Pineapple Pecan Cream Cheese Pound Cake

Ingredients

For the Cake

• 1 ½ cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 8 oz cream cheese, softened
• 3 cups granulated sugar
• 6 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup crushed pineapple, well-drained
• 1 cup chopped pecans

For the Glaze (optional)

• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 2–3 tablespoons pineapple juice or milk
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons chopped pecans, for garnish

Instructions

1. Preheat oven
   Set oven to 325°F (165°C). Grease and flour a 10-inch Bundt pan or tube pan.
2. Cream butter, cream cheese, and sugar
   In a large bowl, beat the butter and cream cheese together until creamy, about 2 minutes. Add sugar gradually and beat until light and fluffy, 3–4 minutes.
3. Add eggs and vanilla
   Beat in eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in vanilla extract.
4. Mix dry ingredients
   In another bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, and salt together. Gradually add to the creamed mixture, mixing just until combined.
5. Fold in pineapple and pecans
   Gently fold the drained crushed pineapple and chopped pecans into the batter with a spatula.
6. Bake
   Pour batter evenly into prepared pan. Bake for 75–85 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. If the top browns too quickly, tent loosely with foil.
7. Cool
   Let cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes before inverting onto a wire rack to cool completely.
8. Glaze (optional)
   In a small bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, pineapple juice (or milk), and vanilla until smooth. Drizzle over cooled cake. Sprinkle with extra pecans for garnish.

Storage

• Store at room temperature, covered, for up to 3 days.
• Refrigerate for up to 5 days.
• Freeze (unglazed) for up to 2 months; thaw overnight in the fridge.