Pineapple Bundt Cake

May 2026. I am 67, and spring in Memphis is arriving with its usual lack of subtlety — everything blooming at once, the dogwoods and azaleas competing for attention, the air warm enough to sit on the porch again.

Rosetta beside me through the week, 42 years married, the steady pulse of this household, the woman whose opinions I pretend to resist and always follow.

Smoked chicken this week — rubbed simply, smoked at 275, the skin mahogany, the meat juicy. A humble cook that rewards attention the way a quiet person rewards listening. Uncle Clyde said, "Respect the bird." I respect the bird every time.

I sat by the smoker in the evening and thought about the chain: Clyde to me, me to whoever's next. The fire doesn't stop. The tradition doesn't break. The smoke rises. And I am here, 67 years old, tending what was given to me, passing what I can. That is the work. That is the whole work.

When the bird comes off the smoker and the plates get cleared, Rosetta has always believed that a meal like that deserves a proper ending — not something fussy, but something that matches the care that went into the cook. This Pineapple Bundt Cake is what she reaches for on evenings like that one: bright with fruit, tender in the crumb, and just sweet enough to close out a long, good day. Uncle Clyde would have had two slices. I always do.

Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 55 min | Total Time: 1 hr 10 min | Servings: 12

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs, beaten
1 can (20 oz) crushed pineapple in juice, undrained
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)
Butter and flour for greasing the pan
For the glaze: 1 cup powdered sugar, 2–3 tablespoons pineapple juice or milk

Instructions

Preheat and prepare. Heat your oven to 350°F. Generously butter and flour a 12-cup Bundt pan, making sure to coat all the ridges. Set aside.
Mix the dry ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt until evenly combined.
Add the wet ingredients. Add the beaten eggs, the full can of crushed pineapple with its juice, and the vanilla extract. Stir with a wooden spoon or spatula until the batter just comes together — do not overmix. Fold in pecans if using.
Fill the pan. Pour the batter evenly into the prepared Bundt pan. Tap the pan gently on the counter once or twice to release any air pockets.
Bake. Bake on the center rack for 50–55 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the thickest part comes out clean and the top is a deep golden brown.
Cool. Let the cake rest in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes, then invert onto the rack and allow to cool completely before glazing.
Make the glaze. Whisk together the powdered sugar and pineapple juice (or milk) until smooth and pourable, adding liquid a little at a time until you reach a drizzle consistency.
Glaze and serve. Drizzle the glaze over the cooled cake. Slice and serve at room temperature. This cake keeps well covered at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Nutrition (per serving)

Pineapple Bundt Cake — The Sweet End to a Slow-Smoke Sunday