Pineapple Cream Cake

Looking for an easy cake recipe to try? This Pineapple Cream Cheese cake starts with a box cake mix, but has 4 delicious layers. A sprinkle of nuts are optional!

Can you tell we like pineapple around here? After sharing a pineapple poke cake, 7up cake and walnut pineapple cake, you’d think that would be enough. But no. Today we have another one!

Pineapple Cream Cake.

Pineapple Cream Cake with cream cheese and whipped cream on a plate

Why is pineapple SO GOOD to bake with? It not only adds flavor, but adds so much moisture too. It makes those cakes soft, fluffy and simply amazing.

4 Layer Pineapple Cream Cake

This cake starts with a box cake mix, but the layers make it over the top and better than store-bought. No one will guess that you started with a box cake mix!

Here’s the layers:

  • Yellow Cake
  • Cream Cheese & Pudding Mix
  • Crushed Pineapple
  • Cool Whip

You can add nuts to the top if you’d like. My kids prefer it when I don’t, so my husband just adds nuts to his own slice when serving.

three layer Pineapple Cream Cake in a baking pan

How to Make Pineapple Cake

This cake is pretty straightforward, but here’s a few hints:

  • Choose your favorite yellow box cake mix. Just make sure it will fill a 9×13 baking pan. While you are in the store, make sure you have the ingredients to make the cake as instructed on the back of the box because they are not listed below.
  • Make the cake and let it cool.
  • Drain the pineapple, but save the juice. You’ll need a total of 1 ½ cups of liquid for the pudding layer. If you don’t end up with enough pineapple juice from draining the pineapple, add enough milk to equal 1 ½ cups.
  • Blend the juice with the softened cream cheese. It may not be totally smooth and that’s ok!
  • Use sugar free pudding and fat free Cool Whip to lower the calories. You could also use reduced fat cream cheese if you’d like.
  • Layer the cake: cake, cream cheese pudding, pineapple and whipped topping.
  • If you don’t like using Cool Whip, make your own homemade whipped cream for the top.
Pineapple Cream Cake on a plate with bite out of it

Does a cake with cream cheese need to be refrigerated?

If a cake has cream cheese in it, the rule is you should refrigerate it. This specific cake also has the whipped topping so you’ll definitely want to be sure you cover this cake and store it in the refrigerator.

Can you freeze pineapple cake?

Although we’ve eaten this cake after it was frozen, for the best results, do not freeze it. It can become slightly soggy once it is defrosted.

Pineapple Cream Cake with whipped topping on a plate with a fork

Other Cake Mix Recipes

Pineapple Cream Cake square image
Pineapple Cream Cake square image

Pineapple Cream Cake

4.39 from 13 votes
Looking for an easy cake recipe to try? This Pineapple Cream Cheese cake starts with a box cake mix, but has 4 delicious layers. A sprinkle of nuts are optional!
Servings 15
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Chill Time 3 hours
Total Time 55 minutes

Ingredients
 

  • 1 box yellow cake mix (plus ingredients on the back of the box)
  • 20 ounces crushed pineapple (reserve the juice) (1 large can)
  • 1 1/2 cups pineapple juice (from drained crushed pineapple)
  • milk (as needed)
  • 8 ounces cream cheese (softened)
  • 3.4 ounces vanilla instant pudding (or pineapple pudding) (1 small box)
  • 12 ounces Cool Whip
  • 1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Instructions
 

  • Bake the cake in a 9×13 baking pan according to package directions.
  • Drain the pineapple, but reserve the juice. Pour the reserved juice into a 2-cup measuring cup. Add enough milk to the juice to make a total of 1 ½ cups of milk/juice mixture.
  • Use a hand mixer to beat the milk/juice and the cream cheese together in a medium bowl.
  • Add the pudding mix and whip until the pudding has thickened.
  • Spread the cream cheese/pudding mixture over the cooled cake.
  • Top with drained crushed pineapple.
  • Spread Cool Whip overtop the whole cake.
  • Sprinkle with nuts if desired.
  • Cover and refrigerate at least 3 hours before serving.
  • Store any remaining cake in the refrigerator.

Notes

The calories shown are based on the cake being cut into 15 pieces, with 1 serving being 1 slice of cake. Since different brands of ingredients have different nutritional information, the calories shown are just an estimate. **We are not dietitians and recommend you seek a nutritionist for exact nutritional information.**

Nutrition

Calories: 297kcal | Carbohydrates: 50g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 20mg | Sodium: 357mg | Potassium: 156mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 31g | Vitamin A: 260IU | Vitamin C: 5.9mg | Calcium: 125mg | Iron: 1.1mg
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Calories 297
Keyword box cake mix recipe, cake mix recipe, easy cake, fruit cake, pineapple cake
Pineapple Cream Cake title image

About Julie Clark

We are Julie, Maddie, and Kinslee – a mother and daughter team sharing with you the best cakes to satisfy any need or sweet craving that you may have. Welcome to our family’s kitchen!

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