For a dessert recipe that tastes like a cloud, you’ll want to give this Pineapple Angel Food Cake a whirl! All the classic flavors and textures of angel food cake, with a sweet, yet tart, addition of pineapple. Top with pineapple chunks and whipped cream for the ultimate vegetarian dessert.
I remember when I was growing up that I always wanted angel food cake for my birthday. My mother would always make it special for me. I could top it with cherries, strawberries, or raspberries.
As I have gotten older, angel food cake has kind of taken a back seat to my dessert needs. Well, not anymore. My Pineapple Angel Food Cake is one of the best tasting dessert dishes I have made in recent years. It is so soft, packed full of flavor, and so easy to make. Angel food cake is notorious for its long process, but I break it down and make it nice and simple for anyone to follow.
Dessert is a must have in my family. There are so many dishes that my family wants me to have ready for that post dinner time slot. Pineapple Angel Food Cake has quickly climbed through the ranks and my family cannot get enough of it. After we eat some Guacamole Vegetarian Burgers or Vegan Pesto Pasta, nothing quite fills that sugary void like this cake. It’s soft, cloud-like texture makes it a winner for any occasion.
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How to Make Pineapple Angel Food Cake
- Prep - Preheat the oven to 325°F. Cover your pan in nonstick spray.
- Process - Place the flour and one cup of the sugar in a food processor and blend until finely mixed.
- Whip - Place the egg whites in a bowl and beat them until foamy. Add the remaining sugar and whip until stiff peaks form.
- Combine - Add the flour mixture a bit at a time and fold it in. After adding it all, whip one more time, quickly.
- Add the pineapple - Squeeze the juice out of the pineapple and add it to the batter. Fold in gently.
- Bake - Pour into the prepared pan, bake for 20 minutes, rotate the pan, and bake for another 20 minutes.
- Cool - Remove from the oven and flip upside down on a tray. Cool like this for a few minutes before gently releasing the cake from the pan.
- Serve - Slice, dress, serve, and enjoy!
Tips and Variations
- Storage - Store in a cake keeper without any additional toppings for up to 3 days. Store in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 1 week. Store in an airtight container, in the freezer, for up to 3 months.
- Reheating - Reheat using the microwave or simply wait for it to thaw and come to an edible temperature on its own before serving.
- Toppings - I like topping my pineapple angel food cake with chunks of pineapple and vegan whipped cream. You can top with the traditional strawberry sauce and whipped cream as well. Of course, it's also delicious when served plain!
- Make it vegan - One of the main ingredients that makes angel food cake fluffy and successful is the egg whites. However, there’s still not the best options out there for replacing egg whites. If you would like to swap out the egg whites, you can use aquafaba, which is the closest substitute I’ve found. However, be prepared for it to be about half as fluffy as traditional angel food cake.
- What is aquafaba? - This is the liquid you find inside a can of chickpeas. I have not found a better replacement for egg whites. Use other substitutes at your own risk. This whips up nicely and is the closest option you’ll find, trust me.
- Keep mixing - When you are whipping the egg whites and sugar, it will feel like it’s taking forever. Trust me, keep going, it will get there.
Pineapple Angel Food Cake FAQs
Can You Make Angel Food Cake in a Bundt Pan?
Yes, it’s perfectly fine to make an angel food cake in a bundt pan. I use a bundt pan more often than a tube pan, actually. Mainly because I like the design and never remember to use my tube pan, more than anything.
In general, yes, you can use a bundt pan—the cake might not rise up as tall, but the height difference won’t be very noticeable.
Why is it Called Angel Food Cake?
Honestly, there’s really no deep and interesting answer to that question. It’s literally just because of the cake’s light, fluffy, and unique texture that it got its name “Angel Food Cake.”
I like to think of it as less of an angel cake and more of a cloud cake. It’s also referred to as ice cream cake (not sure why on that one) and Pennsylvania Dutch wedding cake.
If you decided to give this Pineapple Angel Food Cake a try, please let me know in the comments below or on social media!
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Pineapple Angel Food Cake
Ingredients
- 20 ounces crushed pineapple drained
- 1 ¾ cup fine sugar
- 1 ½ cups egg whites
- 1 cup flour
- 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F and spray a tube or bundt pan with nonstick spray.
- Place the flour and 1 cup of the sugar in a food processor and blend for about a minute until fully combined. Place in a small bowl and set aside.
- Place the remaining sugar in the food processor and blend for about a minute, just to ensure it’s indeed finely blended.
- Place the egg whites and cream of tartar in a large bowl. Whisk using a hand mixer until a thick layer of foam forms on the top of the mixture.
- Add the blended sugar and whisk for about 5 minutes on high or until the entire mixture is very thick and making what looks like whirlwinds on top of the mixture.
- Sprinkle about a fourth of the flour mixture over the top and gently fold it into the egg white mixture. Repeat until all the flour is incorporated.
- Give a quick whisk with the mixer to ensure it’s fully mixed.
- By using your hands or placing the crushed pineapple in a fold of paper towels, squeeze it until a good portion of the juice has been released.
- Sprinkle over the batter and gently fold it in.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and tap on the counter to even out the batter.
- Bake on the lower rack for 20 minutes before turning the pan a full 180°F and baking another 20 minutes.
- Remove from the oven. Place a sheet of parchment paper over a cookie sheet or large cutting board and invert the cake on top of it without removing the pan.
- Let it sit like this and cool for about 40 minutes.
- Gently help the cake release from the pan. Slice, serve, and enjoy!
What Do You Think?