I love making desserts that my mom or grandma made for me growing up. There is something so nostalgic about it. It makes me feel closer to them, and it also makes me happy to be passing down this recipe and memory to my own children. I love hearing what other people’s most nostalgic foods are. If you have a minute, I’d love to hear yours in the comment section
More Classic Recipes You’ll Love
- Chicken Salad with Grapes
- Shepherd’s Pie
- Classic No-Bake Cookies
- Chewy Chex Mix
- Classic Egg Salad Sandwich Filling
- Meatloaf Recipe…just like Mom used to make
STEP-BY-STEP PHOTOS FOR MAKING CLASSIC GRANNY CAKE
Frequently Asked Questions & Tips about How to Make Classic Granny Cake
Does the canned pineapple need to be drained?
No. What makes the cake so moist and tender is the juice from the canned pineapple.
Will it make a difference if I use margarine instead of butter?
Margarine is a good substitute for butter in this recipe, and the cake will still taste good.
Do you recommend doubling the brown sugar and pecan topping?
If you want a sweeter and crunchier topping, you can double the brown sugar and pecan mixture.
How should I store the cake?
You can store the cake on the counter or in the refrigerator covered with plastic wrap or in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days. You can also freeze the cake for up to 3 months. Make sure to let it completely cool before freezing.
Tips:
- If you don’t have a can of crushed pineapple, just take your can of pineapple tidbits, chunks, or rings and pour it into a food processor or blender. Pulse it until it has the consistency of crushed pineapple.
- Not a fan of pecans? Use walnuts instead.
- For the glaze topping, you can use 3/4 cup butter or 1/2 cup butter, depending on your preference.
- Poke holes in the cake with a knife before you pour the glaze on top to help it soak into the cake faster.
- Serve with whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Baker’s Tools:
- Cake:
- 1½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 eggs
- 1 (20 oz.) can of crushed pineapple, including juice
- ½ cup light brown sugar, packed
- ¼ cup chopped pecans
- Glaze Topping:
- ½ cup butter
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup evaporated milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Spray a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar, all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt.
- Next, add the eggs and the crushed pineapple, including the juice. Mix the ingredients together until well combined. Pour the batter into the prepared 9x13 dish.
- In a small mixing bowl, combine the brown sugar and the chopped pecans, and then evenly sprinkle it over the top of the cake batter.
- Place in the 350-degree oven and bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
- Next, prepare the topping during the last 5-10 minutes of baking to have it ready for when the cake is removed from the oven.
- In a medium saucepan add the butter, granulated sugar, evaporated milk, and vanilla extract. Bring to a rolling boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Once the topping reaches a rolling boil, remove from heat and immediately pour it over the hot cake.
- Let the cake cool for 30 minutes and serve warm, or you can let it completely cool while the glaze continues to soak into the cake.
- Store leftover cake covered on the counter or in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
- Enjoy!
Pineapple Recipes You've Gotta Try!
I absolutely do not need pictures of each step printed out and using up all my very expensive printers ink.
I was disappointed and did not print this recipe which looked delicious! 🙁
Hi Barb, I am sorry that yours printed that way, next time press print, then click on the step by step picture part that comes up with the recipe. It will bring up a little box with different choices in it. it will say print format and print styles. click print styles. then click where it says legacy print and it will bring up another option that says main floor. click that and then click try style it will then print without the pictures on it.
For something different, I made this cake for my husband’s 75th birthday. I did make a couple changes, using 1 cup sugar (I only had pineapple in heavy syrup). I only had pinapple rings, so I threw them in the blender. I also used cream instead of evaporated milk. It turned out delicious. My husband loves it and told me not to change a thing.
Hi, Charolette. Happy birthday to your husband! So glad he loved it. Great idea to put the pineapple rings in a blender as a substitute for canned crushed pineapple.