Description
This Pineapple Cream Cheese Pound Cake is a moist and flavorful dessert featuring a rich, creamy batter infused with pineapple and cream cheese. Baked to golden perfection and topped with a tangy pineapple icing, this pound cake is perfect for any occasion and yields 12 to 16 generous servings.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Cake:
- 3 sticks unsalted butter (softened)
- 1 1/2 cups lite brown sugar
- 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese (softened)
- 1 cup regular sugar
- 5 eggs
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 cup crushed pineapple (drained)
- 3 cups Swans Down Cake Flour (or all-purpose flour)
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
For the Icing:
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
- 2 tablespoons crushed pineapple
- Pineapple juice (to taste)
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 325°F (163°C). Grease and flour a bundt pan or a 9×13-inch cake pan to ensure the cake does not stick.
- Mix Butter, Cream Cheese, and Sugars: In a large mixing bowl, beat together the softened butter, cream cheese, and regular sugar until smooth and creamy. Add the lite brown sugar and continue mixing until fully combined.
- Add Eggs and Vanilla: Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition to fully incorporate. Stir in the vanilla extract until the mixture is smooth.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the cake flour, baking powder, and salt to evenly distribute the leavening agents and salt.
- Mix Wet and Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, alternating with the buttermilk and sour cream. Start and end with the dry ingredients, mixing gently until just combined to avoid overmixing.
- Fold in Pineapple: Gently fold in the well-drained crushed pineapple to add moisture and flavor without breaking down the texture.
- Bake the Cake: Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Bake for about 1 hour at 325°F (163°C), checking with a toothpick after 55 minutes for doneness; the cake is ready when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Prepare the Icing: In a small bowl, combine the powdered sugar, melted butter, crushed pineapple, and a splash of pineapple juice. Stir until the icing is smooth and spreadable.
- Cool and Glaze: Allow the cake to cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then turn it out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Drizzle the prepared icing over the cooled cake before serving.
Notes
- Ensure the pineapple is well-drained to avoid excess moisture that could affect the cake’s texture.
- Using cake flour results in a lighter and softer crumb, but all-purpose flour can be substituted.
- Check the cake starting at 55 minutes to avoid overbaking, as oven temperatures may vary.
- Let the cake cool completely before icing to prevent the glaze from melting and becoming too runny.
