Autumn Spice Cake with Pineapple Flowers is a light, moist cake filled with warm notes of cinnamon and nutmeg that is covered with a velvety cream cheese frosting. To top it off, we add optional chopped pecans and edible pineapple flowers tinted with food coloring reflecting the beautiful colors of fall. This cake is perfect for those brisk fall days and bitter cold winter nights. Serve with a cup of hot coffee or warm apple cider…heavenly!
I love the rustic elegance the pineapple flowers add to this cake. Even though they take a few hours to dry and shape, they really are such a lovely touch. You may make these the day prior to assembling your cake and have them being “shaped” in muffin tins overnight. This way they are ready to go when you are ready to decorate!
Autumn Spice Cake with Pineapple Flowers Process
Even though we provide detailed instructions in the recipe below, the following is a general overview of the process along with some tips.
Pineapple Flowers
If using pineapple flowers for décor, you may want to begin with them as they take several hours to set. These flowers are made from slicing thin rounds from a pineapple and are completely edible. They can even be dyed with food coloring if desired.
Preheat oven to 200 degrees F. Remove outer shell of pineapple but do not core. Cut the pineapple into extremely thin slices and then use paper towels to extract as much moisture as possible from the slices. A mandoline can be extremely helpful in making thin slices however, it is not necessary. I did not use one when slicing mine and they turned out fine. But if you have one, it might speed up the process of drying because they will be thinner than if using a knife.
If using food dye to color them, mix dye with a tiny amount of water and brush onto slices. For the flowers on this cake, I used burgundy and red from this food coloring and orange from this gel set. The yellow flowers I did not color. Place tinted flowers on a wire cooling rack over a foil lined baking sheet and bake for 2-3 hours, or until almost completely dried. (You may need to flip them over half way through. Do not allow them to get too brittle or you will have trouble shaping them.)
After removing from the oven, place each into a mini muffin tin or some other small container to help mold the flowers into desired shapes. Depending on how dry your flowers are, shaping may take anywhere from half an hour to a few hours. (You may even prepare these the day prior to making your cake and allow to set overnight in the muffin tin.)
Prepare Pans
We use three 9-inch cake pans for this recipe but you may use other sizes/shapes and adjust the baking time accordingly.
For the 9-inch pans, grease them and line with parchment paper. Then, grease the parchment paper. Alternatively, spray cake pans with Pam Baking Spray (with flour). I always use cake strips when baking round cakes. They eliminate the need to trim your cake after baking because they produce level tops. If using cake strips, begin soaking them in water when you start prepping your ingredients. This will ensure they have absorbed enough when you are ready to use them.
Mix Cake Ingredients
In a medium bowl, we whisk together the dry ingredients and then set aside. Next, in a large mixing bowl, we beat together brown sugar, oil, and crushed pineapple. (You may substitute unsweetened applesauce for the crushed pineapple if crushed pineapple is not available to you.) Slowly beat in eggs, one at a time, mixing after each addition and then stir in vanilla. Add in half of the flour mixture and beat on low until just incorporated. Then, add the sour cream and the remainder of flour mixture. Mix until just combined. Do not over-mix.
Bake Cake
Wring out the cake strips and fit onto cake pans (if applicable). Next, pour the batter evenly into prepared pans and bake for 17-20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out with just a few moist crumbs. Let cool in the pans for about 5 minutes. Then, remove cakes from pans and let cool on cooling rack. Cool completely before frosting. (Note: If you cannot fit three 9-inch pans in your oven, it is okay to bake two at a time and the third after.)
Prepare Cream Cheese Frosting
Beat together cream cheese and butter in a large bowl using a handheld or stand mixer until smooth, approximately 3 minutes. Add in the confectioners’ sugar, salt, and vanilla. Beat on low until the sugar is incorporated (about 1 minute) and then increase the speed to medium and mix until fully combined. If the frosting is too thick, add a little milk until you reach desired consistency. If too thin, add a bit more confectioners’ sugar. You should be able to spread frosting but it should not be runny. This makes enough to cover a three-layer 9-inch cake.
Assemble Cake
Place the first layer of the cake on a cake stand or plate. Add an even layer of frosting and sprinkle 1/3 cup pecans. Add another layer, frosting, and 1/3 cup pecans. Finally, add the last layer and frost the top and sides. Add the remaining pecans and pineapple flowers as décor.
How Should I Store this Cake?
Because this cake has a cream cheese frosting, store covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. To keep cake that has been cut fresh, stick a piece of wax paper (or plastic wrap) on the exposed section prior to covering and storing.
Can Autumn Spice Cake be frozen?
Yes! This cake can be frozen frosted or unfrosted for up to 3 months. Be sure to wrap well and label with the cake name and date. When ready to use, thaw overnight in the refrigerator and then bring to room temperature prior to decorating or serving.
Tips
- Measure correctly – I highly recommend using a kitchen scale when baking. Because baking measurements need to be exact, using a scale helps to measure as precisely as possible. It quite honestly was a complete game changer for me when I first started using one! I would be lost without it now.
- Room temperature is important! When certain ingredients (eggs, cream cheese, butter, etc.) are listed as room temperature, there are scientific reasons behind this. At room temperature, these ingredients blend together better and result in a smoother batter. Ultimately, you will end up with a better final product!
- Level cakes – Whenever baking cakes in round pans, I use these cake strips to achieve a perfectly flat top instead of a domed top. This eliminates the need to trim the cake prior to decorating. They are very easy to use…simply soak them in water when you begin assembling your recipe. By the time you are ready to bake the cake, wring them out and place around cake pans. Perfectly level cakes…huzzah!
- Over-mixing – Take care to not over-mix the cake batter once the eggs have been added. When batter is mixed too much, it results in the gluten being activated. If this occurs, the cake may be dense and chewy.
- Checking too early – Try to not open the oven door too often while baking as this could cause issues with the cake rising. The sudden influx of cool air could actually stop the rising process and cause the cake to collapse.
- Three layer cakes – If you cannot fit three 9-inch pans in your oven, it is okay to bake two at a time and the third after.
- Pineapple flowers – These may be prepared the day prior to making your cake and allowed to set overnight in a muffin tin.
My Preferred Tools
You may already have many of these items in your kitchen. I recommend the following for this recipe:
- Kitchen Scale – precisely measure ingredients
- Stand Mixer – to mix batter
- Mandoline – not required but is useful for slicing pineapple
- Mini Muffin Tin – to help shape pineapple flowers
- Cake Pans – to bake cake
- Cake Strips – to achieve level cakes
- Cooling Racks – to cool cake and dishwasher friendly!!
- Cake Turntable and Spatulas – excellent for decorating cakes
- Wilton Decorating Kit – piping tips, bags, couplers, and more for decorating cakes
- Master Decorating Kit – ultimate cake decorating tip set
- Cake Scraper Set – use these to scrape icing and create fun, easy designs on your cakes
- Cake Boards – sturdy, cardboard cake boards used to pick up your cake
If you liked this recipe, try our
Autumn Spice Cake with Pineapple Flowers
Autumn Spice Cake with Pineapple Flowers is a light, moist cake filled with warm notes of cinnamon and nutmeg that is covered with a velvety cream cheese frosting. To top it off, we add optional chopped pecans and edible pineapple flowers tinted with food coloring reflecting the beautiful colors of fall.
Ingredients
- CAKE:
- 2 ¾ cups (340 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 ½ tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp nutmeg
- ½ tsp ginger
- 1 ¾ cups (370 g) light brown sugar
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 1 (8 oz) can crushed pineapple with juice
- 4 eggs, room temp
- 1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup (227 g) full-fat sour cream, room temp
- CREAM CHEESE FROSTING:
- 16 oz (2 blocks) full-fat cream cheese
- 1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter, softened
- 3 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 7 cups (840 g) confectioners’ sugar
- Pinch of salt
- 1 Pineapple for pineapple flowers, for décor, optional
- 1 cup chopped pecans, optional
Directions
- Step 1 PINEAPPLE FLOWERS: If using pineapple flowers for décor, you may want to begin with them as they take several hours to set. Preheat oven to 200 degrees F. Remove outer shell of pineapple but do not core. Cut pineapple into extremely thin slices and then use paper towels to extract as much moisture as possible from the slices. If using food dye to color them, mix dye with a tiny amount of water and brush onto slices. Place on a wire cooling rack over a foil lined baking sheet and bake for 2-3 hours, or until almost completely dried. (You may need to flip over half way through.) After removing from oven, place each into a mini muffin tin or some other small container to help mold the flowers into desired shapes. Depending on how dry your flowers are, shaping may take anywhere from half an hour to a few hours.
- Step 2 PREP: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease three 9-inch cake pans with vegetable shortening. Line the pans with parchment paper. Then, grease the parchment paper. Alternatively, spray cake pans with Pam Baking Spray (with flour). Soak cake strips in water if using them. If making cupcakes, line cupcake pans with 24 liners.
- Step 3 CAKE: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl, beat together brown sugar, oil, and crushed pineapple. Slowly beat in eggs, one at a time, mixing after each addition. Stir in vanilla. Add in half of the flour mixture and beat on low until just incorporated. Then, add the sour cream and the remainder of flour mixture. Mix until just combined. Do not over-mix.
- Step 4 BAKE: Wring out cake strips and fit onto cake pans (if applicable). Next, pour batter evenly into prepared pans and bake for 17-20 minutes for 9-inch pans or 18-22 minutes for cupcakes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out with just a few moist crumbs. Let cool in pan for about 5 minutes. Then, remove cakes from pans and let cool on cooling rack. Cool completely before frosting.
- Step 5 FROSTING: Beat together cream cheese and butter (be sure butter is not too soft) in a large bowl using a handheld or stand mixer until smooth, approximately 3 minutes. Add in confectioners’ sugar, salt, and vanilla. Beat on low until sugar is incorporated (about 1 minute) and then increase speed to medium and mix until fully combined. If frosting is too thick, add a little milk until you reach desired consistency. If too thin, add a bit more confectioners’ sugar. You should be able to spread frosting but it should not be runny. This makes enough to cover a three-layer 9-inch cake.
- Step 6 ASSEMBLY: Place first layer of cake on stand or plate. Add an even layer of frosting and sprinkle 1/3 cup pecans. Add another layer, frosting, and 1/3 cup pecans. Finally, add last layer and frost top and sides. Add remaining pecans and pineapple flowers as décor.
- Step 7 STORAGE: Store cake covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. To keep cake that has been cut fresh, stick a piece of wax paper or plastic wrap on the exposed section prior to covering and storing.
- Step 8 MAKE AHEAD: After cake has cooled completely, you can wrap the cake layers individually in plastic wrap and store at room temperature overnight. Frosting can be covered and stored in the refrigerator overnight. When ready to assemble, let the frosting warm slightly at room temperature and give a quick whip.
- Step 9 FREEZE: This cake can be frozen frosted or unfrosted for up to 3 months. Be sure to wrap well and label with the cake name and date. When ready to use, thaw overnight in the refrigerator and then bring to room temperature prior to decorating or serving.
- Step 10 NOTE: If you cannot fit three 9-inch pans in your oven, it is okay to bake two at a time and the third after.
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