Sweet pineapple sunshine cake is a quick and easy potluck favorite dessert made with yellow cake mix, crushed pineapple, and a fluffy whipped pineapple frosting.
Why this recipe works
This pineapple sunshine cake couldn’t be easier to make. It’s essentially just a yellow cake mix that’s infused with crushed pineapple and its juices. You can take the easier route and top it with store-bought Cool Whip or make your own homemade stabilized whipped cream to mix together with a box of instant vanilla pudding and even more pineapple juice for a light and fruity frosting.
Ingredients you will need
Get all measurements, ingredients, and instructions in the printable version at the end of this post.
Ingredient Info and Substitution Suggestions
CAKE – What we love the most about this recipe is the convenience of its ingredients. Grab a yellow cake mix, oil, eggs, and a can of crushed pineapple with juice. The pineapple will give this cake incredible moisture and sweeten it up even further.
FROSTING – Wait to make the frosting until the cake is cooled, and then once it’s made, immediately spread it on the cake. This is because the frosting starts to set and stiffen immediately thanks to the instant pudding mix. For the frosting, you can use either homemade stabilized whipped cream or store-bought Cool Whip.
How to Make Pineapple Sunshine Cake
These step by step photos and instructions are here to help you visualize how to make this recipe. You can Jump to Recipe to get the printable version of this recipe, complete with measurements and instructions at the bottom.
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Spray the inside of a 9×13 inch baking dish with nonstick spray.
- Add the eggs, pineapple with juice, and oil to a large bowl and whisk to combine. Then whisk in the yellow cake mix.
- Pour the batter into the prepared dish and spread it out evenly.
- Bake until the cake is golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 25 to 35 minutes.
- Let the cake cool completely before frosting, about 1 hour.
- Once the cake is cooled, make the frosting.
- Strain the crushed pineapple. Reserve the juice for the frosting and the crushed pineapple for topping.
- Add the pineapple juice, whipped cream, and vanilla pudding mix to a large bowl. Whisk or beat to combine.
- Immediately spread the frosting evenly on the cooled cake. Sprinkle the crushed pineapple on top.
Frequently Asked Questions & Expert Tips
Store pineapple sunshine cake sealed with an air-tight lid or tightly wrapped with plastic wrap in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Yes, you can freeze this cake. Don’t add the frosting until you are ready to serve, it’s easy enough to whip up the day of.
Serving Suggestions
Pineapple sunshine cake is the perfect dessert for Easter, potlucks, barbecues, and summer gatherings. Serve at room temperature or chilled, whichever way you prefer! Optionally top with shredded coconut if desired and enjoy.
More Pineapple Recipes
- Pineapple Cake
- Pineapple Poke Cake
- Pineapple Quick Bread
- Pineapple Dream Dessert
- Pineapple Upside Down Bundt Cake
- Pineapple Pound Cake
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Pineapple Sunshine Cake
IMPORTANT – There are often Frequently Asked Questions within the blog post that you may find helpful. Simply scroll back up to read them!
Print It Rate It Text ItIngredients
Cake
- 4 large eggs
- 8 ounces crushed pineapple with juice, 1 can
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 15.25 ounce yellow cake mix
Frosting
- 8 ounce crushed pineapple 1 can
- 4 cups whipped cream like Cool whip or homemade stabilized whipped cream
- 3.4 ounce instant vanilla pudding mix 1 box, dry mix only, do not prepare the pudding
Things You’ll Need
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Spray the inside of a 9 by 13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray.
- Add the eggs, pineapple with juice, and oil to a large bowl, and whisk to combine. Then whisk in the yellow cake mix.
- Pour the batter into the prepared dish and spread it out evenly.
- Bake until the cake is golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 25 to 35 minutes.
- Let the cake cool completely before frosting, about 1 hour.
- Once the cake is cooled, make the frosting.
- Strain the crushed pineapple. Reserve the juice for the frosting and the crushed pineapple for topping.
- Add the pineapple juice, whipped cream, and dry vanilla pudding mix to a large bowl. Whisk or beat to combine.
- Immediately spread the frosting evenly on the cooled cake. Sprinkle the crushed pineapple on top.
Expert Tips & FAQs
- A few lumps in the batter are fine. For the best texture, be careful not to over-mix.
- Wait to make the frosting until the cake is cooled, and then once it’s made, immediately spread it on the cake. This is because the frosting starts to set and stiffen immediately because of the instant pudding mix.
- For the frosting, either stabilized whipped cream or store-bought Cool Whip work well.
- If you want to use Cool Whip, you would need approximately 12 ounces. That’s 1 1/2 of the regular sized containers.
Nutrition
Amanda Davis
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Barb says
Can I use Cook & Serve Pudding?
Amanda Formaro says
Possibly? We haven’t tested that, however should you decide to experiment we would love to hear your results!
Lisa Lambert says
Butter golden Duncan Hines is Delicious. I also use Pineapple cake mix with crushed pineapple, placed whipped topping with crushed Pineapple and decorate with pineapple rings with cherries in middle. It’s a fun take on pineapple upside down cake.
It’s always good to bring eggs to room temperature before mixing, being sure not to overmix!
Mandarine oranges are good in cake and decorate with sliced Oranges …Just Stunning!
Sonya says
I cannot find an 8 oz can of crushed pineapple anywhere. The smallest can I found is 20oz. So what do I use?
Amanda Formaro says
You can just use half that 20 oz can
Jackie says
I made the recipe yesterday but did it in two 8” round pans and stacked it. There was plenty of frosting for the middle and on top. It was delicious I will definitely make this one again.
Marge says
Should I refrigerate after frosting
Amanda Formaro says
You can keep it at room temperature for a few hours, but after that it should be refrigerated.
Susie says
Wow–This cake was heaven! Brought it to a birthday shindig & everyone raved! Thanks for sharing such a delicious (and easy!) recipe!
Diane B. says
How much pinnacle goes in the cake batter out of the 8once can …do you split it 5050 cake and frosting ?
Amanda Formaro says
If you take a look at the recipe ingredients you will see that a full 8 ounce can goes into the cake batter, and a full 8 ounces (drained) goes into the frosting. The two cans are listed separately in both. Hope that helps!
Cake:
4 large eggs
8 ounces crushed pineapple with juice, 1 can
1/2 cup vegetable oil
15.25 ounce yellow cake mix
Frosting:
8 ounce crushed pineapple 1 can
4 cups whipped cream like Cool whip or homemade stabilized whipped cream
3.4 ounce instant vanilla pudding mix 1 box, dry mix only, do not prepare the pudding
Meme says
This recipe calls for 32 ounces of cool whip (4 cups). Isn’t that a lot for this size cake?
Amanda Formaro says
It calls for 4 cups, not 32 ounces. 32 ounces is ONLY equal to 4 cups in liquid form. :)
Martha H. says
I have made your cake 5 times already and my husband and kids love it! Thanks for the recipe!!!
Jessica Taylor says
I had a lot of crushed pineapple so I folded some into the frosting. Sooooo good. Thanks for the easy to follow stabilized whipped cream recipe. So much better than cool whip. I made this sugar free using sugar free cake mix and Splenda in my frosting instead of powdered sugar. I also used sugar free vanilla pudding. So good. Perfect summer dessert
Kay says
I believe adding about one cup more pineapple (without the juice) to the cake before baking would be an improvement. Also, the instant pudding has too little liquid (juice) to fully incorporate well in the frosting.
Suzanne Craven says
Please tell me what sized can(s) of pineapple you use? How many oz or ml?
Thank you!
Amanda Formaro says
Hi hon. As stated in the recipe card “8 ounces crushed pineapple with juice”
Jenny says
This recipe is very good, however, after mixing the pudding and the sour cream together, and layering it on top of the cooled cake, I then put crushed pineapple, and as a frosting I topped it with Cool Whip, and then refrigerate. The cake is simply delicious!
Tammy says
Hi Jenny,
I am trying this recipe for the first time and I did not see cream cheese listed in the ingredients. Did I miss something? It sounds good!
Amanda Formaro says
Hi Tammy. Jenny said sour cream, but I believe she meant whipped cream. There’s no sour cream or cream cheese in the recipe.
Wanda says
I make this but I use applesauce instead of oil. And I put mandarin oranges in the cake part and the pineapple in the frosting.
Elizabeth says
Best ever its a family tradition for the holidays!! My grandma always used to make it
Jen says
I’ve made this before and it’s one of my favorite recipes. Super light and refreshing for a hot summer evening dessert. I like to add mandarin juice from a can of mandarin oranges to the frosting as well as a little bit of shredded coconut
Judy Warren says
Can this be made in a bunt pan .
Kristen Formaro says
Hi Judy, we have not tested this recipe in a bundt pan so I can’t say for sure. I think the biggest issue is that the batter may not fill up the pan properly, and the bake time will definitely differ from baking it in a 13×9. Please let us know if you decide to experiment!
Lyn Burnett says
Can pineapple cake mix be okay I have several luck with this cake mix
Amanda Formaro says
We haven’t tested that, but I would imagine it would be fine
Dee says
DELICIOUS!!!
Sheila says
Can a butter golden Duncan Hines cake mix be used?
Amanda Formaro says
Yes I’m sure that would be fine