Pineapple cake is an upside-down classic rebuilt grain-free — caramelised pineapple laid over a tender, vanilla-scented almond cake. Frozen pineapple cooks down with palm sugar into a glossy, jammy layer that crowns the whole cake when it's turned out. Sixteen slices of golden, tropical comfort.
SERVES 16-24
Ingredients
Pineapple Topping
4 cups (960 ml) frozen pineapple, thawed and cut into ½-inch pieces
⅓ cup palm sugar
1½ tablespoons coconut oil
2 teaspoons (10 ml) lemon juice
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Coconut oil for greasing cake pan
Cake
1 cup (240 ml) almond flour
1 teaspoon (5 ml) baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup coconut milk
¾ palm sugar
2 large eggs
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
4 tablespoons (60 ml) coconut oil, melted and cooled
Preparation
1.В В Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease a 9x13 cake pan.
2.В В Cook pineapple and palm sugar in a twelve-inch skillet over medium-high heat, stirring often, until pineapple is light brown and juices are nearly evaporated (12 to 15 minutes). Remove from heat and stir in coconut oil, lemon juice, and vanilla. Transfer pineapple mixture to prepared pan and smooth into an even layer.
3.В В Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl. In a separate large bowl, whisk sour cream, palm sugar, eggs, and vanilla together until smooth. Slowly whisk in melted coconut oil until incorporated. Lastly, whisk in flour mixture until just incorporated (do not overmix).
4.В В Scrape batter evenly into pan, covering pineapple completely. Bake until cake is golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean (25 to 30 minutes), rotating pan halfway through baking. Allow the cake to cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Turn cake out onto platter and let cool for at least one hour before serving.
Pro Tips
- Cook the pineapple until the juices have nearly evaporated and the fruit is light brown — that caramelisation is what keeps the cake from being soggy underneath.
- Drain and pat the thawed pineapple well before it goes in the skillet. Extra water dilutes the caramel and boils the fruit instead of browning it.
- Don't overmix the batter once the flour goes in. Almond cake batter needs just a few stirs to come together, and overmixing makes it heavy.
- Cool the cake ten minutes before turning it out — too long in the pan and the caramel sticks; too short and it collapses.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use fresh pineapple?
Yes — chop it to half-inch pieces and cook it a few minutes longer to drive off the extra juice. Fresh pineapple is actually even better here.
What can I use instead of palm sugar?
Coconut sugar works identically. White sugar would work flavour-wise but breaks the paleo principle of the recipe.
How do I store pineapple cake?
Refrigerated for up to four days — the caramel topping keeps it moist. Serve at room temperature for the best flavour and texture.
Can I bake it in a different pan?
A 9x13 is ideal for the caramel layer's thickness. A round pan works too; just watch the bake time and check earlier.
Recipe Card
Ingredients
Method
- 1. В В Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 350°F.
- Grease a 9x13 cake pan. 2. В В Cook pineapple and palm sugar in a twelve-inch skillet over medium-high heat, stirring often, until pineapple is light brown and juices are nearly evaporated (12 to 15 minutes).
- Remove from heat and stir in coconut oil, lemon juice, and vanilla.
- Transfer pineapple mixture to prepared pan and smooth into an even layer. 3. В В Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl.
- In a separate large bowl, whisk sour cream, palm sugar, eggs, and vanilla together until smooth. Slowly whisk in melted coconut oil until incorporated. Lastly, whisk in flour mixture until just incorporated (do not overmix). 4. В В Scrape batter evenly into pan, covering pineapple completely.
- Bake until cake is golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean (25 to 30 minutes), rotating pan halfway through baking. Allow the cake to cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes.
- Turn cake out onto platter and let cool for at least one hour before serving.
