3 Ingredient Pineapple Cake
Updated
Updated
Incredibly Easy Pineapple Cake made with just 3 ingredients – angel food cake mix, crushed pineapple, and vanilla – then baked until golden around the edges with a lovely light and cloud-like texture. It’s a delicious and effortless tropical summer dessert.
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5 STAR REVIEWS
If you love all things pineapple, and craving a pineapple treat but are short on time, this ridiculously easy pineapple cake is an instant winner. Made with just 3 ingredients – angel food cake mix, canned crushed pineapple, and vanilla – and 5 minutes of prep, it’s truly effortless. The end result is golden in appearance and light and airy in texture.
Stock up on these simple pantry items so you’ll always be ready to make this quick pineapple dessert. It’s perfect any time of year if you’re hosting a get-together or need to bring a dessert to a potluck. Make it once, and you probably won’t even need the directions anymore!
And if you’re craving a citrus treat, try this easy 3-ingredient lemon cake too!
Helpful Tips & Variations
- Angel Food Cake Mix. This recipe requires a 16 ounce box of angel food cake mix. Do not substitute with regular cake mix or it won’t turn out. You’ll be using just the powder, do not add water, eggs, oil, or anything else.
- Pineapple. You’ll need a 20 ounce can crushed pineapple, undrained. You want the juice, too. If preferred, you can replace it with an equal amount of pineapple pie filling if you can find it. Keep in mind, this will make the overall texture a bit more spongey.
- Add in some coconut flakes or chopped nuts. Coconut and pineapple love one another! Feel free to stir in 3/4 of a cup of sweetened coconut flakes. Another option is to stir in some chopped macadamia nuts or pecans.
- Toppings – Feel free to pipe some fresh whipped cream on top of the baked, cooled cake or dusted with powdered sugar for a hint of of sweetness and lovely presentation.
- Don’t Overmix or Overbake. Don’t overmix your batter or the cake will be tough, and make sure to keep an eye on the cake toward the end of bake time to make sure it’s not overbaking or it’ll end up dry and crumbly.
3 Ingredient Pineapple Cake
Ingredients
- 16 ounce box angel food cake mix, (Just the powder. Do not add water, eggs, oil, or anything else)
- 20 ounce can crushed pineapple, , undrained
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 9×13 baking pan with nonstick spray.
- Add all the ingredients to a mixing bowl and combine until incorporated and smooth – don't over mix or whip.
- Pour batter into prepared pan in an even layer.
- Bake for about 30 minutes or until slightly golden and a tester comes out clean.
- Let cool completely, then cut into squares. Top with piped whipped cream or lightly dust with powdered sugar, if desired.OPTIONAL coconut flakes or chopped nuts. Feel free to stir 3/4 of a cup of sweetened coconut flakes or chopped nuts into the batter.
Video
Nutrition
Nutritional information given is an automatic calculation and can vary based on the exact products you use and any changes you make to the recipe. If these numbers are very important to you, I would recommend calculating them yourself.
Did you make this? Leave a rating below!
Serving Suggestions
I usually top the baked, cooled cake with some fresh piped whipped cream or a dusting of powdered sugar. This is completely optional and not needed for the cake to turn out, but it does add an extra level of deliciousness and visual appeal. You can also serve it with more pineapple, or other fruit like mangoes or berries.
Proper Storage
This pineapple cake is best eaten the day it’s made, but leftovers will keep for a bit longer.
- Fridge. Store any leftovers in the refrigerator in an airtight container with cling wrap in-between any layers. They will keep for up to 4 days.
- Freezer. You can also freeze either the whole cake or cut into portions. Wrap them tightly, then transfer to a freezer safe Ziploc bag. Freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight or set out on the counter at room temperature for about 30 minutes.
More Pineapple Desserts:
- No-Bake Pineapple Lush
- Pineapple Dip
- Pistachio Pineapple Dip
- Pineapple Fritter Rings
- Pineapple Upside-Down Cake Foil Packs
I hope you love this delicious and easy recipe – be sure to give it a review below! Also don’t forget to follow Belly Full on TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube!
Can you tell me if you over mixed the cake mix and other ingredients if it causes the batter to expand and overflow the baking pan when it is in the oven? Lol
These ingredients when mixed together do expand quite a bit in the mixing bowl, but when poured into the 9×13 dish, there shouldn’t be any overflow when baking. I’ve never had that happen.
Do you think you could use another canned fruit like chopped up Mandarin oranges? My four year old grandson can’t have pineapple and this sounds like something he’s love! He loves cakes and loves to help me bake!
Hi Sharon – It would probably be fine, but since this recipe calls for a 20 ounce can crushed pineapple, undrained, you’ll need an equal amount of crushed oranges WITH liquid and I’m not sure how much liquid is in the 20 ounce can.
This recipe was very easy to make with all ingredients easily accessible. It was moist and airy. I will try this recipe again maybe with some canned peaches.
Quick, easy and delicious! I like to add chocolate chips on top after it comes out of the oven.
This is a new favorite dessert; its simplicity and taste are perfect for a quick put together desser!
We enjoyed this very much. Be warned that it does have more of a sponge like texture like angel food cake, not cake like. But that wasn’t an issue for us. It was light and airy and delicious, plus incredibly easy. Maybe the easiest dessert I’ve ever made.
Light and lovely. Served for brunch and everyone liked it a lot. I think this is very diabetic friendly?
reading this recipe and in my minds eye I could see the can of pineapple in my pantry. I absolutely had the cake mix as it had been given to me. alas the pineapple was ONLY in my head. however I did find 2 cans of mandarin oranges and some freeze dried pineapple! So I got my trusty immersion blender out and blended up the oranges, added the pineapple a hand full of coconut and pecans. It’s in the oven now and smells amazing! I know it’s going to be awesome! Thanks Amy, you have such terrific recipes and ideas!
I love your recipes thank you
Just had first taste. Lovely, but wish had not added coconut. Delightfully moist
I loved this easy, delicious recipe. Thank you
This is the best most delicious refreshing summer cake I have ever made!
Can any flavor angel cake be used with any pie or fruit filling?
Sure. As long as it’s angel food cake mix and the ratios remain the same,
Can you use a cake mix that is supposed to use eggs, but just not put them in..
In order for this cake to turn out properly, it needs to be angel food cake mix.
Amy,
How can I prevent all of the crushed pineapple from sinking to the bottom of the cake?
BTW, my family and friends LOVE this cake!
You are awesome.
Hm. I don’t have this problem when I bake this cake, but you could try adding a thin layer of batter to the pan and bake it for a few minutes before adding the remaining batter to create a more stable base.
I used to make this cake and it was always popular. Now that I’m dairy-free, wondering if another cake mix would work because the angel food cake mix has eggs?
For this cake to turn out, it needs to be angel food cake mix, sorry.
I make this cake and top it with strawberries and whip cream. Base for strawberry shortcake! Excellent
This cake was amazing. it is so light and fluffy.
have given the receipt to friends
Can you make this cake in a Bundt pan?
“Dee-licious” It was so easy and fast and really hits the spot. I just topped it with whipped cream. Perfect!
Super Easy! Smells amazing! Tastes like Heaven!
This was wonderful in taste and texture and most definitely the easiest cake I have ever made. I added just a 1/4 cup of toasted pecans and finished the baked cake with a dusting of powdered sugar. Everyone loved it!
I will definitely be making this again. So soft and yummy. Easiest dessert I ever made.
I followed it to the letter because that’s what I do with new recipes, and added some grated coconut and a small amount 1/8 cup of finely chopped pecans. Came out Wonderful! Thank You!!!
I added some nuts. We loved it! Nice airy texture and delicious. And so easy. Thanks for sharing!