Pineapple Pound Cake

Oh my gosh. You are going to loooooove this cake. First, because it's deliciously sweet, moist, and tender. Second, because as the cake bakes, the sugar in the batter caramelizes and creates a crisp, sugary exterior. And lastly, because it's a pound cake - one of the easiest cakes on earth.

So why are pound cakes so easy to make? You basically need pantry staples - flour, sugar, eggs, butter, and a loaf pan - and you're good to go. The cakes are buttery and dense, and great for breakfast or dessert. In this recipe, I added pineapple juice and took ordinary pound cake to new heights. It's not too tart, not too sweet, and it's sublimely moist in the middle and slightly caramelized on the outside.

Why juice and not crushed pineapple? I use pineapple juice in most of my batters for cakes, quick breads and muffins (instead of crushed or diced pineapple) because I find that chunks of pineapple (even if they're small) tend to make the finished product crumble and fall apart. That's cool if that's what you're going for - a crumble cake.

Make sure you buy 100% unsweetened pineapple juice. I used 2 6-ounce cans.

Pineapple Pound Cake

Cooking spray
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened (1 1/4 sticks)
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
12 ounces 100% pineapple juice

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 9-inch loaf pan with cooking spray.
In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Mix well and set aside.
In a mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar together until blended. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Beat in the vanilla extract.
Beat in half of the flour mixture. Scrape down the sides of the bowl if necessary. Beat in the pineapple juice and remaining flour mixture.
Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until a wooden pick comes out clean or with little moist bits clinging to it.
Cool the cake, in the pan, on a wire rack before serving. Store leftovers in an airtight container or wrap the cake tightly in plastic wrap.

Serves 6-8