Pineapple Sunshine Cake
Pineapple Sunshine Cake – A light and fluffy pineapple-infused cake, topped with a sweet and creamy whipped cream frosting. This cake is always a crowd pleaser!
Today’s recipe is simple, easy, and delicious, y’all. I wanted to share it with you before the weekend because this would be the perfect, easy addition to your Easter spread.
I got this recipe from one of the lovely ladies I used to work with when we were living in Kansas. Let me tell ya, my midwestern friends are some UH-mazing cooks!
I always say that southern food is my comfort food, but ya know what? Kansas girls… now they know how to make some good food!
I love to make this Sunshine Cake for Easter or summer barbecues and it NEVER lasts for long. When I made it earlier this week, my son snuck a piece from the corner before I was able to photograph it.
He came running to me and said, “Mama! That cake is the best in the whole world!”
It was hard to be mad at him for cake-thievery with a sweet comment like that. He must be learning how to butter me up.
Have a wonderful Easter y’all!
Recipe: Pineapple Sunshine Cake
Ingredients
Cake:
- 1 box yellow cake mix
- 4 eggs
- 1/2 cup oil, (I used vegetable oil)
- 1 (8 oz) can crushed pineapple with juice
Frosting:
- 1 (8 oz) container whipped topping, thawed
- 1 small box instant vanilla pudding
- 1 (8 oz) can crushed pineapple with juice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x13 pan with cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, combine cake mix, eggs, oil, and 1 can of crushed pineapple with the juice. Mix well.
- Pour into prepared baking pan and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean. Allow to cool completely on a wire rack.
- In a medium sized bowl, fold together whipped topping, box of vanilla pudding, and 1 can crushed pineapple with the juice. Spread over the top of cooled cake. Enjoy!
Notes
If you like this Pineapple Sunshine Cake, then you might also like:
Skinny Chocolate Cake
hi this is judy— can you use pineapple cake mix?
I may sound silly for asking but you make the pudding as directed or fold it in dry?
Hi Michelle, you fold it in dry. Hope you enjoy the cake!
Glad I read they the comments, got all my answers. Sounds wonderful.
Glad you found your answers, Elaine!
Do you find it necessary to make adjustments for the relatively new, smaller size, cake mixes?
That’s a good question! I usually don’t pay attention to the size of the box that I buy when I’m making this, just so long as it’s a yellow cake mix. So I guess I haven’t really noticed any difference. I think the box I usually buy is about 15.25 oz.
Made this today. The center sunk in I think I may have used to much pineapple. I purchased a 20 oz can and split it. Do you know the equivalent to 8 oz is that I should of used.
I’ve never had it sink in before, so I’d say it may have been too much pineapple. If you split it in half, that would’ve been 10 oz each for the cake and the frosting, when each one only needs 8 oz. So it was probably just a little too much!
I had this happen once, also. But I think it was because the cake mix was an older one I’d had on the shelf for a while. Never had it happen with a freshly bought box.
Love pineapple think I will make this for my friend visiting from Iceland next week. Wonder if toasted coconut on the icing would taste alright.
I think toasted coconut would be divine, Jeanne! Hope you and your friend enjoyed this!
I have been Making this cake since the early 80’s, it is delicious, and it is better made at least a day ahead, the longer it sits the better it gets
So do you add the dry pudding in with the whip topping? Or does it need to be prepared first??
No worries, Nicole! Glad you found your answer. 🙂
I agree, the flavor just gets better with time! 🙂
Do you refrigerate the cake?
Hi Sheila, yes I usually refrigerate it!
Hi! My husband loves pineapple so i’m going to try this tomorrow, but do I use the pineapple with the juices? I know it doesn’t say to drain the pineapple but I just want to be sure. Thank you!
Hi Jo Ann! No need to drain the pineapple first. You’ll use the juice right along with the pineapple. Hope you enjoy it! 🙂
Does the pinapple need to be drained for the frosting? Getting ready to make this!
Hi BJ! Sorry for the late response. Just now seeing your comment! No need to drain the pineapple first!
What is the australian equivilent to Whipped topping ?
Hi Donna, I honestly could not tell you! Whipped topping is the same as Cool Whip, which is a very light and fluffy whipped cream. Hope that helps!
Instead of yellow cake mix try Strawberry…..and do everything else the same…..strawberry flavor goes well with pineapple
Instead of yellow cake mix try coconut…and do everything else the same
Instead of yellow cake mix try pineapple….and do everything else the same
Great recipe and so easy to change out and make differcent cakes with…
Nice ideas, Linda!
Ashlyn, Thank you so much for this recipe. I made this cake for my ladies’ group at church who got together tonight to catch up before our next Bible study starts. I love, love, love this cake. It’s so light and not overly sweet. Our small group’s leader said she ate two pieces in was so good. The mandarin orange substitution would be great, too. I’ll bet orange zest added to the frosting for the orange cake would be lovely.
I am thrilled to hear that all of you have enjoyed it so much, Susan! This cake continues to be a favorite no matter where I take it and I’m so glad you love it, too! Oranges would definitely be good here, too!
I made this recipe twice now as cupcakes and added toasted coconut to the top. They turned out amazing. Thanks for sharing!
Wonderful, Elise! The toasted coconut on top sounds awesome! So glad you’ve enjoyed the recipe! 🙂
i just put the cake in the oven. I’ve made the frosting before, and it works better if you mix the dry pudding with the pineapple before you mix in the Cool Whip. FYI, I’m making this all sugar free, The Pillsbury Sugar Free cake mix is great, as is the SF Jello pudding and SF Cool Whip. Yum, the cake smells so good!
How awesome that you made it all sugar free! Hope you enjoyed it, Susie!
container of whipped topping…like cool whip that has to be thawed first ?
Hi Karen! Yep, that’s exactly right. Hope you enjoy the cake! 🙂
Do you have to use a box cake mix? Could I use a recipe for yellow cake and just add the pineapple? I have fresh pineapple I need to use up so I was just going to throw it in the food processor to crush.
Hi Jennifer, I have never made this without the box mix so I’m not sure how it would turn out. I think the fresh pineapple would work just fine. Let me know if you give it a try. 🙂