Moist and flavorful Preacher Cake is made with pineapple, coconut and pecans and topped with a sweet cream cheese frosting.
Preacher Cake is a beloved southern recipe that is perfect for serving company. The tender cake is sweetened with coconut and pineapple and topped with cream cheese frosting and crunchy pecans.
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Every good southern cook has a go-to dessert recipe for serving to company. Every great southern cook keeps the ingredients on hand in the pantry so it can be made at a moment’s notice. 😉
A Preacher’s Cake, or sometimes called a Preacher’s Delight Cake, is a southern recipe that was traditionally prepared when the preacher was coming over for a visit.
Preachers used to come calling without a lot of warning, so this was a last-minute type of dessert.
I grew up as a preacher’s daughter in the south, and therefore was the fortunate recipient of many delicious dishes and desserts prepared by our parishioners.
Sometimes these were served when they hosted us in their homes, sometimes brought to our home as a special delivery, and sometimes served at church potluck dinners.
I’ve also heard some people refer to this cake as a funeral cake because it’s a good recipe to make and take to grieving loved ones.
No matter what you call it, this is a delicious recipe you’ll want to keep tucked up your sleeve!
More Old-Fashioned Dessert Recipes to Bake Today:
- Granny Cake
- Buttermilk Texas Sheet Cake
- Pineapple Snack Cake
- Tomato Soup Cake
- Peanut Butter Cake with Chocolate Frosting
- Old-Fashioned Canned Carrot Cake
- Oatmeal Cream Pie Cookie Bars
- Triple Chocolate Bundt Cake
- Easy Butterscotch Cake
- Miss Betty’s Banana Sheet Cake
Is Preacher Cake The Same As Hummingbird Cake?
This preacher cake recipe is similar to another southern delicacy–the beloved hummingbird cake. However, preacher cake does not have bananas in it, as the hummingbird cake does.
If you aren’t a fan of bananas or don’t have any on hand, this cake is a great alternative because it’s essentially a hummingbird cake without the bananas.
How to Make Preacher Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
This easy southern cake is so flavorful and comforting.
Ingredients You’ll Need:
- Granulated sugar
- Vegetable oil
- Eggs
- Crushed pineapple
- Chopped pecans or walnuts
- All-purpose flour
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Ground cinnamon
- Shredded Coconut
- Cream cheese
- Butter
- Vanilla extract
- Powdered sugar
- Whipping cream
How to Make It:
(Full printable recipe is available below)
Make the Batter. First, you’ll combine flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in a small bowl and set aside.
Then, combine sugar and oil in a stand mixer. Add in the eggs and mix until combined. Add the pineapple and nuts and mix well.
Gradually adding the dry ingredients and mixing up until fully incorporated.
Bake the Cake. Next, you’ll pour the batter into a prepared cake pan and bake at 350F for 40-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Frost and Serve. Last, you’ll make the frosting while the cake cools. Combine butter, cream cheese, and vanilla until smooth. Slowly add in the powdered sugar until smooth. Add the whipping cream and mix until the frosting is fluffy.
Smooth the frosting over the cooled cake and top with chopped nuts before serving.
Notes and Adaptations:
- You can use walnuts or pecans, or you can leave the nuts out if you prefer a nut-free cake.
- You can leave out the coconut without compromising the recipe.
Recommended Equipment:
- Stand mixer or electric hand mixer with mixing bowl
- 9×13″ baking pan (I like this aluminum one and this Pyrex one)
Preacher Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
This old-fashioned preacher cake is a deliciously simple dessert that feeds a crowd!
Ingredients
- 2 cups white granulated sugar
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 3 eggs
- 20-oz can crushed pineapple, undrained
- 1 1/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts, divided
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 cup shredded coconut
- For the Frosting:
- 8-oz cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 2 TBSP heavy whipping cream
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F and grease a 9x13" cake pan.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix together the sugar and the oil on low speed.
- Add eggs and mix until combined.
- Add pineapple (plus the juice in the can) and 3/4 cup of nuts, mixing well.
- In a separate medium mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
- With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing just until combined. Stir in coconut.
- Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 40-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- While the cake cools, prepare the frosting.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and butter together until smooth.
- Add vanilla extract and mix to combine.
- With mixer on low speed, gradually add powdered sugar, mixing until smooth.
- Increase mixer speed to high and add in the heavy cream, beating for a couple of minutes until frosting is light and fluffy.
- Spread frosting on a completely cooled cake, then top with remaining 1/2 cup of chopped nuts.
Notes
You can omit the nuts if you need a nut-free cake. You can also omit the coconut if preferred.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
18Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 507Total Fat: 29gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 19gCholesterol: 59mgSodium: 369mgCarbohydrates: 58gFiber: 2gSugar: 40gProtein: 5g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and is not guaranteed for accuracy.
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