re different and it really will make a difference.
Sour cream: I always think of sour cream as the star of the show and it always holds up to that reputation. Sour cream just makes the best texture and gives a nice flavor to cakes. It also really pumps up the moisture.
Vanilla: Vanilla just makes everything better and is simply just the best flavor enhancer.
How to make this cake:
Let’s talk about how to make a pineapple pound cake. (The printable instructions are in the recipe card below.)
Step 1:
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F, then grease and flour a bundt pan very well.
Step 2:
Drain the pineapple using a sifter or strainer. Save 2 tablespoons of the juice for the glaze.
Step 3:
Now in a large mixing bowl, add the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar), mix well with a whisk, and set that bowl aside.
Step 4:
In a smaller separate bowl, add the liquid ingredients (eggs, sour cream, milk, vanilla, oil and pineapple). Make sure that you’ve drained the pineapple although it may still have a little juice in it and that’s fine.
Just mix the liquid ingredients well with a whisk and set aside.
Step 5:
Now, you’ll slowly add the butter chunks to the dry flour mixture. If you’re using a stand mixer, turn the mixer on and slowly add in the chunks of butter a bit at a time while mixing on medium.
If you’re using a hand-held mixer, just add a few butter chunks at a time and then mix on medium between additions.
Once all the butter has been added to the dry mixture, then mix on medium-high until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs or a sand-like texture.
(If it gets mixed too long here or if the butter is too warm, it will form a paste and will cause issues with the final cake.)
Step 6:
Next, add half of the liquid mixture to the dry mixture and mix until well combined on medium speed. Add the second half of the liquid mixture and mix until well combined on medium speed.
Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix again for only about 10 more seconds. Be careful not to mix too long at this point as that will cause the cake to be dense.
Step 7:
Now pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake at 325 degrees F for approximately 55-60 minutes.
The cake is done when a toothpick inserted into the top comes out either clean or with a few moist crumbs on it, but no raw batter.
Step 8:
Set the baked cake onto a cooling rack and cool for about 20 minutes in the pan.
Step 9:
Next, turn the cake out of the pan and let cool completely on the rack before adding the glaze.
Step 10:
While the cake is cooling, you can make the glaze. Add the butter and cream cheese to a mixing bowl and mix on medium-high speed until well mixed and creamy.
Add in the remaining ingredients and mix on medium-high speed until well mixed.
Check the consistency. Since this is a glaze, it should be thinner than buttercream, but not so thin that it entirely runs off the top of the cake.
If it’s too thin, add another cup of confectioner’s sugar to thicken it up. If it’s too thick, add in a teaspoon of pineapple juice, mix and check again.
Step 11:
Last, spoon the glaze over the cooled cake.
Tips & FAQs:
Ensure you don’t pack it down into the measuring cup when you measure the flour. You want to spoon the flour into the measuring cup and level it off. Scooping it will pack it down and add too much flour to the batter, making the cake dry and dense.
No, please don’t do that. Baking soda and baking powder are different and cannot be substituted for each other equally. If you’d like more information on the differences, check out this blog post: Baking Powder vs Baking Soda
Sour cream is really the best here. It helps make a very moist cake and gives a little flavor. If you don’t have access to it, you can use plain yogurt, but make sure to use the full-fat yogurt and not the low-fat or fat-free type.
Unsalted is what I normally use and I feel it’s best because you can gauge the proper amount of salt that will be added to the cake batter and salted butter has a different water content than unsalted.
If you’re unable to get unsalted butter where you are, you can use salted butter in the cake and the glaze, but make sure to omit the additional salt that each recipe calls for.
Butter really gives the best flavor here. I haven’t tried this recipe using margarine and cannot predict whether that would work out or not. You are free to do some experimenting if you’d like though.
It’s okay, you just want to drain off the juice that you can. There will still be a little remaining pineapple juice in with the crushed pineapple and that’s okay.
No, it has a light pineapple flavor that is not overpowering at all. If you prefer it to have a bold pineapple flavor, then you might want to add a bit of pineapple flavoring to the cake.
What you don’t want to do is add in more pineapple or juice as that will throw off the baking ratios and the cake may end up not rising or the texture may come out dense and rubbery.
The mixing method for this cake is called the reverse creaming method because instead of creaming the butter with the sugar, the butter is added in chunks to the dry mixture which will coat it. This mixing method helps produce a softer cake and it helps reduce the chance of over-mixing which can make a tough cake.
Personally, I find this method easier. Just make sure that the butter has sat out long enough to reach almost room temperature, but not warm, and that you still try not to mix the cake batter too long.
This cake is done baking when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs on it or clean, but no raw batter.
This cake can be made ahead of time and frozen if desired. Let the baked cake cool completely, then wrap in plastic wrap and foil and place in the freezer for up to a month.
To thaw, place the wrapped cake on the counter at room temperature and let thaw completely, then remove the wrapping. Once defrosted, add the glaze.
This cake should be stored, wrapped well or in an airtight container, in the refrigerator for about 5 days.
I have not tested this recipe out as cupcakes or a layer cake. If you do try and make it into cupcakes, fill 2 cupcake pans (24 cupcakes) with cupcake liners and fill with batter about ⅔ of the way full. Bake at 350 degrees F and start checking for doneness at around 20-25 minutes.
For a layer cake, fill two, 8-inch round cake pans with cake batter and bake at 325 degrees F. Start checking for doneness at around 35-40 minutes although it will probably need to bake a little longer.
This cake can be served chilled, at room temperature, or warmed. Since this cake is a butter cake, when it’s chilled it will be a bit firm, so it’s best to let it sit out for about 15-20 minutes before serving. You could also warm up slices in the microwave for about 10-15 seconds.
Feel free to add pineapple flavoring to pump up the pineapple taste or you can add in a cup of shredded coconut, white chocolate chips and/or chopped nuts if desired.
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Recipe
Pineapple Pound Cake from Scratch
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 1 cup unsalted butter, cut into chunks, slightly cooler than room temperature (2 sticks)
- 2 ⅔ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup sour cream
- ⅓ cup milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste (or vanilla extract)
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 ½ cups crushed pineapple, drained (reserve 2 tablespoons of pineapple plus the liquid for the glaze)
- ½ – 1 teaspoon pineapple flavoring (optional for more pineapple flavor)
- 1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
For the glaze:
- ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature (1 stick)
- 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
- 2 tablespoons crushed pineapple
- 3 cups confectioners sugar
- 2 tablespoons pineapple juice
Instructions
For the cake:
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
- Grease and flour a bundt pan very well. Drain the pineapple using a sifter or strainer. Save 2 tablespoons of the juice for the glaze.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar). Mix well with a whisk and set aside.
- In a separate bowl, add the liquid ingredients (eggs, sour cream, milk, vanilla, oil and pineapple). Make sure the pineapple is drained. It still may have a little juice in it and that's fine. Mix the liquid ingredients well with a whisk and set aside.
- Slowly add the butter chunks to the dry flour mixture. If using a stand mixer, turn the mixer on and slowly add in the chunks of butter a bit at a time while mixing on medium. If using a hand-held mixer, add a few butter chunks at a time and mix on medium between additions. Once all the butter has been added to the dry mixture, mix on medium-high until the mixture resembles course crumbs or a sand-like texture. (If mixed a long time or if the butter is too warm, it will form a paste and will cause issues with the final cake.)
- Add half the liquid mixture to the dry mixture and mix until well combined on medium speed.
- Add in the second half of the liquid mixture and mix until well combined on medium speed. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix again for only about 10 more seconds. Be careful not to mix too long at this point as that will cause the cake to be dense.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake at 325 degrees F for approximately 55-60 minutes.
- The cake is done when a toothpick inserted into the top comes out either clean or with a few moist crumbs on it, but no raw batter.
- Set the baked cake onto a cooling rack and cool for about 20 minutes in the pan, then turn the cake out of the pan and let cool completely on the rack before adding the glaze.
For the glaze:
- Add the butter and cream cheese to a mixing bowl and mix on medium-high speed until well mixed and creamy.
- Add in the remaining ingredients and mix on medium-high speed until well mixed.
- Check the consistency. Since this is a glaze, it should be thinner than buttercream, but not so thin that it completely runs off the top of the cake.
- If it’s too thin, add another cup of confectioner’s sugar to thicken it up. If it’s too thick, add in a teaspoon of pineapple juice, mix and check again.
- Spoon the glaze over the cooled cake.
Notes
Nutrition
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Evelyn Anderson
This cake is unbelievably delicious 😋 I made this cake 4 days ago and again today to take to an outing.
Kara
Yay!!! So glad you loved it!
Ingrid
Excellent cake! This is my first cake I have made from this site and it was delicious! I did not have pineapple extract – so it does have a light pineapple taste. But so moist! I topped with an icing made with pineapple juice and powdered sugar and a dash of salt. And then covered in shredded unsweetened coconut. Wonderful recipe!
Kara
Ingrid, I’m so glad that you liked it! Thanks so much for your wonderful review!