This pineapple pound cake is a rich, dense and tender cake filled with crushed sweet, tropical pineapple. Top with this pineapple cake with a bright and creamy pineapple glaze. Enjoy this easy to make, tropical twist on old fashioned pound cake for breakfast, brunch or dessert.
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Why Should You Make This Recipe
I absolutely adore a simple, but decadent cake. Pound cakes are endlessly versatile, incredibly delicious and so simple to make. My Key Lime Pound Cake, Chocolate Chip Pound Cake, Blueberry Pound Cake, Blackberry Pound Cake and Cast Iron Pound Cake are just a few of my favorite pound cake recipes on the blog. This glazed pineapple pound cake is another bundt cake I am so excited to share with you.
- It has the perfect rich, buttery and tender texture. This pineapple cake has the perfect classic pound cake crumb, filled with fragrant vanilla and tropical pineapple flavor.
- Easy to make with simple ingredients. This old fashioned pound cake is made with simple ingredients that come together quickly and easily making it the perfect cake for any occasion. With it’s tropical twist, this recipe for pineapple pound cake is especially perfect for summer entertaining.
Ingredients
This pineapple bundt cake requires only a handful of simple ingredients to make. Here’s what you’ll need:
Pineapple Pound Cake
Dry Ingredients: Gather all purpose flour, baking powder and salt.
Wet Ingredients: Gather granulated sugar, butter, eggs, vanilla extract, sour cream and crushed pineapple.
Pineapple Glaze
Gather melted butter, powdered sugar, pineapple juice, vanilla extract and crushed pineapple.
Substitutions
This pineapple cake with glaze is as easy to make as it is delicious. Here are my recommended ingredient substitutions if you need them.
- All purpose flour: To make this pound cake gluten free, use a good 1-1 gluten free flour. I recommend using the one from Bob’s Red Mill.
- Baking Powder: This acts as leavener in this pineapple pound cake recipe. Substitute with ¼ teaspoon baking soda.
- Granulated Sugar: This glazed pineapple pound cake calls for granulated sugar, but maple sugar would also work well to make this refined sugar free.
- Unsalted Butter: Feel free to use an equal amount of salted butter in place of the unsalted butter. Just make sure to omit the added salt.
- Eggs: This recipe has not been tested without eggs.
- Vanilla Extract: This is more for background flavor and nicely enhances the flavors of the other ingredients.
- Sour Cream: A thick and creamy greek yogurt works well as a replacement in this pound cake recipe.
- Canned Crushed Pineapple: The recipe calls for 1 cup of crushed pineapple. Feel free to use fresh pineapple cut into very small pieces in place of the canned crushed pineapple. The pineapple glaze uses pineapple juice. If you prefer to use fresh pineapple, make sure to capture pineapple juice.
- Pineapple Glaze: This pineapple pound cake is made truly decadent when topped with pineapple glaze. However, you can enjoy plain or with a dusting of powdered sugar.
Variation
Pineapple Pound Cake Loaf: This recipe for pineapple pound cake can easily be made in a loaf pan. If you would like to follow the recipe as written, divide the pound cake batter into (2) 9 x 5 loaf pans. Bake at 350 F (177 C) for 50 - 65 minutes.
Cream Cheese Pineapple Pound Cake: Replace the sour cream with 8oz. (226 g) room temperature cream cheese. Rather than creaming the butter and sugar together first, beat the cream cheese and butter together on low until smooth and well combined. Then beat in the sugar on low until fully combined. Increase the speed to medium for 2 -3 minutes until the mixture is lighter and fluffier. Follow the remainder of the recipe as written.
How To Make
Here’s how to make this pineapple glazed pound cake in a few easy steps.
- Preheat the oven to 325 F (163 C). Move the middle rack to the next lowest position in your oven. Grease a 10- inch (12 cup capacity bundt pan) with nonstick spray. Use a pastry brush to work the nonstick spray into all the grooves of the pan. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder and salt together until well combined.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat in the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. This takes about 2 - 3 minutes at medium speed. On low beat in the eggs and vanilla extract one at a time, waiting until the previous ingredient is just combined before adding the next. Mix until well combined.
- By hand or on the lowest mixing speed, mix the dry ingredients into the wet alternating with the sour cream until the batter is just combined. Fold in the crushed pineapple pieces.
- Evenly scoop the pineapple sour cream pound cake batter into the prepared bundt pan. Bake the pound cake bundt for 55 - 70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the pound cake comes out with a few moist crumbs. Cool the cake in the pan for 10 minutes. Invert the bundt cake pan onto another cooling rack or plate. Cool the cake completely before topping with the pineapple glaze.
- Make the pineapple glaze by whisking the melted butter with powdered sugar, pineapple juice and vanilla extract until well combined. If needed add more juice for a thinner glaze or more sugar for a thicker glaze. Pour the glaze over the cooled pineapple cake. Serve with more crushed pineapple if you like. Allow 30-45 minutes for the glaze to set, slice and enjoy.
How To Store, Freeze and Thaw
Store leftover pound cake: Place the slices in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 - 4 days. Transfer to the fridge for another 1 - 2 days.
Freeze the pineapple bundt cake: Individually wrap each slice of cake in plastic wrap. Place each wrapped slice in a ziplock bag. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months. If you plan on freezing the cake rather than eating it, I recommend freezing the cake without the glaze when possible.
Thaw the pound cake: Remove your desired number of pieces to sit out at room temperature or in the fridge until fully thawed and enjoy!
M’s Expert Tips
- Use a non-stick spray to prevent the cake from sticking to the bundt pan. If needed, take a pastry brush or even a clean paper towel and work the spray into all the grooves of the pan.
- Bring cold ingredients to room temperature: This allows the ingredients to mix together more evenly which requires less mixing, resulting in moist and perfectly mixed pound cake.
- Don’t overmix the cake batter: Always use the lowest speed on your electric mixer or mix in the dry ingredients by hand. Make sure to mix the dry ingredients into the wet until just combined.
- Cool the cake in the pan for no longer than 10 -15 minutes. If you try to remove the cake before 10 minutes, the cake may still be too hot to remove without falling apart. Removing the cake after 15 minutes may cause the cake to stick to the pan more easily.
- Fully cool the cake before applying the glaze. This usually takes about 30 - 45 minutes after the cake has been removed from the pan or about an hour after the cake has been removed from the oven.
FAQs
This can happen when the oven temperature is too high. The simple fix for this is to use a lower baking temperature for a longer period of time. I also recommend using an internal oven thermometer to double check the oven temperature.
Over mixing eggs and dry ingredients can bring too much air into the cake. Over mixing can also activate the glutens in the flour. A good rule to follow is once the eggs are mixed in, use only the lowest speed on the mixer and mix only until the ingredients are incorporated.
Other Pineapple Recipes to Try
If you try this Pineapple Pound Cake recipe please rate the recipe and leave a comment below. Doing so helps other readers decide if this is a great recipe to bake. Don’t forget to tag me on Instagram using @olivesnthyme so I can see what you’re baking! Happy Baking! -M
Pineapple Pound Cake Recipe
Equipment
- 1 10 inch (12 cup) capacity bundt pan
- 1 stand mixer with paddle attachment or electric hand mixer with beaters
Ingredients
Pineapple Pound Cake
- 3 cups (360 g) all purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1½ cups (339 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2 cups (400 g) granulated sugar
- 5 large eggs (US), room temperature
- 2 tsp (10 ml) vanilla extract
- 1 cup (240 g) sour cream, room temperature
- 1 cup (210 g) crushed pineapple, drained
Pineapple Glaze
- 1½ - 2 cups (180 - 240 g) powdered sugar
- 2 tbsp (28 g) unsalted butter, melted
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ cup (59 ml) pineapple juice from the can
- crushed pineapple for serving, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325 F (163 C). Move the middle rack to the next lowest position in your oven.
- Grease a 10- inch (12 cup capacity bundt pan) with nonstick spray. Use a pastry brush to work the nonstick spray into all the grooves of the pan. Drain the crushed pineapple, but reserve ¼ cup pineapple juice for the pineapple glaze.
- In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder and salt together until well combined.3 cups (360 g) all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon salt
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat in the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. This takes about 2 - 3 minutes at medium speed.1½ cups (339 g) unsalted butter, room temperature, 2 cups (400 g) granulated sugar
- On low beat in the eggs and vanilla extract one at a time, waiting until the previous ingredient is just combined before adding the next. Mix until well combined.5 large eggs (US), room temperature, 2 teaspoon (10 ml) vanilla extract
- By hand or on the lowest mixing speed, mix the dry ingredients into the wet alternating with the sour cream until the batter is just combined. Fold in the crushed pineapple pieces.1 cup (240 g) sour cream, room temperature, 1 cup (210 g) crushed pineapple, drained
- Evenly scoop the pineapple sour cream pound cake batter into the prepared bundt pan. Bake the pound cake bundt for 55 - 70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the pound cake comes out with a few moist crumbs.
- Cool the cake in the pan for 10 minutes. Invert the bundt cake pan onto another cooling rack or plate. Cool the cake completely before topping with the pineapple glaze.
- Make the pineapple glaze by whisking the melted butter with powdered sugar, pineapple juice and vanilla extract until well combined. If needed add more juice for a thinner glaze or more sugar for a thicker glaze.1½ - 2 cups (180 - 240 g) powdered sugar, 2 tablespoon (28 g) unsalted butter, melted, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, ¼ cup (59 ml) pineapple juice
- Pour the glaze over the cooled pineapple cake. Serve with more crushed pineapple if you like. Allow 30-45 minutes for the glaze to set, slice and enjoy.crushed pineapple for serving, optional
Rac says
All I can say is, Yum...!
Megan says
Hi Rac, I am so happy to read you enjoyed this Pineapple Pound Cake. It is such a delicious recipe!
Diane E. says
How do I make this in loaf pans?
Thanks!
Megan says
Hi Diane, I would divide the batter between two 9 x 5 loaf pans (preferrably aluminum). Bake the loaf pans for 45 - 60 minutes. Please let me know how it turns out!