Pineanna Nut Cake

If you’ve ever had a hummingbird cake, you already know this one. Pineanna nut cake is the same beloved Southern classic: a three-layer oil-based cake loaded with bananas, crushed pineapple, pecans, and cinnamon, topped with thick cream cheese frosting. It’s one of the most requested cakes at church suppers and potlucks across the South for good reason.

The “stir, don’t beat” instruction is the most important line in this recipe. Oil-based cake batters don’t need the air that creaming butter provides. Beating develops gluten and creates a tough, dense crumb. Just stir until the dry ingredients are moistened and the fruit is folded in, then stop. The oil and eggs provide all the structure you need.

Two cups of chopped bananas and a can of crushed pineapple (juice and all) make this cake extraordinarily moist. The pineapple juice creates steam during baking that keeps the crumb tender, while the fruit pieces add pockets of sweetness throughout. Using the juice is not a mistake. That extra liquid is factored into the recipe’s balance.

The cream cheese frosting is the classic pairing: softened cream cheese and butter beaten with powdered sugar and vanilla until fluffy. It’s tangy enough to offset the sweetness of the cake and rich enough to hold between three layers.

Chef Tips

• Use very ripe bananas with plenty of brown spots. They mash easily and add more sweetness and banana flavor than firm ones
• Don’t overmix the batter. A few small lumps of flour are fine and disappear during baking
• Cool the layers completely before frosting or the cream cheese melts and slides right off
• Refrigerate the finished cake. The cream cheese frosting needs to stay cold, and the flavors actually improve overnight

Variations

• Toast the pecans in a dry skillet before adding to the batter for a deeper, nuttier flavor
• Add ½ cup of shredded coconut to the batter for a tropical twist
• Use a pineapple cream cheese frosting by blending a few tablespoons of well-drained crushed pineapple into the frosting