Pineapple 3-Layer Cake

(First posted 9/12/20, updated 9/17/21)

About twenty ago, Norm and I first visited Lanai, the smallest publicly accessible island in Hawaii. Herds of cattle had grazed there till the early 1920s, when the Dole Corporation turned the island into the largest pineapple plantation in the United States. The plantation was long gone by the time we visited and stayed in the former plantation manager's cottage. Only a few pineapple plants grew alongside the path leading to the front porch. 

The best pineapple cake I've ever tasted was made at a patisserie in a plaza near the border of Scarborough and North York when the subdivisions there were newly built. My mom loved that cake, but only splurged on one a couple times.  Remembering that, for her 88th birthday today on November 17, 2021,  I made a 3-layer pineapple cake. Not exactly the same as the patisserie's cake, but my mom said it's delicious too. I think it's one of the best cakes I've ever made. I used canned, crushed Dole pineapple.

Cake

For the cake: three 9" round cake pans.

Buy 398 ml (14 oz) cans of crushed pineapple (there will be a little left over) or if available, get two 20 oz. cans. 

Bake the cake layers and cook the filling the day before assembling, frosting and serving the cake.

Cake Batter

• 3/4 cup softened salted butter
• 2 cups white granulated sugar
• 5 egg yolks (large eggs)
• 3 egg whites (large eggs)
• 2-2/3 cups all-purpose white flour
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 3 tsp. baking powder
• 1 cup pineapple juice (drained from crushed pineapple)
• 3/4 cup crushed pineapple, well-drained
• 1 tsp. fresh-squeezed lemon juice
  

Filling

• 1 cup pineapple juice (drained from crushed pineapple)
• 3 Tbsp cornstarch
• 1/4 cup white granulated sugar
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 Tbsp. butter
• 2 cups crushed pineapple, drained

Frosting & Filling

• 2 cups cold whipping cream
• 6 Tbsp icing sugar

Method (Cake & Filling)

1. While eggs are still cold from the fridge, separate 5 eggs, placing all egg yolks in one bowl and 3 egg whites in another bowl. (Discard 2 egg whites or refrigerate them to use in another recipe.)
2. Leave the 5 egg yolks and 3 whites in their bowls on the counter to near room temperature.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
4. Line bottoms of three 9" round cake pans with parchment paper, grease and flour pan sides.
5. Sift the all-purpose flour and measure out 2 and 2/3 cups.
6. Re-sift the measured flour together with 1/2 tsp. salt and 3 tsp. baking powder.
7. Whisk to blend well, then set the dry ingredient mixture aside.
8. Drain the crushed pineapple, pressing juice through a sieve into a bowl or large measuring cup.
9. Combine 1 cup of pineapple juice and 1 tsp lemon juice. Set aside.
10. In stand mixer bowl, cream 3/4 cups softened (room temperature) butter with 2 cups white granulated sugar. Mix about 5 minutes or until mixture is paler in colour and creamy.
11. Beating well after each addition, add about one egg yolk at a time to the butter mixture until all 5 yolks are added.
12. Add the flour mixture to the butter/egg mixture alternately with the pineapple/lemon juice mixture, mixing batter until combined.
13. In a separate mixing bowl, with whipping attachment of mixer, beat the 3 egg whites until peaks form. (If egg whites don't form peaks, try mixing in 1/4 tsp. cream of tartar.)
14. With a spatula, gently pile the whipped egg whites on top of the batter, then fold the beaten egg whites into the cake batter.
15. Now fold 3/4 cup well-drained, crushed pineapple into the cake batter.
16. Divide the batter evenly into the 3 prepared cake pans.
17. Bake 30 minutes at 350 degrees, or until done.

When done, cake layers will appear golden, tester (toothpick) inserted into the middle of cake layer comes out clean. Cooling instructions for cake layers follow below.

While cake layers bake, prepare the filling.

1. Not over heat, in a non-stick saucepan, using a silicone whisk (if you have them) mix together until well-blended: 1 cup pineapple juice, 3 Tbsp cornstarch, 1/4 cup sugar, 1/4 tsp salt.
2. Place saucepan on stove over low to medium heat.
3. Cook, whisking constantly until mixture is thick.
4. Add 1 Tbsp butter and about 1-1/2 to 2 cups well-drained crushed pineapple (adjust quantity of pineapple if necessary, you want the filling to be thick and not runny with pineapple.) Mix.
5. Let filling cool, then cover and refrigerate until thoroughly cold.

When cake layers are done, remove pans from oven.

1.  Let pans cool on racks about 5 minutes.
2.  Invert cake pans on cooling racks and let cool completely. Let the layers cool in the pans, upside down.
3. When cool, run a knife around the edge of the insides of the pans to loosen, then remove cake layers from pans.
4. Peel parchment paper from bottoms of cake before assembling layers.

Frosting

1. Refrigerate mixer bowl and whipping attachment of stand mixer until cold.
2. Add 2 cups cold whipping cream to the cold bowl.
3. Whip (beginning on low speed so liquid doesn't splatter) about 2 minutes.
4. Add 6 Tbsp icing sugar, continue to whip until cream thickens.
5. Remove prepared the pineapple filling from refrigerator.
6. Mix 1/2 cup whipped cream into the filling.
7. Set aside the rest of the whipped cream to frost the cake.

Assembly

1. Place one layer of cake on a plate or cake stand.
2. Spread half the pineapple filling over top.
3. Add a second cake layer and top with the rest of the filling.
4. Add the third layer.
5. Using a flat icing spatula, cover the top and sides of the cake with the whipped cream.
6. Sprinkle the top of the cake with sliced toasted almonds if desired.

Refrigerate the assembled cake, then cut and serve.