This pineapple pound cake bakes up golden and tender with a fine crumb, a rich buttery flavor, and bright bits of crushed pineapple in every slice.
Sour cream keeps the crumb moist for days, and the bundt pan gives you a tall, pretty cake with almost no decorating. Dust it with powdered sugar or serve it plain with whipped cream and fresh fruit.
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Why This Pineapple Pound Cake Recipe Works
Creaming the butter and sugar until pale traps air in the batter, which gives the cake a fine, even crumb and a tender bite.
Sour cream adds moisture and a gentle tang that balances the sugar, so the cake stays soft instead of turning dry.
Well drained crushed pineapple brings fruity flavor without making the batter wet, and a splash of vanilla rounds everything out.
Ingredients for Pineapple Pound Cake
- For the batter: one cup of softened unsalted butter, two cups of granulated sugar, four large eggs, two and a half cups of all purpose flour, two teaspoons of baking powder, and one half teaspoon of salt.
- For the flavor: one cup of sour cream or plain Greek yogurt, one half cup of well drained crushed pineapple, one teaspoon of vanilla extract, and one half teaspoon of pineapple extract if you like.
- For the pan: a little butter and flour to grease a twelve cup bundt pan.
Butter and sugar. Softened butter and granulated sugar are creamed together to build the structure and a fine crumb in the finished cake.
Eggs. Four large eggs, added one at a time, bind the batter and help the cake rise evenly in the pan.
Flour and baking powder. All purpose flour and baking powder give the cake structure and a gentle lift, so the slices stay tall and tender.
Sour cream. Sour cream, or Greek yogurt, adds moisture and a mild tang, and it keeps the cake soft for several days.
Pineapple. Crushed pineapple should be drained very well, because extra juice makes the batter heavy and can leave damp streaks in the crumb.
How to Make Pineapple Pound Cake
1. Prepare the pan. Heat the oven to 350 degrees F, then grease a twelve cup bundt pan generously with butter and dust it with flour, tapping out the excess.
2. Cream the butter. Beat the butter and sugar on medium speed for about three minutes until the mixture looks pale and fluffy.
3. Add the eggs. Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each one so the batter stays smooth and glossy.
4. Mix the dry ingredients. Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl so the leavening spreads evenly through the flour.
5. Combine the batter. Add the flour mixture in three parts, alternating with the sour cream, and begin and end with the flour.
6. Fold in the fruit. Fold in the drained pineapple, vanilla, and pineapple extract with a spatula until the batter looks even.
7. Bake the cake. Pour the batter into the pan, smooth the top, and bake for sixty to seventy minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.
8. Cool the cake. Cool the cake in the pan for ten minutes, then turn it onto a wire rack and cool completely before slicing.
How to Serve Pineapple Pound Cake
Dust the cooled cake with powdered sugar, or drizzle it with silky chocolate ganache for a richer slice. A scoop of passion fruit ice cream or whipped cream and fresh fruit makes it a simple dessert, while fresh pineapple lemonade and a cookies and cream frappe suit a casual gathering.
How to Store and Reheat Pineapple Pound Cake
Wrap the cooled cake tightly and keep it at room temperature for up to three days, or refrigerate it for up to one week. Freeze the whole cake or individual slices, wrapped well, for up to three months, then thaw overnight at room temperature before serving. Let chilled slices sit on the counter for twenty minutes so the crumb softens.
Tips and Variations for Pineapple Pound Cake
Soften the butter. Leave the butter out for about an hour so it is soft enough to cream but still holds its shape.
Drain the pineapple. Press the crushed pineapple in a sieve with the back of a spoon until it stops dripping.
Prepare the pan well. Grease every ridge of the bundt pan with butter and flour so the cake releases cleanly.
Check early. Ovens vary, so test the cake with a toothpick at sixty minutes and bake longer only if wet crumbs cling to it.
Swap the flour. A one to one gluten free baking blend can replace the all purpose flour, though the crumb will be slightly different.
Do not taste the batter. The batter contains raw eggs and raw flour, so wait until the cake is baked and cooled.
Flag the allergens. This cake contains wheat, eggs, and milk from the butter and sour cream, so check every label.
Check trusted guidance. For safe egg handling and storage, read the Montana State University Extension egg fact sheet.
Frequently Asked Questions About Pineapple Pound Cake
How do I keep a pineapple pound cake moist?
Use full fat sour cream, drain the pineapple well, and wrap the cooled cake tightly so the crumb holds its moisture.
Can I use fresh pineapple in a pineapple pound cake?
Yes, finely chop fresh pineapple and drain it very well, because fresh fruit releases more juice than canned crushed pineapple.
How long does a pineapple pound cake take to bake?
A twelve cup bundt pan needs about sixty to seventy minutes at 350 degrees F, so begin testing with a toothpick at sixty minutes.
Why did my cake sink in the middle?
Opening the oven too early or underbaking can cause a sunken center, so wait until the last twenty minutes before checking.
Can I bake the batter in loaf pans?
Yes, divide the batter between two loaf pans and check them earlier with a toothpick, since loaves bake faster than a bundt cake.
Pineapple Pound Cake
Equipment
- Twelve cup bundt pan
- Stand mixer or hand mixer
- Wire rack
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 2 cup granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 2 cup all purpose flour plus 1/2 cup more
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
- ½ cup crushed pineapple drained very well
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp pineapple extract optional
Instructions
Cooking
- Prep. Grease and flour a bundt pan and heat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Cream. Beat the butter and sugar for 3 minutes, then beat in the eggs one at a time.
- Combine. Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt, then add them to the batter in parts, alternating with the sour cream.
- Add the fruit. Fold in the pineapple, vanilla, and pineapple extract.
- Bake. Bake for 60 to 70 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, turn out onto a rack, and cool completely before slicing.
