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Cajun Cake

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a slice of Cajun Cake on a plate
This old-fashioned Cajun cake is a southern favorite infused with plenty of pineapple flavor and topped with a delicious coconut and pecan glaze.
Jump to Recipe
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time35 minutes
Total Time55 minutes
Servings15
Table of Contents
  1. Cajun Cake Ingredients
  2. Substitutions And Additions
  3. How To Make This Cajun Cake Recipe
  4. How To Serve
  5. Storage
  6. Frequently Asked Questions
  7. More Recipes You’ll Love
  8. JUMP TO RECIPE

This moist and gooey Cajun cake is an old-fashioned southern favorite, and the fantastic aromas while it bakes will make it hard to wait to dig in. The cake is bursting with bites of juicy pineapple, while the caramel-like glaze that soaks into the cake has plenty of coconut and pecans for added crunch.

a close up shot of a slice of Cajun Cake on a plate

Cajun Cake Ingredients

Cajun Cake raw ingredients that are labeled
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You’ll need:

For The Cake:

  • 2¼ cups of all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
  • 1⅔ cups of granulated sugar
  • 2¼ teaspoons of baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon of salt
  • 1 (20-ounce) can of crushed pineapple in natural pineapple juice, undrained
  • 2 large eggs, at room temperature and beaten
  • ½ teaspoon of pure vanilla extract 

For The Glaze:

  • 1 cup of granulated sugar
  • ¾ cup of evaporated milk 
  • ½ cup of salted sweet cream butter
  • 1½ teaspoons of pure vanilla extract 
  • 1½ cups of sweetened coconut flakes 
  • 1¼ cups of chopped pecans

Substitutions And Additions

NUTS: You can substitute other chopped nuts for the pecans in this delicious cake, but we do find that the pecans go so perfectly with the coconut.

PINEAPPLE: You can substitute crushed pineapple in heavy syrup for crushed pineapple in juice if that is all you have on hand.

You will need to add an extra large egg to compensate for the lack of juice.

SPICE: You can add ½ teaspoon of ground cinnamon or even ground nutmeg for a hint of spice to this crushed pineapple cake.

How To Make This Cajun Cake Recipe

For The Cake

STEP ONE: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Generously spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray. Set it aside.

STEP TWO: Add the flour, granulated sugar, baking soda, and salt to a large bowl. Whisk to combine the flour mixture.

flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt whisked in a bowl

STEP THREE: Add the undrained pineapple, beaten eggs, and vanilla. Stir for 1 to 1½ minutes or until all the ingredients are completely incorporated.

PRO TIP:

Make sure to add the pineapple juice along with the pineapple. This will add to the moist texture of the cake.

undrained pineapple, eggs and vanilla stirred in a bowl

STEP FOUR: Pour the cake batter into the prepared baking dish.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes away clean.

While the cake is baking, begin making the glaze.

PRO TIP:

Oven temperatures vary and may need to be recalibrated periodically to ensure they are accurate. Make sure to check your cake at the lower end of the recommended baking time.

batter cake baked in a baking dish

For The Glaze

STEP ONE: Using a 3 to 4-quart saucepan over medium-high heat, add the sugar, evaporated milk, butter, and vanilla extract, stirring often.

Heat until the mixture reaches a low gentle boil, usually about six to eight minutes.

sugar, evaporated milk, butter and vanilla added in a pot

STEP TWO: Lower the heat to medium. Add in the chopped pecans and coconut flakes.

Continue cooking for another three to four minutes until the mixture starts to thicken. Remove from the heat.

STEP THREE: Once the cake has finished baking, pour the glaze over the warm cake, spreading the coconut and pecans evenly.

Allow the cake to completely cool before slicing it into fifteen 2½-inch x 3-inch slices and serving.

PRO TIP:

Make sure to pour the glaze over top of the cake while it is still warm to allow it plenty of time to soak in while the cake cools.

glaze poured over the cake in a baking dish

How To Serve

This incredibly moist cake makes a tasty dessert after pretty much any meal. It’s so easy, you can even whip it up on a weekday.

Add a cup of coffee, homemade hot chocolate, or pumpkin spice latte to drink.

For more amazing cakes that have plenty of fruity flavors, our tornado cake and hummingbird cake are two that you will love.

Storage

IN THE FRIDGE: Store any leftovers of this moist pineapple cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days. 

IN THE FREEZER: You can freeze the baked cake for up to two months. Allow the cake to thaw in the refrigerator overnight before serving.

a close up shot of cajun cake in a baking dish with a slice taken out

This authentic Cajun cake dessert has amazing flavors thanks to the combination of pineapple and coconut. It is a great choice to serve at family gatherings or even just as dessert after a weeknight dinner.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use fresh pineapple for this cake?

For this recipe, we recommend sticking to canned pineapple as it has just the right amount of juice and perfectly-sized pieces of pineapple for this cake.

Is the cake spicy?

While the name Cajun is often associated with spicy dishes, this old-fashioned Cajun cake is not spicy at all! It originated in the south, where there is plenty of Cajun cooking, which is how it got this name.

Can I freeze this cake?

This cake can be kept in the freezer for up to two months in an airtight container.

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a slice of Cajun Cake on a plate

Cajun Cake

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This old-fashioned Cajun cake is a southern favorite infused with plenty of pineapple flavor and topped with a delicious coconut and pecan glaze.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings 15

Ingredients
  

Cake

  • cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
  • 1⅔ cups granulated sugar
  • teaspoons baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 20 ounces crushed pineapple in natural pineapple juice, undrained
  • 2 large eggs, at room temperature and beaten
  • ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Glaze

  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • ¾ cup evaporated milk
  • ½ cup sweet cream butter, salted
  • teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • cups coconut flakes, sweetened
  • cups chopped pecans

Instructions
 

Cake

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F. Generously spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray. Set it aside.
  • Add the flour, granulated sugar, baking soda, and salt to a large mixing bowl. Whisk to combine the dry ingredients.
  • Add the undrained pineapple, beaten eggs, and vanilla. Stir for 1 to 1½ minutes, or until all the ingredients are completely incorporated.
  • Pour the cake batter into the prepared baking dish. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes away clean. While the cake is baking, begin making the glaze.

Glaze

  • Using a 3 to 4-quart saucepan over medium-high heat, add the sugar, evaporated milk, butter, and vanilla extract, stirring often. Heat until the mixture reaches a low gentle boil, usually about 6 to 8 minutes.
  • Lower the heat to medium. Add in the chopped pecans and coconut flakes. Continue cooking for another 3 to 4 minutes until the mixture starts to thicken. Remove from the heat.
  • Once the cake has finished baking, pour the glaze over the cake, spreading the coconut and pecans evenly. Allow the cake to completely cool before slicing into fifteen 2½-inch x 3-inch slices and serving.

Notes

  • Make sure to add the pineapple juice along with the pineapple. This will add to the moist texture of the cake.
  • Oven temperatures vary and may need to be recalibrated periodically to ensure they are accurate. Make sure to check your cake at the lower end of the recommended baking time.
  • Make sure to pour the glaze over top of the cake while it is still warm to allow it plenty of time to soak in while the cake cools.

Nutrition

Calories: 412kcal | Carbohydrates: 63g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 45mg | Sodium: 339mg | Potassium: 186mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 46g | Vitamin A: 280IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 56mg | Iron: 1mg
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Proudly Prepared by the Spaceships Kitchen

This recipe was developed, tested, cooked and photographed by the Spaceships Kitchen. From our dinner table to yours, we hope you think it's out of this world!

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