Southern Pineapple Pound Cake
Dessert fans of all things pound cake will flip for this Southern Pineapple Pound Cake. It’s topped with a cream cheese glaze that will knock your socks off. The chunky pineapple infused cream cheese glaze adds the crowning touch to this phenomenal made-from-scratch Southern pound cake.
Southern Pineapple Pound Cake with Cream Cheese Glaze Recipe
Here in the South, we consider recipes for pound cakes family treasures that are meant to be celebrated and handed down for generations. I have a genuine love for pound cake in every single flavor, it’s a love affair that has been lifelong. I can remember climbing up onto a chair to watch my great Aunt make her famous lemon pound cake. I was most interested in the licking the beaters after she finished, but none-the-less I was hooked. How to make simple Pineapple Pound Cake:
- Flour – All purpose flour sifted with baking powder and salt.
- Pineapple – Crushed pineapple for the cake and 2 tablespoons for the glaze. Reserve the juice and use it to thin the glaze, if needed.
- Sugar – Granulated sugar only is used in this pineapple pound cake.
- Fats – Softened butter. You can use salted or unsalted butter for this cake.
- Flavorings – Vanilla and pineapple extracts. Pineapple extract is concentrated and will give more pineapple flavor than pineapple juice.
- Glaze – Plain cream cheese, powdered sugar, crushed pineapple.
How to Make the Best Southern Pineapple Pound Cake with Cream Cheese Glaze
My fondness for pound cake has continued and I have many flavors and variations here on my website that are super popular with all of the bake-from-scratch bakers. Scroll through the recipe index for more pound cake flavors here when you have time to browse.
- Kitchen tools you’ll need to make Southern Pineapple Pound Cake: You’ll need an electric mixer, either a stand mixer or a hand mixer, large mixing bowls, whisk, measuring cups and spoons, a large silicone spatula to scrape the sides of the bowl while mixing the batter, a large 10-12 cup Bundt pan for baking and a cooling rack.
- Ingredients you’ll need to make Pineapple Pound Cake: All purpose flour, baking powder, salt, granulated sugar, eggs, butter, pineapple and vanilla extracts, crushed pineapple for both the cake batter and frosting. Of course, you’ll also need softened plain cream cheese and powdered sugar for the cream cheese frosting.
- There’s no need to use an old fashioned sifter to combine the dry ingredients a whisk works like a charm.
- When making a pound cake, there’s no need to overbeat the batter. Once all of the dry ingredients have been added to the creamed ingredients, beat the batter just until fully combined. Take time to stop and scrape the bowl occasionally.
- Start with softened butter and room temperature eggs.
- When making the glaze, you can thin it using reserved pineapple juice drained from the crushed pineapple or use heavy cream. Either way works!
- Always test the center of this, or any cake, for doneness before removing from the oven. Use a long skewer or cake tester inserted into the thickest portion of the cake. It should come back clean. If not, allow additional baking time.
- To prevent overbrowning, you may lay foil on top halfway through baking, if needed.
- This cake can be frozen for future consumption. When doing so, thaw in the fridge overnight and wait to glaze it the day you plan on serving it.
- You can store this Pineapple Pound Cake chilled in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to one week.
More Southern Pound Cake Recipes to Make
I developed this moist pineapple variation out of my love of both pound cake and pineapple. As with any classic cake recipe there’s always room for experimentation and this is one baking project that turned out crazy delicious. If you love island flavors it’s a must-make for you, too. Other pound cake recipes you may like to try:
- Classic vanilla Million Dollar Pound Cake.
- Lemon Lovers Pound Cake is a family treasure.
- Decadent Pecan Praline Buttermilk Pound Cake.
- Rich and fudgy Chocolate Sour Cream Pound Cake.
- Citrus infused Orange Pound Cake.
- My Eggnog Pound Cake recipe is a must-make for the holidays!
- White Chocolate Cherry Cream Cheese Pound Cake is pretty as a picture!
- Island inspired Key Lime Pound Cake from Barbara Bakes.
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Helpful Kitchen Items:
Pineapple Pound Cake with Cream Cheese Glaze
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cup butter softened (3 sticks)
- 2 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp pineapple extract
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 5 large eggs room temperature
- 1 cup crushed pineapple, drained (Reserve the juice and use it to thin the glaze, as needed.)
- 3 cup all purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- Cream Cheese Glaze:
- 4 oz cream cheese softened
- 2 cup powdered sugar
- 2 Tbsp crushed pineapple
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F. Butter and flour a standard bundt pan or spray with baking spray. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer cream together the butter, sugar, pineapple and vanilla extracts. Beat on medium-high speed for 2-3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time beating well after each addition. Stop and scrape the sides of the bowl.
- Sift together the dry ingredients. Lower the speed of the mixer and add alternately with the crushed pineapple. After all has been added beat for 1 minute or just until fully combined.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bounce on the counter to settle.
- Bake for 55 minutes. Then cover the top with a piece of aluminum foil and continue to bake for an additional 20 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes back clean.
- Cool completely in the pan on a baking rack before glazing.
- To make the glaze, using a mixer beat cream the softened cream cheese then add the powdered sugar. Continue to beat until combined. Mix in the crushed pineapple by hand, adding reserved pineapple juice to thin, as needed.
- Turn the cake from the pan onto a platter then drizzle or frost with the glaze.
- Store chilled until serving.
Nutrition
Can I use cake flour instead of all purpose flour? If so, how much cake flour?
You can use either in the same amount.
Can I use fresh pineapple or do you recommend canned?
For this cake, canned pineapple works best.
Didn’t have pineapple extract so used lemon. Made pineapple jam glaze because I was out of cornstarch and I didn’t want a cream cheese frosting, so I used pectin. This recipe is a keeper.
That glaze sounds like a terrific alternative. I keep pineapple preserves in my pantry at all times. Thanks so much!
Amy alterations for high altitude
For tips on High Altitude baking see here.
Melissa,
my youngest Colton likes to bake and loves pound cake. I thought I would let him bake this but wasn’t sure if you used salted butter or not? Hope you all are doing great!
Hey Lori! Either will work. I always keep salted butter on hand for baking but, don’t sweat it if you only have unsalted the cake will be delicious.
Can you use a hand mixer for this recipe?
Yes, use what you have.
Hey ms mellissa what happens when you follow direstion to the T…but the cake is heavy and doesnt look done inside
This is a pound cake and dense by it’s very nature.Always bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes back clean. In your oven, this cake may take a bit longer to bake and in some ovens a little less time. Also, make sure you use quality ingredients.
can you used cake pan to make this cake?
I wonder if you mean layer pans? If so, yes just adapt the baking time accordingly.
I made the cake this week came out Great ,tastes good and everyone loves it Thank You so much for the recipe Melissa *****5 stars????????And many applauds
I’m delighted you enjoyed this cake, it’a my pleasure.
I made this cake ae and it was just flowing out of the pan. What did I do wrong
If the pineapple isn’t well drained it could thin the batter.
Hello , I want to make this cake a ship it overnight to my mom .. do you think it would travel ok ?
The cake would if wrapped properly however, I’m not certain it should be glazed prior to shipping. The cake would do fine.
YUM!! I didn’t have pineapple extract so I used coconut and it was SO good!! Will definitely make this again!
Thank you!
Hi Melissa love all your pound cake recipes keep them coming I cannot find the pineapple extract is it okay if I can make the cake without it
Thanks Daphne, I’m delighted you’re finding some cakes to enjoy! You could, the extract gives it more of a pineapple “punch” in flavor but it will still be tasty.
LIKE A LOT OF FOLLOW KIWIS WE PREFER A LESS SWEET CAKE SO I MADE A CAKE WITHOUT ALL OF THE SUGAR AND IT STILL WORKED OUT FIND YUMMY
I ALSO MAKE AMERICAN CAKES WITH LESS SUGAR SO MUCH BETTER TASTE AND HEALTHIER
Thanks for visiting!
Great recipes Melissa I have tried several of the pound cakes their awesome,my family and I Thanks You, keep them coming!
Wonderful Nikki, thank you for letting me know!
I adore these pound cake recipes. I’ve made several ,my family loves them. Thanks, Melissa
This turned out alright, but I’m not sure I’d make it again. The cake was really dense. I think 4 eggs would have been enough and maybe a little more sugar would have helped. The glaze was really nice. I think I’d use that for some other recipes!
It sounds like perhaps you aren’t familiar with pound cakes as they are designed to be rich and dense hence the amount of eggs. When making any cake be certain you beat the batter properly or that could cause issues in the final product.
Hello, I plan on making this cake today, any suggestions first where I can find pineapple extract.
I find pineapple extract at my local grocery store, Walmart and even Target. Hope you can find it!
I ordered pineapple extract from Amazon and can’t wait to try this recipe!
OH wonderful!!
Hi
Are you sure it is safe to leave the cake in the pan for 1-2 hours to cool, without it geting stuck to the pan when trying convert it.
Cakes typically stick to the pan when the initial preparation to the pan is insufficient. It’s completely up to you if you want to remove from the pan sooner.
Explain item 7………..
Ok, using a mixer cream the softened cream cheese, then beat in the powdered sugar. Stir in the crushed pineapple by hand.
Good Afternoon Melissa,
I’m truly enjoying your recipes. Question: what do you mean by “cover the top”? Should I cover my cake pan with foil after the first 55 minutes?
Hi! Yes, that’s exactly what I mean, just lay a flat piece of aluminum foil on top to keep it from over browning.
I made this cake for my sister for her birthday, she loves pineapple. The cake is so good and very moist. I added a little sour cream, as I do all my pound cakes, very moist. I will definitely make again. Question, do you have to refrigerate this cake with the fruit and cream cheese or how long can you leave it out?
You should refrigerate leftovers chilled, but it’s fine at room temperature for a few hours when serving.
I love pound cake and this one sounds so good too. Thank you and have a Great Weekend
You too, Liz!