Pineapple Pecan Fruit Cake Recipe 🍍🍰

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This Pineapple Pecan Fruit Cake is a decadent, flavorful dessert packed with fruits, nuts, and a touch of sweetness. It’s perfect for special occasions or the holidays, especially when you’re craving a rich, dense cake with lots of texture and flavor! This recipe will yield a giant 9 ½-pound fruit cake, so it’s ideal for sharing with family or at a large gathering.

Ingredients:

For the Cake:

  • 2 ½ sticks (1 ¼ cups) unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 ¼ cups sugar
  • 5 large eggs, room temperature
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2/3 cup whole buttermilk, room temperature
  • 4 ½ cups cake flour (or White Lily All-Purpose Flour), divided
  • 12 oz (about 2 cups) golden raisins
  • 1 ½ lb (about 3 cups) candied pineapple (see note below)
  • 1 lb (about 2 cups) candied red cherries (or maraschino cherries), halved
  • 1 lb (about 4 cups) roughly chopped pecans
  • 1 cup pecan halves, for the top
  • 8 oz candied pineapple, for the top

For the Pineapple Syrup:

  • ½ cup pineapple juice (syrup from canned pineapple works great)
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Instructions:

Step 1: Preheat Oven & Prepare the Pan

  1. Preheat your oven to 300°F (150°C).
  2. Prepare your Old Country Kitchenware square tube pan (or a 9-inch round tube pan) by fitting a square of parchment paper between the two pieces of the pan. Then, brush it with pan coating (such as Baker’s Joy or vegetable oil spray).

Step 2: Cream Butter & Sugar

  1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the softened butter and sugar together at medium speed until the mixture becomes light and fluffy—this should take about 6 minutes.
  2. Tip: Be sure the butter is softened to room temperature to achieve that fluffy texture. If it’s too cold, it will be hard to cream with the sugar.

Step 3: Add Eggs & Dry Ingredients

  1. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
  2. Beat in 2 ½ cups flour, vanilla extract, and salt until fully combined.
  3. In a separate bowl, combine the remaining 2 cups of flour and baking powder. Set aside.

Step 4: Add Buttermilk & Dry Ingredients

  1. Drizzle the buttermilk mixture (the 2/3 cup buttermilk) into the butter mixture while the mixer is running at low speed. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl and then mix for about 10 seconds.

Step 5: Prepare the Fruit & Nuts

  1. In the largest mixing bowl you have, combine:
    • Golden raisins
    • Candied pineapple
    • Candied red cherries (or maraschino cherries), halved
    • Chopped pecans
    • Remaining 2 cups flour
    • Baking powder
    Toss everything together to coat the fruits and nuts evenly with flour. This helps prevent the fruits from sinking to the bottom during baking.

Step 6: Combine Cake Batter & Fruit

  1. Fold the fruit and nut mixture into the cake batter gently using a spatula, ensuring that everything is evenly combined without overmixing.
  2. Tip: Be careful not to overmix the batter after adding the flour. Overmixing can cause the cake to become dense.

Step 7: Assemble the Cake

  1. Scoop the batter into the prepared pan, and use a spatula to spread it out evenly and smooth the top.
  2. Decorate the top with the pecan halves and additional candied pineapple slices. Press them lightly into the batter.

Step 8: Bake

  1. Bake at 300°F for 3 hours or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
  2. Tip: The low baking temperature ensures the fruit cake cooks evenly without becoming too dry. Don’t worry if it takes the full 3 hours, fruit cakes need time to bake through properly!

Step 9: Cool the Cake

  1. Let the cake cool in the pan for 3 hours, or until the center tube is no longer warm to the touch.
  2. Unmold the cake by placing the pan over a metal can and gently pushing down on the sides to release the outer piece.
  3. Turn the cake out onto a rimmed serving plate to catch any syrup drips.

Step 10: Prepare Pineapple Syrup & Finish

  1. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine:
    • ½ cup pineapple juice (from canned pineapple or fresh pineapple juice)
    • 1 cup sugar
    • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  2. Stir the mixture until the sugar is completely dissolved, then remove from heat.
  3. Brush or pour the syrup over the top and sides of the cooled fruitcake to give it a nice, glossy finish. Let the syrup soak in and harden for about 15 minutes before serving.

Notes & Tips:

  • Candied Pineapple: If you can’t find candied pineapple, use dried pineapple and rehydrate it by covering it with fruit juice (orange or pineapple juice works best) for 2-3 days in the fridge. After it’s rehydrated, drain it well and blot with paper towels before using it in the recipe.
  • Buttermilk: If you don’t have buttermilk, you can make your own by adding 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar to 2/3 cup milk. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes to curdle before using in the recipe.
  • Flour: For best results, use cake flour for a lighter crumb. If you don’t have cake flour, White Lily All-Purpose Flour is a great substitute, as it’s lighter than regular all-purpose flour.
  • Aging the Fruit Cake: Like most fruit cakes, this one improves with time. If you want it to be extra flavorful, you can wrap the cake in wax paper and foil and store it for 1-2 weeks before serving. It allows the flavors to meld together.

Serving Tips:

  • This Pineapple Pecan Fruit Cake is perfect for special occasions like Christmas, Thanksgiving, or any festive celebration. Serve it on its own, or pair with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream for extra indulgence!

Enjoy your beautiful, tropical Pineapple Pecan Fruit Cake — it’s sure to be a crowd-pleaser with its rich flavors and moist, dense texture. A true holiday or special-occasion showstopper! 🍍🎉

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