Pineapple Layer Cake with Glaze

This Pineapple Layer Cake with Glaze is a soft, ultra-moist dessert bursting with sweet pineapple flavor and finished with a smooth vanilla glaze that soaks beautifully into the layers. It’s a classic Southern-style cake that’s easy to make, crowd-pleasing, and perfect for holiday tables, birthdays, or high-traffic dessert posts for your recipe website and Facebook groups.

⏱ Prep Time

Prep: 25 minutes
Bake: 30–35 minutes
Cooling & glazing: 30 minutes
Total time: about 1 hour 30 minutes

🍴 Equipment

Two 8- or 9-inch round cake pans
Mixing bowls
Electric mixer
Spatula
Cooling rack

🧾 Ingredients

For the Pineapple Cake

2½ cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
1¾ cups sugar
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup crushed pineapple (with juice)
½ cup buttermilk

For the Sweet Vanilla Glaze

2 cups powdered sugar
3–4 tablespoons pineapple juice (or milk)
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon melted butter

Optional Garnish

Pineapple chunks
Toasted coconut
Maraschino cherries

📝 Ingredient Notes

Use crushed pineapple in juice, not syrup, for best flavor.
Do not drain the pineapple — the juice makes the cake extra moist.
Buttermilk helps keep layers tender.
If batter looks slightly curdled after adding pineapple, that’s normal.

👩‍🍳 Instructions

Step 1 — Prepare Oven & Pans

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
Grease and line cake pans with parchment.

Step 2 — Mix Dry Ingredients

In a bowl whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Step 3 — Cream Butter & Sugar

Beat butter and sugar for 3–4 minutes until fluffy.
Add eggs one at a time, mixing well.
Stir in vanilla.

Step 4 — Build Batter

Add dry ingredients alternating with buttermilk.
Fold in crushed pineapple with its juice.
Mix gently until smooth.

Step 5 — Bake

Divide batter evenly into pans.
Bake 30–35 minutes until toothpick comes out clean.
Cool completely.

Step 6 — Make the Glaze

Whisk powdered sugar, pineapple juice, vanilla, and melted butter until smooth and pourable.

Step 7 — Assemble

Stack cake layers.
Pour glaze over the top, letting it drip down sides.
Decorate with pineapple or coconut if desired.

🥗 Nutrition Facts (Approx per slice)

Calories: 420
Carbohydrates: 65g
Fat: 16g
Protein: 5g
Sugar: 48g

⭐ Pro Tips (Bakery Secrets)

✔ Use room-temperature butter and eggs for best texture
✔ Do not overmix once flour is added
✔ Chill cake 15 minutes before glazing for cleaner drip
✔ Brush warm layers lightly with pineapple juice for extra moisture
✔ Cake tastes even better the next day