Preacher Cake

INGREDIENTS:

Cake:

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 20-ounce can crushed pineapple, with juice
  • 1 1/2 cups finely chopped pecans or walnuts, divided
  • 1 cup flaked coconut (optional)

Cream Cheese Frosting:

  • 1 8-ounce package cream cheese, at room temperature
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, at room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted

INSTRUCTIONS:

Cake:

  1. Sift together flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon; set aside.
  2. Combine sugar, eggs, oil and vanilla and mix on medium-low speed with an electric mixer until creamy.
  3. Slowly mix in flour mixture until just combined.Add pineapple (undrained), 1 cup chopped pecans and coconut then continue mixing on medium-low speed until all ingredients are thoroughly combined (about 1 minute).
  4. Spray a 3-quart 13×9 baking pan with cooking spray. Pour cake batter into pan and bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes or until cake is set in the center and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
  5. Cool cake completely in pan then the frost with Cream Cheese Frosting. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup chopped pecans over cake. Store in refrigerator.

Cream Cheese Frosting:

  1. Whip cream cheese, butter and vanilla with an electric mixer until fluffy (about 2 minutes).
  2. Beat in powdered sugar (add more if necessary to reach desired consistency).