What’s Cookin’ Wednesday: Tangy Pineapple Loaf Cake

Tim has to bring a dessert to school on Thursday, so I made this one.  The departmental theme for this pitch-in is Mexican Food, but this should be spicy enough to fit it.  It’s really a Texas cake, but nobody there need know that.  🙂

This loaf cake is best made a day or two ahead of time.  It’s one of those cakes that needs to “settle” for a while to be at its best when it’s sliced.

Cake Ingredients:

2 cups sugar (don’t use Splenda)

2 cups flour

2 eggs

1/4 cup oil

1 1/2 teaspoon soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 #2 can crushed pineapple (do not drain!)

1 2-ounce jar Texas Pineapple Habanero pepper jelly, minus one tablespoon

What to do:

Mix it all together, thoroughly.  Pour into a well-buttered large loaf pan.  Bake at 350 for about 40 minutes.  As soon as you remove the cake from the oven, prepare the icing.  Don’t let the cake cool first!!!!

Icing Ingredients:

1 stick butter

1 cup sugar (again, don’t substitute Splenda)

1 small can evaporated milk (not the sweetened kind)

1 cup chopped nuts

1 cup coconut

1 tablespoon Texas Pineapple Habanero pepper jelly (You’ve got it left from the cake ingredients, remember?)

What to do:

Put the butter, sugar, and canned milk in a medium saucepan and boil for EXACTLY six minutes.  Add the nuts, pepper jelly, and coconut and pour over the hot baked cake.

While it’s still hot, wrap the pan in foil, tightly.  Put it in the refrigerator.

In the morning, remove from fridge.  Remove cake from loaf pan, and set it on a plate.  Cover with foil or Saran wrap.  Take to pitch-in.  Tell everybody it’s Mexican cake, not Texas cake.

Stand back.

There won’t be any scraps brought home.

Remember, this cake needs to “settle” before you try to slice it.  Overnight in the refrigerator is the best way.  Stick it in there while it’s still hot.