Description
This Pineapple Cream Cheese Pound Cake is a rich, moist dessert combining the tangy creaminess of cream cheese with the sweet, tropical flavor of crushed pineapple. Baked in a bundt pan and topped with a luscious pineapple glaze, this cake offers a perfect balance of buttery sweetness and fruity zest, ideal for celebrations or an indulgent treat.
Ingredients
Scale
Cake
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 2 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 6 large eggs, at room temperature
- 3 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup crushed pineapple, drained well
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract (optional)
Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2–3 tablespoons pineapple juice (from the drained crushed pineapple)
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat & Prepare: Preheat your oven to 325°F (163°C). Grease and flour a bundt or tube pan thoroughly to ensure the cake does not stick after baking.
- Cream Butter & Sugar: In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and cream cheese together until smooth and creamy. Gradually add the granulated sugar while continuing to beat until the mixture is light and fluffy.
- Incorporate Eggs: Add the eggs one at a time to the creamed mixture, beating well after each addition to fully incorporate and achieve a smooth batter.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, sift together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Combine Ingredients: Alternately add the dry ingredients and crushed pineapple to the wet batter, starting and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix just until combined to avoid overmixing. Stir in the vanilla and almond extracts gently to blend all flavors.
- Bake: Pour the batter evenly into the prepared bundt pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool the Cake: Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool in the pan on a wire rack for about 15-20 minutes. Then, carefully invert the cake onto the rack to cool completely.
- Prepare the Glaze: In a small bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, pineapple juice, and vanilla extract until smooth. Adjust the consistency by adding more pineapple juice if it’s too thick or more powdered sugar if too thin.
- Glaze & Serve: Once the cake is completely cooled, drizzle the pineapple glaze evenly over the top. Allow the glaze to set for a few minutes before slicing and serving.
Notes
- Ensure the crushed pineapple is well drained to prevent the batter from becoming too wet.
- Using room temperature eggs helps with a smoother batter and better rise.
- If almond extract is not available, it can be omitted without affecting the overall flavor significantly.
- Do not overmix the batter once flour is added to keep the pound cake tender.
- Let the cake cool completely before glazing to ensure the glaze does not melt off.
