Sweet, sunny, and very potluck-famous 🌴🍍 — Hawaiian Pineapple Cake is that ultra-moist, spoonable cake with crushed pineapple baked right in and a creamy topping poured over while it’s warm. Zero fuss, maximum love.
Hawaiian Pineapple Cake (Classic & Easy)
Serves
12–15
Prep: 10 minutes
Bake: 30–35 minutes
Cool: 30 minutes
Ingredients
Cake
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1½ cups granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 (20 oz) can crushed pineapple, undrained
- Optional: ½ cup chopped pecans or walnuts
Frosting / Topping
- 1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Optional garnish: shredded coconut or chopped nuts
Instructions
1. Prep
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
2. Make the cake batter
In a large bowl, whisk together:
- Flour
- Sugar
- Baking soda
- Salt
Add:
- Eggs
- Vanilla
- Entire can of crushed pineapple with juice
Stir until just combined.
Fold in nuts if using.
⚠️ No mixer needed. Batter will be thick and chunky — that’s perfect.
3. Bake
- Spread batter evenly in the pan.
- Bake 30–35 minutes, until:
- Top is golden
- Toothpick comes out mostly clean (a few moist crumbs are fine)
4. Make the frosting
While cake cools slightly, beat together:
- Cream cheese
- Butter
Add:
- Powdered sugar
- Vanilla
Beat until smooth and fluffy.
5. Frost
- Spread frosting over the slightly warm or cooled cake.
- Sprinkle with coconut or nuts if desired.
💡 Southern-style tip: frosting it warm lets some of it melt into the cake = extra moist.
Texture & Flavor Notes
- Super moist (almost spoon-cake)
- Sweet but balanced by tangy pineapple
- Even better the next day
Storage
- Cover and refrigerate up to 4 days
- Serve chilled or room temp
Easy Variations
- Extra tropical: add shredded coconut to the batter
- No frosting version: dust with powdered sugar
- Lighter topping: whipped cream + cream cheese combo
- Cupcakes: bake 18–22 minutes