A Southern Grace: resolved to evolve?

January 6, 2011

resolved to evolve?

Yum

Nah, not really. I'm not a person who usually makes New Year's resolutions (except for that one time when I resolved to make a resolution--WIN!), but I'd like to share an impromptu decision I made around the first of the year.


I'll now be striving to appreciate a cake for more than just the frosting that bedecks it, a noble goal for this sugar-loving girl, to be sure.

So, you ask, what caused the sudden change of heart? A very special cake indeed. Laden with pecans and pineapple (and interestingly, no fatty fats of which to speak), the texture and degree of moistness in this treat make frosting completely unnecessary. Yeah, I said it.


If you don't think you can match my feat of strength here (she says sarcastically, knowing that the next dessert she made was a batch of brownies coated with butterscotch goo), a fitting frosting would be cream cheese. Mmm...cream cheese frosting. This may be harder than I thought.

Pineapple Pecan Party Cake (Sugar Blanket Not Required)
2 cups sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 cup chopped pecans
2 eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 can (20 ounces) crushed pineapple, undrained

Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 13x9-inch pan or 2 9-inch round pans.
In a large bowl, combine the sugar, flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and pecans. Combine eggs, vanilla, and pineapple; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Pour into prepared pan(s) and bake for until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean--32-38 minutes for a 13x9-incher or 24-30 minutes for the rounds. Cool completely on a wire rack.

69 comments:

cupcakegirl said...

I like to try and mix it up inbetween making cakes slathered with frosting and those devoid

J e l e n a said...

Yes, a cake does not a frosting make.
Happy New Year and many more great recipes this year!

Rosa's Yummy Yums said...

I also never make any New Year resolutions...

That cake looks devilishly scrumptious!

Happy New Year!

Cheers,

Rosa

José Manuel said...

Que textura tan fantastica, esto se ve realmente delicioso.

Saludos

Joanne said...

I'm a big frosting lover as well. So for me to fall in love with an unfrosted cake...it takes a lot. This does look delicious though!

Lucie said...

Oooh! This cake looks amazingly super moist!

Rhondi said...

Frosting is my favorite part to a cake also, but this looks perfect as is. It's so moist. I'm saving this in my recipes!

Gloria Baker said...

I also never make any New Year resolutions dear Grace but I love your cake!! look awesome and delicious, Have a wonderful and happy new year! gloria

FOODESSA said...

Throughout most of my baking goodies, frosting is usually not part of the experience. However, that doesn't mean I don't enjoy devouring a quality topping ;o)

This cake does sound VERY scrumptious and I love pineapple, hence...the book marking!

Grace, my sweet tooth friend... here's wishing you the very best non-resolutionary year ever ;o)

Flavourful wishes,
Claudia

TKW said...

A moist cake without buckets-o-butter? You are a genius!

Valerie Harrison (bellini) said...

No Sugar Blanket for me either:D

vanillasugarblog said...

lolol party cake. you crack me up girl. so there's a party in the cake? heyyyy
happy new year chicklet!

Half Baked said...

that cake doesn't look like it's suffering from lack of frosting. It looks moist and delicious!

lisa is cooking said...

This reminds me of a pineapple cake my Mom used to make a lot. (It had cream cheese frosting.) Yours looks fantastic and definitely not in need of any further embellishment!

Lyndas recipe box said...

After I read your recipe Grace, I realized that I make this cake quite often, only I'm guilty of adding the cream cheese frosting....but this moist, gooey cake could stand alone as the pineapple adds so much flavor. It just gets better everyday!

Donna-FFW said...

I make something very similar and I do use cream cheese frosting.. :)GMTA!!

Looks fabulous, Grace!

Faith said...

Oh wow does this look enticing! And you're right, Grace, I think I could forgo the frosting on this little beauty!

DessertForTwo said...

I love that when most people are making resolutions to eat less cake, you are making one to eat more cake! You're my kind of girl :)

This reminds me a bit of hummingbird cake, with the crushed pineapple and pecans. Looks delicious :)

kimberleyblue said...

Happy New Year! Happy to see you're back to posting!

I'm surprised to see such a moist-looking cake has no fats, besides for the eggs. Looks so good, and just packed with pecans. Pineapple, pecans, cinnamon....nothing else is needed here!

Emily said...

Love this. Pineapple is in season, isn't it? Or maybe not... I had some at my parents' the other day and it was soooo good.

Hungry Dog said...

You had me at "party cake."

oneordinaryday said...

Who need frosting when the cake looks as delicious as this?

kat said...

See I am your opposite being more a fan of the cake than the frosting

A Plum By Any Other Name said...

Butterscotch goo? I give up! (In a good way.);)

The Blonde Duck said...

I'd have to load on icing. I'm a sucker for cream cheese frosting.

Pam said...

Excuse me while I wipe the drool off of my chin. YUM!

Barbara said...

Kind of a pineapple upside down cake, except not. Gooey, caramelly and oh my, my mouth is watering, Grace. Of course, it has cinnamon.....
Cream cheese frosting just might be overkill. Maybe.

Robin said...

This looks gooey and sweet. Perfect!!

Anonymous said...

Yum! pecan and pineapple sounds like an amazing combination, what a delicious cake!

shaz said...

What? No fat or frosting? Really?! Wow, you are very strong little grasshopper :) Happy New Year to you Grace, so glad you're back posting again :) I do enjoy my visits here, and I am sure I'd enjoy this cake (even without frosting) :)

Cara said...

mmm how about a cream cheese drizzle or glaze? Still not quite giving in to frosting... but cream cheese does make everything even better :)

btw, Happy New Year!

Mini Baker said...

wow! This looks so ooooey-goooey. LOVE THAT.
-mini baker

Lori said...

It sure does look like it can stand alone. I need to have some of that!

Dana said...

That looks like quite a cake! The sugary blanket of icing is somewhat like a security blanket to me, it is difficult to let go of.

Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella said...

Oooh now a cake without frosting? Is it at all possible? OK I'm willing to try this-in the name of research of course! ;)

Deborah said...

My husband hates frosting, so he'd love this one for sure!!

Erica said...

It looks awesome. Thanks for sharing!!!

Amanda said...

Ha! Love it. "Sugar blanket not required" You are the best!

sweetlife said...

I love frosting, but wow this cake looks killa!!

great recipe
sweetlife

giz said...

I like the resolution - I prefer this type of cake anyday and would gladly accept an invite for afternoon tea.
Happy New Year and here's to good cooking in 2011.

Marjie said...

Hubby is insistent that all cakes must have frosting. I delight in a cake like this without!

tamilyn said...

Please do not hurt me-I rather like my cakes with NO FROSTING. I know, what the hell is wrong with me. It almost looks like it is self frosted with the glittering pineapple and moistness *is moistness a word?*

Julie M. said...

Grace, This cake looks amazing! It's so moist and tasty that it doesn't even need frosting. Although I will say that if you slathered on a big knifeful of cream cheese goodness, I certainly wouldn't turn it away. :)~

Mary Bergfeld said...

Oh, my. This looks delicious. The pineapple was a surprise when I got to the recipe ingredients. Never would have guessed it was an ingredient from the picture. I hope you have a wonderful day, Grace. Blessings...Mary

LyB said...

Don't get me started on frosting, I'm always making more than I need because you know the frosting to cake ration has to be just so. ;) But, if there ever was a cake that might not need frosting, this one is it! Looks just fantastic, Grace! Happy New Year!

Katie@Cozydelicious said...

I'm a fan of frostingless cake myself, although my husband says it's not a cake if there is no frosting. But this looks lovely, and full of yummy fruitiness. Yum! And the name - party cake- is excellent.

Leslie said...

No need for frosting if it is delicious on it own. Yum

Ingrid_3Bs said...

I made a banana snack cake two nights which did not call for frosting just a sprinkling of powdered sugar and you would have thought I asked my kids to eat dirt! They, lovers of all things banana, said the cake was "okay". Brats. Your cake does look super moist and definitely like it doesn't need frosting.
~ingrid

pam said...

"No frosting required". That there is some mighty big words.

Carolyn Jung said...

Mmm, pecan and pineapples. You're right -- you don't need anything more with this moist and luscious cake.

Angie's Recipes said...

The combination of pineapple and pecan says it all. This looks absolutely heavenly!

MaryBeth said...

Resolutions..no way< I never do it so why bother with it. This cake looks amazing and I could eat at least half of it by myself.

Nic said...

I don't bother with resolutions either. Maybe I should make one though, to stop licking my screen whenever I come to your blog
Grace - I'm wearing it away!!
Happy New Year!

Hornsfan said...

Grace this looks fab! Thanks again for the yummy choco coupons :)

La Bella Cooks said...

New Year's resolutions are just a set up for failure. As soon as you tell yourself you have to do something, your mind becomes rebellious, so I avoid it altogether and don't even try to make one. But I will make this cake!

Albany Jane said...

Grace, you are the queen of sticky, gooey desserts. Frosting might be optional with this one - looks great.

Bren said...

awesome texture in this cake! happy new year.

Sarah said...

This looks so delicious and yummy. And easy to make, to boot. Thank you.

Velva said...

No New Year's resolutions here either!

The cake is stunning...Oh my!

Velva

La Cuisine d'Helene said...

Love your cake. Looks so full of calories and delicious :)

Mimi said...

I don't need resolutions, I need cake and this one will do just fine, of course I'll have mine with the sugar blanket!
Mimi

Xiaolu @ 6 Bittersweets said...

A cake without fat? This is a revelation! And resolving to make a resolution? LOVE IT! Happy New Year!

scrambledhenfruit said...

That pineapple makes it so moist, even without butter. No frosting needed here-Yum!

Anonymous said...

This cake looks delicious - all gooey and moist! Yummy. This going onto my 'make list'.

Kelly said...

I sweat, I don't think I'd know how to act it I wasn't the LAST one responding to your creations. It would just be weird ;). I knew that was a pineapple something before I flipped the page! Just made my mother pineapple upside down cheesecakes for her birthday, so I've had pineapple on the brain -- like frosting!

Laura said...

LOL. You sound like my mom. I prefer cakes sans frosting for the most part--it drives my mom crazy. :) Great looking cake...

grace said...

The picture alone makes my mouth absolutely water! I have to remember this..

a frog in the cottage said...

I'M GOING COMPLETELY NUT FOR THAT OUTRAGEOUSLY DELICIOUS CAKE !! DON'T CARE ABOUT FROSTING OR NOT FROSTING, I WANT IT NOW !!!

Suze said...

I'm totally out of powdered sugar...so a cake that doesn't require frosting..RIGHT up my alley!!!