This old-fashioned Granny Cake recipe is easy to make with ingredients you have in your pantry and comes out perfectly every time.
Even if your grandmother never made this pineapple sweetened granny cake, it’s easy to see why it’s been a beloved recipe for generations.
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Recipes that stand the test of time often do so because they are simple and incredibly delicious.
There is nothing pretentious about granny cake. It’s made with common ingredients, isn’t overly sweet, and will remind you of simpler times.
Make no mistakes; this isn’t a pineapple cake. The crushed pineapple used in this recipe almost disappears into the background, adding just the right amount of sweetness and moisture, leaving a hint of pineapple flavor (but definitely not stealing the show!).
The glaze poured over the top provides a gooey yumminess with a hint of crunch. The whole cake is just pure and simple goodness.
If you are a fan of old-fashioned desserts, homemade granny cake will be sure to satisfy your cravings and make you want to hug your grandmother.
You’ll love these old fashioned desserts:
- Old-fashioned Canned Carrot Cake
- Buttermilk Texas Sheet Cake
- Vanilla Mayonnaise Cake
- Easy Preacher Cake
- Peanut Butter Cake with Dark Chocolate Frosting
- Oatmeal Cream Pie Cookie Bars
- Pineapple Snack Cake
How to Serve Granny Cake
Enjoying this cake with your grandmother or serving it to your own grandchildren is a lot of fun.
If that’s not possible, serve up a slice for some of your best girlfriends and sip on hot tea and coffee as you reminisce about the good ol’ days.
Granny cake tastes great warm or cold and is perfect for bringing to a pot luck. It is also delicious served with a dollop of whipped cream, so be sure to serve some along side.
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How to Make Homemade Granny Cake
It’s really easy and made with ingredients you have on hand…
Ingredients You’ll Need:
- Crushed pineapple in juice
- Eggs
- Vanilla extract
- All-purpose flour
- White granulated sugar
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Pecans or walnuts
- Brown sugar
- Evaporated milk
- Unsalted butter
- White granulated sugar
- Vanilla extract
How to Make It:
(Full printable recipe is available below)
Prepare the cake batter. First, you’ll combine pineapple, juice, eggs, flour, sugar, baking soda and salt, mixing to create the cake batter.
Pour the batter into a prepared 9×13 cake pan.
In a separate bowl, combine the brown sugar and nuts and sprinkle over the top of the cake.
Bake the cake. Next, you’ll transfer the cake pan to a preheated 350F oven and bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
During the last 5-10 minutes, prepare the glaze by combining evaporated milk, butter, sugar, and vanilla in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir frequently until the butter is melted and sugar is dissolved.
Glaze and Serve. Last, you’ll remove the cake from the oven and pour the glaze over the top. Some of the glaze will soak into the cake and some will pool on top.
Let it cool for at least 30 minutes before serving. This allows the glaze to start to crystallize a bit and harden slightly.
You can serve warm, while the glaze is still soft, or you can let it cool completely before serving.
Recommended Equipment:
- 9×13″ Cake Pan (I like this aluminum pan or this Pyrex dish)
Homemade Granny Cake
This old-fashioned Granny Cake is an easy yet mouthwatering homemade dessert!
Ingredients
- For the Cake:
- 20-oz can crushed pineapple in juice, UNDRAINED
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup white granulated sugar
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- For the Glaze:
- 1/2 cup evaporated milk
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup white granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F and lightly grease a 9x13" cake pan.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine pineapple and juice, eggs, flour, granulated sugar, baking soda, and salt. Mix until well-combined.
- Pour batter into prepared cake pan.
- In a small bowl, combine brown sugar and walnuts or pecans. Sprinkle mixture evenly over the cake batter.
- Transfer cake pan to the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- During the last 5-10 minutes of baking, begin preparing the glaze by combining evaporated milk, butter, sugar, and vanilla in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until butter is melted and sugar has dissolved.
- Once the cake is out of the oven, pour the warm glaze over the hot cake and let set at least 30 minutes before cutting (if you want to serve it warm). Otherwise, allow to cool completely so the glaze can soak in more and harden slightly on top.
Notes
You can add some shredded coconut to the glaze if desired, or sprinkle it on top of the cake after adding the glaze. Pop under the broiler to toast the coconut slightly.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
20Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 221Total Fat: 8gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 33mgSodium: 174mgCarbohydrates: 36gFiber: 1gSugar: 26gProtein: 3g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and is not guaranteed for accuracy.
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