Experience the unparalleled delight of a classic **Pineapple Sheet Cake**, celebrated for its incredible moisture and a delightfully sweet icing. Infused with the tropical essence of crushed pineapple and crowned with a rich, buttery glaze studded with shredded coconut and crunchy pecans, this cake is an absolute showstopper. It’s the quintessential dessert to bring smiles to any gathering, big or small.
With its vibrant pineapple, fragrant coconut, and earthy pecans, this cake evokes images of sun-drenched days and relaxed gatherings. It’s truly a perfect dessert for summer picnics, backyard barbecues, holiday celebrations, or simply as a comforting treat on a warm afternoon. Its refreshing flavors transport you to a tropical paradise with every bite, making it an ideal choice for any season when you crave a taste of sunshine.
What truly sets this Pineapple Sheet Cake apart is its phenomenal moistness, a quality largely attributed to the generous inclusion of crushed pineapple and a touch of vegetable oil in the batter. This thoughtful combination ensures the cake remains tender and flavorful for days, making it an excellent candidate for baking ahead. Planning a party? You can prepare this cake well in advance, and it will still taste as fresh and delectable as if it just came out of the oven. What’s even better? It’s incredibly simple to make, requiring no electric mixer – just a bowl and a spoon are all you need. While the rich, homemade icing does call for a gentle, consistent stir for about 10 minutes on the stovetop, this is arguably the most “involved” part of the entire process, promising a truly rewarding result with minimal effort.
The Luscious Sweet Coconut-Pecan Icing
While many pineapple cakes are famously paired with a tangy cream cheese frosting, our recipe takes a delightful detour with a classic Southern-style boiled icing. This particular glaze is crafted from a harmonious blend of butter, evaporated milk, and sugar – components that mirror the rich foundation of a traditional caramel icing. The addition of shredded coconut isn’t just for extra sweetness; it introduces a wonderful textural contrast, creating tiny bursts of chewiness that complement the cake’s tender crumb beautifully. You have the flexibility to stir the pecans directly into the icing for an integrated crunch, but for a more prominent visual appeal and a distinct nutty bite, we prefer to sprinkle them generously over the top. This method ensures that each slice showcases the delightful combination of sweet coconut and crunchy pecans, making every bite an experience to savor.
Choosing Your Baking Pan: Sheet Pan vs. 9×13 Inch
The term “sheet cake” typically suggests baking in a large, flat sheet pan, which is an excellent choice for feeding a very large gathering. However, for those who appreciate a thicker, more substantial slice, baking this pineapple cake in a standard 13×9-inch pan is a fantastic alternative. This smaller pan size yields a cake with greater height, offering a satisfying depth to each serving and often making for more visually appealing slices – perfect for photographs and individual plating! If you’re heading to a potluck, a picnic, or any event where you need to serve many people efficiently, a traditional sheet pan might be your best bet. It allows you to produce a larger quantity of cake with less height, making it easy to cut into uniform squares and giving the illusion of “more cake” to go around. Regardless of your pan choice, the delicious flavor and moist texture of this Pineapple Sheet Cake are guaranteed to be a crowd-pleaser, much to the delight of everyone – well, almost everyone. We all know those few pineapple skeptics out there!
How To Make The Ultimate Pineapple Sheet Cake
Crafting this delightful Pineapple Sheet Cake is a straightforward process, ensuring a delicious outcome even for novice bakers. Below is a quick overview of the key steps. For complete, detailed instructions and precise measurements, please refer to the comprehensive recipe card further down this page.
- Prepare the Cake Batter: In a large mixing bowl, combine all the dry and wet ingredients for the cake batter. This includes sugar, flour, vegetable oil, eggs, the star ingredient – crushed pineapple with its juice – baking soda, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt. Stir everything together thoroughly until it is just evenly combined, taking care not to overmix. The beauty of this recipe is its simplicity; no fancy equipment or electric mixer is needed, making cleanup a breeze.
- Bake to Golden Perfection: Once your batter is ready, pour it evenly into a greased baking pan. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and bake the cake for approximately 30 to 35 minutes if using a 13×9-inch pan, or 20 to 25 minutes for a sheet pan. Keep an eye on it; the cake is done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. The rich aroma filling your kitchen will be an early sign of the deliciousness to come.
- Craft the Creamy Icing: While your cake bakes, prepare the luscious coconut icing. In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, butter (cut into chunks for easier melting), evaporated milk, and a pinch of salt. Bring this mixture to a boil over medium heat, then reduce the heat and simmer, stirring continuously for about 10 minutes. This stirring is crucial to achieve that perfect caramel-like consistency. Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the sweetened shredded coconut until well incorporated. The warm, sweet scent of this icing is truly irresistible.
- Frost and Finish: Carefully pour the warm, prepared icing over the freshly baked cake, spreading it gently to cover the entire surface. Immediately sprinkle the chopped toasted pecans over the warm icing, allowing them to adhere beautifully as the glaze begins to set. Let the cake cool completely before slicing and serving. This allows the icing to firm up and the flavors to meld, creating a truly exquisite dessert.
Expert Tip for Perfect Icing
A common concern with this type of pour-over icing is that it might seep into the cake, especially if the cake is very warm. To prevent this, simply allow the icing to cool slightly before pouring it over your freshly baked cake. A lukewarm icing will still spread beautifully but will be less likely to be completely absorbed, ensuring a distinct, delicious layer on top.
Storage and Make-Ahead Tips
One of the many benefits of this Pineapple Sheet Cake is its excellent keeping qualities, thanks to its inherent moistness. You can store the cake at room temperature, loosely covered, for up to 3 days, maintaining its delightful texture and flavor. For extended freshness, particularly in warmer climates or if you prefer a chilled dessert, transfer the cake to the refrigerator. When refrigerated in an airtight container, it will stay fresh and delicious for up to 5 days. For optimal enjoyment when serving from the fridge, allow it to come to room temperature for about 30 minutes before cutting. This cake also freezes surprisingly well; wrap individual slices or the entire cooled cake tightly in plastic wrap and then aluminum foil. It can be frozen for up to 1-2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving. This makes it a fantastic make-ahead option for any occasion!
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Try These Other Delicious Pineapple Desserts
- Pineapple Carrot Cake
- Pineapple 7-Up Cake
- Pineapple Coconut Macadamia Pie
- Pineapple Delight
- Slow Cooker Pineapple Upside Down Cake
- Pineapple Pretzel Salad
- Easy Pineapple Fluff Pie
Pineapple Sheet Cake Recipe
By Christin Mahrlig
Print Recipe
This Pineapple Sheet Cake, wonderfully moist and flavored with crushed pineapple, and topped with a sweet coconut-laced icing, is ideal for serving a large gathering or enjoying as a family dessert.
Equipment
- 9×13-inch baking dish (or a standard sheet pan)
- Medium Saucepan
- Large mixing bowl
- Whisk or wooden spoon
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs
- 1 (20-ounce) can crushed pineapple with juice (do not drain)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
For the Icing:
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into chunks
- 2/3 cup evaporated milk
- Pinch of salt
- 3/4 cup sweetened shredded coconut
- 1/2 cup toasted pecans, chopped (plus more for garnish, if desired)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 13×9-inch baking pan or a standard sheet pan.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine all the cake ingredients: sugar, flour, vegetable oil, eggs, crushed pineapple with its juice, baking soda, vanilla extract, and salt. Stir well with a spoon until all ingredients are evenly combined and no dry streaks of flour remain. Do not overmix.
- Pour the prepared cake batter into your greased pan, spreading it evenly. Bake for 30-35 minutes if using a 13×9-inch pan. If using a sheet pan, baking time will be shorter, typically 20-25 minutes. The cake is done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- While the cake is baking, prepare the icing. In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar, butter chunks, evaporated milk, and a pinch of salt. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring continuously for exactly 10 minutes. This constant stirring is crucial for the icing’s texture.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat and immediately stir in the sweetened shredded coconut.
- Carefully pour the warm icing evenly over the hot cake, spreading it gently with a spatula if needed. Immediately sprinkle the chopped toasted pecans over the warm icing, pressing them lightly to adhere.
- Allow the cake to cool completely on a wire rack before cutting into squares and serving. This allows the icing to set properly.
Notes
To prevent the rich icing from soaking into the cake too much, allow the icing to cool slightly (to a lukewarm temperature) before pouring it over the baked cake. This will ensure a more distinct, luscious layer of frosting on top.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should only be used as an approximation.
| Nutrition Facts (per serving) | |
|---|---|
| Calories: | 319kcal |
| Carbohydrates: | 47g |
| Protein: | 3g |
| Fat: | 14g |
| Saturated Fat: | 6g |
| Polyunsaturated Fat: | 4g |
| Monounsaturated Fat: | 4g |
| Trans Fat: | 0.2g |
| Cholesterol: | 31mg |
| Sodium: | 145mg |
| Potassium: | 104mg |
| Fiber: | 1g |
| Sugar: | 36g |
| Vitamin A: | 201IU |
| Vitamin C: | 3mg |
| Calcium: | 35mg |
| Iron: | 1mg |
Originally published June 9, 2014.
Recipe adapted from Miss Mary Bobo’s Boarding House Cookbook: A Celebration of Traditional Southern Dishes that Made Miss Mary Bobo’s an American Legend
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