Pineapple Layer Cake – Pineapple Gateau

This Pineapple Layer Cake is the perfect dessert for pineapple lovers. With early prepping, you can easily create this delightful dessert during the Holiday season for your family and friends to enjoy.

The Pineapple layer cake is a Sri Lankan favorite. Everyone who lives in Colombo will know what I am talking about, YES! It is the popular Pineapple Gateau that we buy at the Green Cabin Bakery.
This cake brings back many memories for us.

When it comes to making a layer cake, I don’t wait for an occasion to bake them. Layer cakes are my weakness. If given a choice, I would make them every day! It’s been a long time since I made this cake, so I decided to make it to bring back those childhood memories. This Pineapple layer cake has soft and moist layers of sponge cake filled with juicy pineapple and creamy chocolate buttercream, which is so delicious.

We are fruit lovers, and pineapple is one of our favorites. There are three kinds of pineapples that we can find here. Sri Lankan, Indian, and Philippine pineapples. The best tasting ones are the Sri Lankan and Indian pineapples. They are very juicy and have more flavor than the other kind.

I always use fresh pineapples for this cake, but canned crushed pineapple works well too. If you are using fresh pineapples, you can stew them a day in advance. However, if you are using canned crushed pineapples, save the juice for the cake.

How to make a Pineapple Layer Cake

Prep things early to make it easier. *All the ingredients should be at room temperature. Use 2 1/2 cups of canned crushed pineapple instead of fresh stewed pineapple. Baking time may slightly vary according to your oven. Test the cake after 30 minutes with a skewer to check whether it’s done.

• Preheat the oven to 170C and grease and line 2x 6 or 8 inch round tins.
• Separate the egg whites and yolks into two large bowls. 
• Melt the butter and cool it.
• Next, sift the flour and the baking powder together into a bowl and set aside. 

• First, beat the egg whites till stiff and gradually add the sugar. 
•  Next, add the yolks one at a time and beat until the sugar dissolves. 
• Now, fold in the sifted flour and baking powder very lightly. 
• Lastly, pour the cooled melted butter and 2 -teaspoons of vanilla extract. Fold until combined. 
• Spoon the cake mixture into the pan and spread it evenly. Bake for 30- 35 minutes or until cake tester/skewer inserted comes out clean. 
• Cool the cake in the pan for 10 minutes. Take it out after 10minutes and place it on a cooling rack. 
• Cover the cakes with a damp kitchen towel and cool completely. It helps the sponge to stay moist without drying. 

Assembling the cake

• Cut each cake horizontally to make two layers. Place one layer on top of a plate or cake stand.
•  Brush some pineapple syrup on the layer. Spread a thin layer of buttercream with an offset spatula and top it with 3-4 Tablespoons of stewed pineapple.
• Next, place the second layer, and brush with pineapple syrup, spread the buttercream, and top it with stewed pineapple.
• Repeat the same for the next layer and place the last layer top side down. Cover the cake completely with buttercream.
• Decorate the cake with chopped cashew and stewed pineapple.

Pineapple Layer Cake – Pineapple Gateau

Recipe by Ruwani Ravin KumarCourse: Dessert

Servings

10

servings

Prep time

40

minutes

Cooking time

45

minutes

Total time

1

hour 

25

minutes

Ingredients

• Butter Sponge Cake

• 6 large eggs separated

• 335g / 1 2/3 cup sugar

• 225g / 1 3/4cups + 1 Tablespoon flour

• 115g / 1/2 cup butter melted

• 2 teaspoon baking powder

• 2 teaspoon vanilla extract

• Stewed fresh pineapple

• 2 1/2 cups of finely chopped fresh pineapple

• 2 Tablespoons of sugar

• 2 Tablespoons water

• Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

• 250g / 1 cup + 2 Tablespoons butter

• 50g / 1/2 cup cocoa powder

• 500g / 4 cups powdered sugar/ icing sugar

• 2 Tablespoons / 30ml milk or double cream

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• For decorating

• 1/4 cup stewed pineapple

• 30g / 1/4 cup chopped cashew for decorating

  
  

Directions

• How to make the sponge cake
• *All the ingredients should be at room temperature.
• Preheat the oven to 170C and grease and line 2x 6 or 8 inch round tins.
• Separate the egg whites and yolks into two large bowls.
• Melt the butter and cool it.
• Next, sift the flour and the baking powder together into a bowl and set aside.
• First, beat the egg whites till stiff and gradually add the sugar.
• Next, add the yolks one at a time and beat until the sugar dissolves.
• Now, fold in the sifted flour and baking powder very lightly.
• Lastly, pour the cooled melted butter and 2 -teaspoons of vanilla extract. Fold until combined.
• Spoon the cake mixture into the pan and spread it evenly. Bake for 30- 35 minutes or until cake tester/skewer inserted comes out clean.
• Cool the cake in the pan for 10 minutes. Take it out after 10minutes and place it on a cooling rack.
• Cover the cakes with a damp kitchen towel and cool completely. It helps the sponge to stay moist without drying.
• How to stew the fresh pineapple
• Clean and chop the pineapple finely. In a small saucepan, add the chopped pineapple,2 Tablespoons of sugar, and 2 Tablespoons of water. Cook the pineapple on low heat for 10 minutes. Take off the fire and cool completely.
• Next, strain the syrup into a separate bowl and leave it aside.
• How to make the Chocolate Buttercream
• Use a stand mixer or a hand beater to cream the butter until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and cocoa powder and beat for a minute.
• Next, add powdered sugar and beat for 3 minutes. Scrape the bowl with a spatula a few times.
• Lastly, add in the milk / double cream and beat until soft and creamy for about 2-3 minutes.
• Assembling the cake
• Cut each cake horizontally to make two layers. Place one layer on top of a plate or cake stand.
• Brush some pineapple syrup on the layer. Spread a thin layer of buttercream with an offset spatula and top it with 3-4 Tablespoons of stewed pineapple.
• Next, place the second layer, and brush with pineapple syrup, spread the buttercream, and top it with stewed pineapple.
• Repeat the same for the next layer and place the last layer top side down. Cover the cake completely with buttercream.
• Decorate the cake with chopped cashew and stewed pineapple.