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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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.
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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 Cake Mix Desserts:
- My favorite thing about this Soda Cake is how easy it is to switch flavors, from strawberry cream soda to chocolate root beer float.
- This 3-Ingredient Lemon Cake uses angel food cake mix, lemon pie filling, and fresh lemon for a bright, airy dessert.
- I’d make Easy Pistachio Cake for holidays, spring gatherings, or anytime a plain boxed cake needs a glow-up!
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!
Easy peasy and the family gobbled it up. Thanks for sharing!!!
Could I bake this in a Bundt pan? Could an add unsweetened coconut?
Yes to the coconut, not sure about the bundt pan. Probably, but further testing would need to be done to instruct on proper bake time since it might need to be adjusted. Try it!
Oh my goodness! I saw this video about a month ago and I got the cake mix and made it this morning. Dang! This is a wonderful cake. Easiest cake ever and so delicious. I did add in some pecans and sweetened coconut, but even without those added this cake would be fabulous! Thank you so much Amy for sharing this recipe with us. Now leave me alone and let me get back to my cake! 💙🍍🥥🎉🍰💖💙
This was the best dessert I’ve ever made! And the house smelled amazing! The only thing I was wondering is why I had some sinkage in the middle of the cake after it baked. There was a little bit of a dip in the middle and I’m not sure why or if I did something wrong. It still tasted amazing.
Number one for delicious dessert!
This was so easy and delicious!! I topped our portions with a dollop of Cool Whip in addition to the powdered sugar. Thank you for sharing your simple recipes with us, Amy! We appreciate it so much.
Came out WONDERFUL. So moist. Will be making this again 🤗
Made as.directed, served with whipped cream sprinkled with pecans and coconut. Wonderful
I needed a dessert quick with last minute company stopping by. Never made this before and was worried but this cake was delicious. Served with fresh whipped cream. I now make it all the time, my children like it as well. It won’t dissapoint. Fast,easy, and delicious. Thanks.
loved this cake
So Yummy. I took to my book club and it was gone 1st. They think I am so clever, but I sent them to your blog.
I did make this angel food cake and it’s my new best and easy dessert! I’m going to try a can of blueberries tomorrow! hope it’s just as good!
Question if I double the recipe is it still baked for 30 minutes in a 9x 13 pan? Thanks!
I don’t recommend doubling this recipe in the same pan. If you want to double the ingredients, you’d need to bake in two separate casserole dishes.
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.
If I don’t use angel food mix , what happens?
It won’t turn out. You need angel food cake mix for this particular recipe.
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?