This super moist and buttery pineapple cake is sure to make your family and friends very happy. Once you see how easy it is to create this delicious cake you'll be making it all the time!
How to make a sinfully delicious and rich Pineapple Butter Cake
One of my go-to cakes for the fall is an Italian apple cake so I thought I would adapt the recipe and turn it into a Pineapple Butter Cake. This cake is basically a very light butter cake batter that surrounds the tasty morsels of pineapple sautéed in butter…….sigh. In this case Butter = Love!
I think that’s actually in the foodie dictionary somewhere (well it should be if it’s not!)
My wife loves pineapple, but like anything else, she only eats a little bit of it, and then I’m stuck with what’s ever left…..sigh. That’s why our neighbors greet me drooling when I knock on their doors, they know it’s time for dessert! But with fresh cut pineapple I feel a little strange walking it over, so I decided to make a cake with what I had left.
What do I need to make a Pineapple Butter Cake?
Let’s start by gathering the ingredients we need to make this OMG delicious cake. In chef speak we call this the Mise en Place which translates into everything in its place.
It’s a good idea to start all of your cooking adventures by gathering the ingredients first. Not only does it make the cooking process go more quickly it ensures you have everything you need on hand.
Do I have to use Pineapple to make this butter cake?
No, you don’t. This is a very forgiving cake recipe and can be used with a variety of fruit. These are some of my favorites.
- Apple
- Mango
- Peach
- Blueberries
- Pears
**You don’t have to cook berries or stone fruit for this cake, but any firmer fruits like apples or pears would benefit from sauteing with butter. You can also mix different fruits together if you don’t have enough of any one variety.
The first step in making this cake is to melt the butter for the cake, reserving 6 tablespoons for the cake batter. After melting the butter add the pineapple (fresh, frozen or canned) to the butter and cook over medium heat for 7-10 minutes.
**If you use canned pineapple don’t add the juice from the can, only the pineapple.
While the pineapple and melted butter are cooling you can move onto the next step.
What do I do with any leftover butter/juice in the saute pan?
Don’t add the extra liquid to the cake batter, it will make the batter too thin.
What you can do is spoon any leftover butter/juice over the cake after it comes out of the oven, before it fully cools.
If there is a lot of extra juice, heat it over high heat to reduce the juice to a reasonable amount.
Whip the two eggs and one egg yolk in a large bowl. In a smaller bowl, mix together the flour, salt and baking powder.
Add the 6 tablespoons of reserved melted butter, sugar and vanilla to the bowl and whip together until smooth.
Next, add the pineapple (without any of the butter from the pan) and the flour mixture to the egg mixture and fold together just enough to mix.
Pour the cake batter into a buttered pan. The batter may seem a little loose but trust me as long as you followed my recipe it will turn out great.
Chef Dennis Tip**
Use parchment in the pan before you add the batter. It will be much easier to remove the finished cake from the pan.
Don’t expect this cake to rise very much. There isn’t enough flour vs butter in the cake to get much of a rise. I use standard 9-inch baking pans. An 8-inch cake pan will give you a taller cake.
This cake is easy to make and is sure to please your family or guests if my wife liked coconut I may have added some a little coconut (1/2 cup) to the batter! Can anyone say Pina Colada? Tropical beaches, boat drinks, a little Jimmy Buffet on the radio….sigh, it just doesn’t get better than that!!! But there I go again getting off topic…….let’s get back to the pineapple cake. I hope you enjoy it.
My preferred cake pan for all my baking is the 9-inch Chicago Metallic Professional Grade Cake Pan.
An Off-set Spatula is also one of my favorite kitchen tools for baking. You’ll thank me every time you use it!
If you enjoy delicious desserts you may also like these recipes:
- Buttery Apple Cake
- Bee Sting Cake
- Pumpkin Crunch Cake
- The Best Tiramisu Recipe
- Chocolate Mousse Cake
Pineapple Butter Cake
Ingredients
- 4 ounces unsalted butter 1 stick
- 2 cups pineapple chopped
- ⅔ cup all purpose flour
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 large whole eggs plus 1 egg yolk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ tsp lemon zest grated
- Confectioners sugar to dust
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F
- Butter a 9” round cake pan (use parchment in the bottom of the pan for easy removal after baking)
- In a large frying pan over medium heat, melt the butter, reserve 6 tbs for later. Add the pineapple and cook for about 10 minutes. **do not use any of the juice from the pan only the pineapple
- In a small bowl mix together flour, salt and baking powder.
- In a large bowl beat the whole eggs and egg yolks until blended.
- Add the reserved melted butter, sugar, vanilla and lemon zest.
- Stir in flour and pineapple.
- Spoon into prepared pan, smoothing the top.
- Bake until cake is browned, 30-35 minutes.
- Transfer to a wire rack to cool in pan for 5 minutes. Invert cake onto plate to remove the pan and then invert again and return to rack to cool completely.
- Before serving
- Dust with confectioners sugar
Notes
Nutrition
More recipes from my site
Summertime, It Doesn’t Get Any Better Than This, But Let’s Try. Here’s Another Give Away!- Amethyst Cheesecake Torte for your Holiday Table
- Morrocan Quinoa Salad
- Stuffed Pork Chops and Ask Chef Dennis
- Grilled Maple-Brined Pork Chops and Ask Chef Dennis
- Vote For Project Squash Blossom, Challenge # 2 : Aye Carumba, Its Mexican Squash Blossoms !!
Lauri says
I haven’t made this cake yet. I’m wondering if I could use Almond Flour instead of regular flour? And a sugar substitute?
Chef Dennis Littley says
I don’t have any real experience baking with gluten free flours. But I do know that baking is a science and flour and sugar can’t normally be replaced without changing the recipe completely.
Liz says
Used half the butter & sugar instead. But still turned out well & delish!
liz says
Sounds intriguing n i’m here bc i have an over-ripe pineapple. Do u think poking holes into the cake after it’s baked then pouring the butter-juice excess would work? Or would that make it too soggy? No idea. TY
Chef Dennis Littley says
that would probably make it too soggy.
Minda Ramos says
I only have frozen chopped pineapes. Would that work?
Chef Dennis Littley says
absolutely. Just prepare the recipe using the frozen pineapples
Hong Thang says
Hi Chef.
Please advice if i can double the amount to make a taller cake?
Also does it goes well with cream frosting?
Can i reduce the sugar by 1/2 cup?
Thanks
Merry Blessed X’mas to you and your family!
Chef Dennis Littley says
its not a cake that will double well. If you want a taller cake you could make two layers. I think cream cheese frosting would be too sweet for the cake. If anything I would use whipped cream.
Hong Thang says
Thanks for your advice 🙏🎅🎄🎉
Lesley says
This has become “my” signature contribution to any and all celebrations. After particularly rough weeks at work, they’ll ask me to make it to cheer everyone up! The best part about this recipe is that it is excellent as-is, but is also versatile enough to change the fruit like suggested. I make an apple cinnamon version during the fall and winter. I will say that I get the best texture when I allow the batter to chill a little in the fridge before baking. This cake is sooooo buttery and comforting! Wonderful job, chef!
Chef Dennis Littley says
You’re very welcome Lesley and thank you for such a wonderful comment!
Jennifer says
Hi there!
This looks amazing
Was wondering if you’ve made them as cupcakes ??
Chef Dennis Littley says
This cake does not rise very much, I’m not sure they would come out very well as cupcakes.
Annie says
Thank you Chef! One awesome keeper recipe. I tried it and was pure deliciousness.
Rogina says
Just made the cake!! Texture is great ,but I made a mistake and used salted butter.Have to throw this one out as the salt is overwhelming and try again.It looks amazing and smells great!! Excited to eat round 2.
Trisha says
Simple and delicious
Trisha says
I can’t wait to try this recipe.
Kerrian Lawrence says
This is crack I’m sure. Delicious
Kimberly M Zappoli says
In the oven! Thank you CHEF!
Sheila says
My husband loves all things pineapple and This looks heavenly! I wonder how using the pan drippings as part of the butter mixed into the batter would affect the cake? It seems like an opportunity to add a depth of flavor. Any thoughts?
Chef Dennis Littley says
I wouldn’t add it to the cake batter as it will affect the baking of the cake. What you could do is spoon the leftover juice on the finished cake after it comes out of the oven. Yum!
Deliah Prescott says
I added just enough powdered sugar to make a pineapple glaze! Perfect!
Lus says
Chef Dennis this is the best cake I’ve ever had. It is also the easiest, simplest cake bursting with flavor! My whole family loved it and i have made it 4 times since i made it the first time in summer. It comes out delicious and perfect every time and we love to eat it for breakfast. I have also made this cake but with blueberries, peaches, and cherries instead. Another crowd pleaser! Cant wait to try your other recipes! God bless and greetings from Florida!
Chef Dennis Littley says
hi Lus
thank you for the great comment and review! I’m happy to hear you’ve been enjoying my pineapple cake recipe its one of my favorites and easily adaptable with other fruit. I hope you find more recipes to try in your kitchen.
Hi from New Jersey, but I’ll be home in Florida in a few more weeks!
Lus says
Chef Dennis this is the best cake I’ve ever had. It is also the easiest, simplest cake bursting with flavor! My whole family loved it and i have made it 4 times since i made it the first time in summer. It comes out delicious and perfect every time and we love to eat it for breakfast. I have also made this cake but with blueberries, peaches, and cherries instead. Another crowd pleaser! Cant wait to try your other recipes! God bless and greetings from Florida!
Debra Elliott says
I made this cake for dinner last night and baked it in a 8 inch spring form pan for the directed time. Came out perfect and is delicious! Love the crackly top! I sprinkled with powdered sugar and it is gorgeous:) Next time I’m going to add the coconut as I like that combination, but this was perfect as is. Thanks Chef!
Chef Dennis Littley says
Thanks for the great review and comment Debra! I’m happy to hear you’ve been enjoying one of my favorite cakes! I love it with the addition of coconut
MiMi says
Can this recipe be doubled and baked in a 9×13” pan?
Chef Dennis Littley says
that shouldn’t be a problem. Just watch your cooking time, it may need a little longer
Kim says
My fresh pineapple produced a lot of liquid when sauteed with the butter & even though I drained it,the sponge failed to cook.The flavour was gorgeous though,so I need to try again & maybe dry the pineapple on kitchen paper before adding it to the batter?
Chef Dennis Littley says
next time, drain off the extra juice. I just made one today and my pineapple had a lot of juice.
Teez says
Can I make it with (1) much less sugar, or (2) substitute all sugar for honey? Can I use browned butter instead of butter? Thanks so much! 🙂
Chef Dennis Littley says
I’ve never done that substitution so I’m not sure how the honey will affect the baking. As for browned butter, that won’t make a difference
Tom Smith says
Can you combine the fresh pineapple with fresh blueberries? if you add blueberries, how much would you add and would this require you to cut down on the pineapple?
Chef Dennis Littley says
absolutely. I would use a cup and a quarter of pineapple and three-quarters of a cup of blueberries. But any way you want to split it up is fine. I just wouldn’t go much over the 2 cups total of fruit since its not a very thick cake.
Rahaf says
Chef Dennis your recipe is absolutely delicious and came out exactly like the one in the Video. We couldn’t stop eating it it was so moist from the inside and crusty on the outside with the juicy pineapples in between.
Thank you so much
Beverly Mann says
This cake is sooo good. I’ve made it so many times this summer, but now I’m going to try something different with it. Have you ever made this as a layer cake? I’ve made two cakes and am planning on icing with cream cheese icing. I’ve made some pineapple flowers and am going to decorate the cake with it. Any ideas or suggestions on my game plan?
Chef Dennis Littley says
I’m happy to hear you’ve been enjoying the pineapple cake. The layers should work, but it is a very moist cake so be gentle with the construction of the cake. Cream cheese icing sounds good, are you a fan of coconut? That might be a nice addition to the center layer.
Let me know hows it turns out.
Bev says
I’m freezing the three cakes solid then will layer them and anchor with a dowel down the center. Can’t use coconut this time for the birthday girl Can’t eat it. However, I have added it to the cake and it was amazing. After icing, I’m Decorating it with dried pineapple flowers. Fingers crossed! 🤞
Bev Mann says
Turned out great. Wish I could send you a picture
Jennie McDade says
Aloha Chef Dennis, The pineapple cake is in the oven made from pineapples that I grew here in my yard in Holualoa Hawaii. I was happy to see this recipe and to see how flexible it was. Mahalo
vaishali patel says
Can you make this cake a day ahead?
Chef Dennis Littley says
yes you can.
Stephanie Arndt says
This is sooooooo good! Mine took much longer to bake too. As I reread the directions I wondered if it was a difference of that in the top you say to cook the pineapple and butter on medium heat, and on the bottom recipe it says on low heat. Either way, it was so worth the wait!
Emily says
This cake looks SO good, and I have almost everything to make it….but I only have two eggs and a carton of egg whites in my fridge. Would this recipe still work if I left out the single egg yolk?
Chef Dennis Littley says
Two eggs should be okay Emily, it just won’t be as rich
Audrey Muk says
Made this pineappple butter cake yesterday. Surprisingly it took 60mins in the oven to bake! I used a 6″ round pan. Anyway, it turned out okay and was delicious! I added 1 tbsp of brown sugar to cook the pineapple. I also reduced the amount of sugar by 1 tbsp. This morning I warm the cake in the oven and wow the cake’s skin is crusty/crispy! Yum 😋
ps.. made your best tiramisu too! 5 ⭐️
Mario says
Most fantastic cake I have ever made/tasted. After making three of them, I really recommend cutting the sugar down to at least 2/3 cup otherwise it’s way too sweet. Today I made one in my Ninja Food Grill and it was again delicious although it didn’t raise at all in the 9in pan. Not sure why…
Sandra James says
Will this cake taste eggy ?
Chef Dennis Littley says
no it doesn’t taste eggy
Sandra James says
Thank you !
Josee Marchessault says
I just made this. I may have added a few tablespoons of coconut rum to the pineapple simmering in butter. I had some sweetened coconut flakes leftover from another recipe (about 1/2 cup) so I toasted that, chopped it finely and added to the batter. For that reason I decreased the sugar a bit. This cake is dreamy and I will make it again several times in the future! (Maybe in 2-3 days haha)
Chef Dennis Littley says
I’m happy to hear you’re having fun with the recipe!
Karabi says
Can we add strawberries or raspberries to this recipe instead of pineapple?
Chef Dennis Littley says
yes you can. Any fruit works well. Don’t saute the berries and eliminate the butter you would use to saute them from the recipe and you should be fine.
Karabi Mitra says
Great, thank you! I’m going to try that.
Melissa Kreck says
This was so good! I had a bunch of leftover pineapple from making Mai Tai’s and was searching for a cake to make with them. I doubled the recipe and made this two layers with a whipped cream frosting with some pineapple juice mixed in. This cake was perfect! So so good!
Heather H says
What a treat! We grow pineapples and I made this tonight to use a small pineapple that was exactly 2 cups chipped! It was meant to be. Delicious – prepared exactly as described. Thank you for sharing this, it will be a favorite inour home.
Regeena Gilbert says
I made it twice
It came out delicious
Can we use ghee instead of melting butter
Chef Dennis Littley says
sure, it should make it even more buttery. It could make it a little wetter.
Sally says
I’m new to baking, tried this recipe today and it turned out great! My boyfriend and I love it, thank you! Will be trying out more recipes from this site in the next few weeks.
anne says
Can this lovely recipe be frozen after baking?
Chef Dennis Littley says
I’m not sure how it will hold up through process. Its a very moist cake and may end up falling apart after defrosted.
KenUga says
Absolutely no fail and delicious.Thankyou Chef Dennis
Xina says
Rarely comment on recipes, but this one deserves a rave review. Had a pineapple start to ferment on me, so had to find something quick and easy. The name of this cake featured the two beautiful words “pineapple” and “butter”, so it was a swift decision. Very easy to prepare with no fancy ingredients and, most importantly, absolutely delicious! Am devouring a big piece as I write this. Supposed to be able to freeze this cake, but it’s not going to happen… Isolation = no sharing!
Michelle says
Hi
I’ve not made this yet.
It says all purpose flour.
Please can you advise me is this plain or Self Raising flour??
Many thanks
Michelle
Chef Dennis Littley says
all-purpose flour is regular flour not self-rising.
Robert says
Sounds like a good recipe. I would le to know if I can use frozen pineapple for this recipe?Does the frozen pineapple need to be thawed?
Chef Dennis Littley says
you can use frozen, I would let it thaw before cooking it with the butter
Snow says
DELICIOUS!!!! t’s so rich and buttery!! I made it with fresh pineapple, and it was great. Will make it again!! =)
Lorena says
Can I use rubarb instead of pineapple, if so would I need to cook it? Thanks
Chef Dennis Littley says
You should be able to use rhubarb. I don’t think you need to cook it first and that being said cut 4 tbsp of butter from the recipe since you don’t need it to cook the rhubarb.
Tina says
My entire family loved it. They want me to make it again but I don’t have any pineapple left. Would the recipe work with just pineapple essence? We loved the texture of the cake so I don’t want to look for a newer recipe.
Chef Dennis Littley says
hi Tina, you need the fruit in the cake to and the process involved in making it. I would try another fruit. Apples work really well, as do peaches. But just the essence won’t give you the same cake.
BG says
This cake is DELISH! I made it a couple weeks ago with pineapple and just made it again with some over ripe nectarines. Top with very lightly sweetened fresh whipped cream and heavens gates open up! It’s so delicate and pretty.
I should add that I’m a terrible baker!
Maria says
I have made this cake s couple of times now – I’m sure my last one wasn’t as nice as the others. Does using caster sugar verses granulated sugar make a difference?
Chef Dennis Littley says
Caster sugar is a finer grain and takes up less room than granulated in a measuring cup so you’ll end up using more. That could have been the difference you noticed.
Ivana says
I have tried this recipe a couple of times and the flavor ir great. Nevertheless i dont seem to get a very cakey result – its is much more gooey and sticky. It turns oit sort of bubbly, any tips for this? Thanks
Chef Dennis Littley says
my first thought would be that you’re using too much liquid from the pineapples. Try draining the pineapple before adding it to the batter
Lisa says
What a lovely cake this is! We had leftover grilled pineapple and added blueberries to make the 2 cups of fruit. I used a 9” square pan and I didn’t get much rise at all but the smaller size helped justify a second piece!! 😉
Amy Thompson says
Turned out excellent
Josh says
Hi chef,
I’m trying to follow the recipe with adding coconut milk but it turned out the cake doesn’t stick together, I feel coconut milk destroyed it? And can we use baking soda instead of baking powder?
Chef Dennis Littley says
there is no additional liquid in the cake since there is very little flour. Adding the coconut milk thinned out the batter too much. As for using baking soda instead of baking powder, use 1/4 tsp and add 1/2 tsp of lemon juice.
Linda says
Every time I make this for company, It’s the hit of the dinner. But I only use fresh pineapple. I didn’t have lemons so I used limes. Was still WONDERFUL!!!
Chef Dennis Littley says
I do love this cake, and any citrus you have on hand works! Thanks for the great rating
Janine says
I made with pineapple and it was amazing! I love it. Would bananas work??
Laura says
It was good, but didn’t have a lot of flavor. So I made a pineapple glaze with the left over juice. Brushed that on top, refrigerated the cake, then added the powdered sugar before serving. The glaze definitely added more flavor.
I have a question though: the long instructions state to use baking soda, the condensed instructions say baking powder. I used powder but wanted to see if I used the correct one. Thanks!
Chef Dennis Littley says
Baking powder is the correct ingredient, sorry about that. If the cake lacked flavor, it could’ve been the pineapple. If the pineapple didn’t have a lot of flavor the cake wont.
Patsy says
Thank you soooo very much for sharing this recipe! It is my all time favorite and a huge hit when I bring them in to work! I’ve made it a dozen times already, although I’ve only ever made cupcakes not an actual cake yet. I know it sounds strange but I added some butterscotch rum to the butter and pineapple while sautéing it and its truly amazing! Can you tell me how long the shelf life is? I already saw you post that you can freeze it…
Chef Dennis Littley says
I would think the shelf life should be like most cakes at around a week (if it lasts that long). I love the idea of adding butterscotch rum to the mixture, I bet that adds a wonderful flavor!
Barbara says
This was undoubtedly the best pineapple type cake I have ever had. There was no slushiness about it. It was fruity, refreshing, and nice and firm, yet moist. Are used a Bundt pan and it was perfect and gorgeous. It is a fabulous way to use up leftover pineapple.
Ile says
Within a month…I have made it 3 times, it is delicious !!
Vicky says
I made this tonight. My husband and son loved this. I didn’t have any zest or vanilla but it was tasty without. I cooked it for 30 mins and it came out overdone on top. So I just scraped the top off. Still was lovely with custard. Will reduce cooking time next time 😊
Kim Frampton-Leblanc says
Absolutely delicious, I will definitely be making this again. With the dusting of icing sugar and a strawberry garnish , it was a lovely presentation. Thank you
Betz Dundas says
Super moist and tasty – going to try it with other fruits – Thank you!
MH says
I made some modifications to it: less than 1/2 tsp salt, added coconut flakes, cooked it in a cupcake pan, and topped the with vanilla ice cream). IT TASTED AMAZING!!! My guests loved it 💕
JesSicka says
Awesome, delicious and so easy to make!! I actually saved the butter I sautéed the fresh pineapple in and used it in my cake (then added the remaining X amount of tablespoons of butter to equal 6 for the cake). I’m so glad I did! I also made cream cheese icing for this and wow. Just wow! Everything was AWESOME! Thanks for an amazing, simple, and quite delicious recipe! Will definitely be making this again—in fact, Dad asked for a peach cake next time!
Chef Dennis Littley says
I haven’t made it with peaches yet but I’m drooling the thought of it! Thanks for the great comment and review!
Julie x says
I made this cake using some leftover tinned pineapple and it was quite simply the yummiest cake I’ve ever eaten, and so simple to make, Thank you. I’m quite likely to make it again tonight or tomorrow as i purchased a fresh pineapple to make a sweet & sour dish for dinner and I cannot let the fruit go to waste lol. Thanks for a great recipe x
Victoria says
Can I make this recipe Mini? If so any adjustments or tips?
Chef Dennis Littley says
are you talking about making cupcake sized cakes? If so the only thing you would need to adjust might be the cooking time
Gabriela Estevez says
I love this cake! I don’t know if it happened only to me but my butter got a tiny bit brown and it release some nutty flavors! Amazing! The only thing I did’t have was a lemon for the lemon zest but it still turned out great
Marilyn says
Do the other fruits you mentioned for this cake need to cooked too, such as the blueberries? I used fresh pineapple for the first time making it and it was out of this world delicious.
Chef Dennis Littley says
I wouldn’t saute berries or stone fruit, but any firmer fruits like apples or pears would benefit from sauteing with butter. I’m happy to hear you enjoyed the cake, I just made one and had forgotten how delicious it was!
Heidi says
The recipe calls for 2/3 cup flour and a cup of sugar. Is the flour measurement correct? Seems low.
Chef Dennis Littley says
yes they are, I just made the cake again last week.
Heidi says
How does this recipe work with fresh pineapple?
Chef Dennis Littley says
I usually use fresh pineapple, its great
Kristin says
This was delicious! My oven broke the second day of the stay at home order for coronavirus. We’ve been trying to be creative with our toaster oven. I was looking for a recipe for a pineapple dessert and just happened on this one. It was the right size for one 8″ round which fit in my toaster oven. I have a very picky family and everyone loved it! We had crushed pineapple from a can and it was still amazing. I’m so happy to find this website and now am searching it to try a dinner recipe for tomorrow. Many thanks!
Rox says
Loved this recipe so much, it was gone within 24hrs. Thank you so much for sharing this! I will be making this again very soon – twice the batch size to share with family 🙂
El says
I just made this and my mom and I devoured 3/4 of it!! This is super tasty and I absolutely love it!
joanne taylor says
can i freeze this cake?
Chef Dennis Littley says
Yes you can
Sarah Newhard says
I’ve made this twice before and it was gone in less than a day! Question: any adjustments to be made if I bake it in a springform pan (lined with paper)?
Thank you for sharing such a delicious recipe.
Chef Dennis Littley says
As long as its the same size you’re good to go. Just double-check, I have a 10-inch springform and that would make the cake too thin. Parchment is always a good idea to help get any cake out of a pan.
Sarah says
Thanks for your prompt reply. Fortunately I have an 8” springform.
I really like your website…very informative!
Chef Dennis Littley says
I’m glad you’ve been enjoying my blog Sarah. The 8 inch springform will actually make a nice cake, it will be a little taller than it would in the 9 inch pan. It might require a few more minutes in the oven so keep an eye on it.