12 to 15 servings
YouTube instructional video is at the bottom.
What you’ll need
Cake flour or all-purpose flour
Sugar
Salt
Baking powder
Baking soda
Unsalted butter (Room temp)
Large eggs (Room temp)
Heavy whipping cream (Room temp)
Pineapple juice (Room temp)
Freeze dried pineapple
Vanilla extract
Butter extract
Pineapple extract
Creme of tartar
Yellow gel paste or liquid food coloring
Confectioner’s sugar
Tools you’ll need
Two 9-inch round cake pans
Baker’s joy non-stick baking spray
Small food processor
Offset spatula
Preparation of ingredients
Pineapple powder
Step 1- Add 1.2 ounces freeze-dried pineapple into a small food processor. Blend for 1 to 2 minutes or until the mixture turns into a powder.
Dry ingredients (Cake flour or all-purpose flour mixture)
Step 2- Sift 2 and 1/4 cups cake flour or all-purpose flour, 1 ounce in weight pineapple powder, 1 teaspoon baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon baking soda into a medium-sized bowl. Stir all ingredients together and set aside.
Wet ingredients (Pineapple cream mixture)
Note- Ingredient amounts for the heavy whipping cream and pineapple juice will vary if you are using cake flour or all-purpose flour.
Step 3- If you are using cake flour, add 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream (Room temp), and 3/4 cup pineapple juice (Room temp). If you are using all-purpose flour add 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream (Room temp), and 1/2 cup pineapple juice (Room temp). Next add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon butter extract, 2 teaspoons pineapple extract, and 1/4 teaspoon yellow gel paste or liquid food coloring into a separate medium-sized bowl. Stir all ingredients together with a whisk until combined.
Cake batter
Step 4- Add 2 sticks unsalted butter (Softened and at Room temp), and 2 and 1/4 cups sugar into stand mixer bowl fitted with paddle attachment. You can also use a hand mixer as well. Mix on high speed for 6 minutes. Scrape down sides of mixing bowl.
Step 5- Add 4 large eggs (Room temp) one at a time while mixing on a medium speed. Scrape down sides of bowl.
Step 6- Alternate the (Cake flour or all-purpose flour mixture) and the (Pineapple cream mixture) into the batter 3 separate times. Mix on a medium low speed each time for 15 to 20 seconds or until combined. Scrape down sides of bowl after mixing the batter each time.
Spray two 9-inch round cake pans with the Baker’s joy non-stick baking spray.
Preheat oven to 325-degrees F.
Step 7- Add prepared cake batter into two 9-inch round cake pans. Spread the batter around the baking pans as evenly as possible using the back of a spoon. Shake the baking pans slightly to make the batter more even.
Step 8- Place into a preheated 325-degree oven on the middle rack for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, remove the cakes from the oven. Toothpick inserted into each cake layer should come out clean. Let the cake layers cool for 2 to 3 hours before removing them from the baking pans.
Pineapple meringue buttercream frosting
Step 9- Separate 3 egg whites from 3 egg yolks. Place the egg whites into a medium-sized stainless-steel bowl and place the egg yolks into a separate small container. You can make some ice cream with the egg yolks.
Step 10- Add 2/3 cup sugar into the stainless-steel bowl with the egg whites in it. Stir all ingredients together.
Tempering the egg whites
Preheat fire to medium heat.
Step 11- Add 2 cups water into a small pot and let the water come to a simmer. Add the stainless-steel bowl with the egg whites and sugar in it on top of the small pot. Insert a thermometer into the egg whites. Stir the egg whites continuously until the temperature of the thermometer reaches 120 degrees F.
Step 12- Turn your fire off and quickly remove the stainless-steel bowl with the egg whites and sugar in it from the top of the stainless-steel bowl and place it on top of your table. Add 1 teaspoon creme of tartar. Stir all ingredients together until combined. Let cool for 10 minutes.
Making the meringue
Step 13- Add cooled egg whites and sugar mixture into stand mixer bowl fitted with the whisk attachment. You can also use a hand mixer as well. Mix on high speed for 5 to 7 minutes or until meringue reaches stiff peaks.
Assembling the frosting
Step 14- Add 1 stick unsalted butter (Softened and at room temp), and 1 cup confectioner’s sugar. Mix on a medium low speed for 30 seconds to 1 minute or until combined. Scrape down sides of bowl.
Step 15- Add 1 stick unsalted butter (Softened and at room temp), and 1 cup confectioner’s sugar. Mix on a medium low speed for 30 seconds to 1 minute or until combined. Scrape down sides of bowl.
Step 16- Add 1/2 stick unsalted butter (Softened and at room temp), 1/2 cup confectioner’s sugar, 1/2 teaspoon pineapple extract, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, and 1/2 teaspoon butter extract. Mix on a medium low speed for 30 seconds to 1 minute or until combined. Scrape down sides of bowl. Mix again on high speed for 3 to 4 minutes or until the frosting thickens.
Step 17- Add 2 teaspoons pineapple powder and 1/4 teaspoon yellow gel paste or liquid food coloring. Mix on high speed for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of your bowl.
Frosting troubleshoot– If your frosting is slightly runny, do not decorate your cake. Place the bowl with the frosting and the paddle attachment on it and place it into the fridge or freezer for 10 to 15 minutes. Once done place the mixing bowl back onto the base of your stand mixer. Mix on high speed for 1 minute or until the frosting thickens.
Decorating your cake
Step 18- If your cake layers have a dome on the top of them, trim off the domed section off the top of each cake layer.
Step 19- Spread a small amount of the pineapple meringue buttercream frosting on a cake serving pad. This will prevent the cake from moving. Place the first cake layer on top of the cake serving pad and press down with your hands.
Step 20- Add 1 and or 1/2 cups of the pineapple meringue buttercream frosting on top of the cake layer. Spread the frosting around the cake layer as evenly as possible with a spatula. Place the second layer of cake on top and press down slightly.
Step 21- Spread a very small amount of the pineapple meringue buttercream frosting on top and onto the sides of the cake. This is called the crumb coat. It prevents cake crumbs from appearing on the final frosting on the cake. Place the cake into the fridge or freezer for 15 minutes.
Step 22- Add the remaining amount of the pineapple meringue buttercream frosting on top of the cake. Spread the frosting around the top of the cake as evenly as possible with an offset spatula. As you are spreading the frosting around the top of the cake, the frosting will start of free fall down the sides of the cake. Spread the frosting around the sides of the cake as well until the entire cake is coated.
Step 23- Heat the offset spatula over and open fire on your stove until it’s warm. Glide the spatula onto the top and sides of the cake. This will make the frosting smooth on the cake. Once done the cake is done and ready to be served.
YouTube instructional video
