Puerto Rican Pineapple Rum Cake

Name: Puerto Rican Pineapple Rum Cake
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 1 h 10 min
Total time: 1 h 35 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Puerto Rican
Ingredients: ½ cup packed light brown sugar; 1½ cups dark rum; ¼ cup unsalted butter; ½ whole pineapple; 1 cup unsalted butter; 2 cups sugar; 4 whole large eggs; 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract; 1 teaspoon dark rum; 2½ cups all-purpose flour; ½ teaspoon kosher salt; ½ cup crushed pecans; 1 serving vanilla ice cream; 1 piece square cake pan

A decadent and tropical dessert featuring rum-glazed pineapple slices topped with a buttery cake and crushed pecans. This rich cake is served warm with vanilla ice cream and extra rum glaze for an indulgent treat.

8 servings

2 hr

Published October 4, 2025

Be the first to rate this recipe

Ingredients

•½ cup packed light brown sugar
•1½ cups dark rum
•¼ cup unsalted butter
•½ whole pineapple
•1 cup unsalted butter
•2 cups sugar
•4 whole large eggs
•1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
•1 teaspoon dark rum
•2½ cups all-purpose flour
•½ teaspoon kosher salt
•½ cup crushed pecans
•1 serving vanilla ice cream
•1 piece square cake pan

Cooking Instructions

1.
Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350°F.
10 min
2.
In a small saucepan over moderate heat, combine the brown sugar and 1 cup rum, and bring to a simmer. Continue simmering, stirring occasionally, until reduced by about 1/3. Whisk in the butter. Add the pineapple slices, gently stirring to coat them in the glaze, then let them sit for about 3 minutes. Transfer the pineapple slices to the bottom of a 9-inch square cake pan, arranging them to cover the bottom.
15 min
3.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter and sugar and beat on high until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat on medium until fully incorporated. Add the vanilla and rum, and beat for 30 seconds. Fold in the flour and salt. Scrape the batter (it will be thick) over the pineapples in the pan. Sprinkle the pecans over the batter and bake until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean, about 1 hour and 10 minutes. Let the cake cool on a rack for 15 minutes then flip it onto a serving plate so that the pineapples are on top. DO AHEAD: The cake be baked in advance, covered, and kept at room temperature up to 10 hours.
85 min
4.
In a small saucepan over moderate heat, combine the rum glaze and the remaining 1/2 cup rum and warm until heated through. Cut the cake into squares and serve with vanilla ice cream and warm rum glaze.
10 min

Ingredients

•½ cup packed light brown sugar

•1½ cups dark rum

•¼ cup unsalted butter

•½ whole pineapple

•1 cup unsalted butter

•2 cups sugar

•4 whole large eggs

•1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

•1 teaspoon dark rum

•2½ cups all-purpose flour

•½ teaspoon kosher salt

•½ cup crushed pecans

•1 serving vanilla ice cream

•1 piece square cake pan

Cooking Instructions

Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350°F.

10 min

In a small saucepan over moderate heat, combine the brown sugar and 1 cup rum, and bring to a simmer. Continue simmering, stirring occasionally, until reduced by about 1/3. Whisk in the butter. Add the pineapple slices, gently stirring to coat them in the glaze, then let them sit for about 3 minutes. Transfer the pineapple slices to the bottom of a 9-inch square cake pan, arranging them to cover the bottom.

15 min

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter and sugar and beat on high until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat on medium until fully incorporated. Add the vanilla and rum, and beat for 30 seconds. Fold in the flour and salt. Scrape the batter (it will be thick) over the pineapples in the pan. Sprinkle the pecans over the batter and bake until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean, about 1 hour and 10 minutes. Let the cake cool on a rack for 15 minutes then flip it onto a serving plate so that the pineapples are on top. DO AHEAD: The cake be baked in advance, covered, and kept at room temperature up to 10 hours.

85 min

In a small saucepan over moderate heat, combine the rum glaze and the remaining 1/2 cup rum and warm until heated through. Cut the cake into squares and serve with vanilla ice cream and warm rum glaze.

10 min