Hawiian Delight Cake

This tropical pineapple sheet cake has a trick up its sleeve: there’s no oil or butter in the batter. The juice from the undrained crushed pineapple provides all the moisture, which keeps the crumb dense and incredibly moist without any added fat.

Coconut and walnuts go straight into the batter, giving every slice pockets of nutty crunch and chewy sweetness. The batter will look thick when you mix it. That’s exactly right. Don’t thin it out.

Baked low and slow, this cake develops a golden top without drying out the center. Let it cool completely before frosting, because the cream cheese topping will slide right off a warm cake.

The frosting is a simple blend of cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla. Spread it thick once the cake has cooled fully for that rich, tangy contrast against the sweet pineapple base.

Pro Tips

• Use the pineapple juice and all. Don’t drain it. The liquid replaces oil in this recipe and keeps everything moist.
• Let the cream cheese and butter soften at room temperature before mixing the frosting to avoid lumps.
• Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack. No need to turn it out since this is a sheet cake meant to be served right from the pan.

Variations

• Toast the coconut and walnuts before adding to the batter for a deeper, nuttier flavor.
• Add drained maraschino cherries on top of the frosting for color and a retro look.
• Swap walnuts for macadamia nuts to lean further into the Hawaiian theme.