Pineapple Cheese Pound Cake

The vegan Pineapple Cheese Pound Cake is a delicious option for vegans out there. It is a cake that is refreshing with its fusion of tropical flavors, creaminess, and tanginess. The addition of vegan cream cheese gives this vegan Pineapple Cheese Pound Cake a light and cheese-like richness. The pineapple adds a fruity aroma, moisture, and natural sweetness. This recipe takes around an hour to complete. It does not require any ingredients that traditional cheese pound cakes use, such as cheese, butter, or eggs; rather, this recipe is completely plant-based and uses vegan-friendly ingredients.

STATS:

• Calories: 278 kilocalories
• Prep time: 20 minutes
• Serving size: 1 slice
• Cook time: 50 minutes
• Cuisine: American
• Total time: One hour ten minutes
• Course: Dessert
• Diet: Vegan
• Serving: 10

EQUIPMENT:

• Parchment paper
• Mixing Bowl
• Electric hand mixer
• Spatula
• Cooling rack
• Bundt pan

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 ½ cups of all-purpose flour
• One tsp of vanilla extract
• Half tsp of baking soda
• ½ cup of vegan butter
• One teaspoon of baking powder
• Quarter cup of brown sugar
• Thrid-fourth cup of cane sugar
• One tbsp of apple cider vinegar
• ½ cup of vegan cream cheese (room temperature)
• ⅓ cup of unsweetened plant milk (almond, soy or oat)
• ½ cup of crushed pineapple (with juice)
• ¼ tsp of salt
• Quarter cup of pineapple juice

INGREDIENT NOTES:

ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR:

• Flour provides the cake with structure. Alternatives can include a 1:1 blend of GF flour.

SALT:

• With the use of salt in this cheese pound cake, you can improve the overall flavor and also balance the sweetness in the cake. Alternatives might include Himalayan salt or sea salt.

VEGAN BUTTER:

• It gives the cake the feeling of a classic cheese pound cake texture and adds richness and butter flavor. Alternatives include refined coconut oil or margarine.

VEGAN CREAM CHEESE:

• This gives a slightly dense texture to the cake and provides a creamy and tangy feeling. You can use silken tofu as an alternative and blend it with either cashew cream or 1 teaspoon of lemon juice.

BAKING POWDER & BAKING SODA:

• Even without the use of eggs, they can help the cake rise and make it fluffy.

CANE SUGAR:

• To make the cake beautifully brown, we use cane sugar. It also helps in sweetening the cake. Alternatives include coconut sugar.

BROWN SUGAR:

• This helps in adding moisture to the cake and a texture that is slightly softer. It also gives a caramel undertone. Use coconut sugar as a substitute.

VANILLA EXTRACT:

• It helps in stabilizing the flavors and improves the sweetness of the cake. As an alternative, you can also use almond extract for a different aroma.

UNSWEETENED PLANT MILK:

• This milk mixes with vinegar to create vegan buttermilk, and it also helps in adding moisture to the cake. Alternatives for this milk include oat, cashew, or soy milk.

CRUSHED PINEAPPLES (WITH JUICE)

• Pineapples provide the cake with their natural sweetness, moisture, and tropical flavor. Use pineapple purée as an alternative.

APPLE CIDER VINEGAR:

• It mimics the role egg gives in a traditional cake and also gives lightness when reacting with baking soda. Alternatives include white vinegar or using lemon juice instead.

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Heat the oven to 175°C.
2. With the use of parchment paper, oil a bundt pan.
3. To make vegan buttermilk, mix apple cider vinegar and plant milk in a small bowl and place it aside for around five minutes to curdle.
4. Now beat vegan butter and cream cheese in a large bowl till they give a smooth and creamy texture.
5. Then put brown and cane sugar, beat it till it starts giving a fluffly and light texture.
6. Add vanilla extract and crushed pineapples and mix
7. Whisk salt, baking soda, baking powder, and flour together in another bowl.
8. In the wet mixture, start adding the dry ingredients gradually while alternating the addition with vegan buttermilk.
9. Do not overmix the mixture, just stir it till it starts combining properly.
10. If you are using pineapple juice, add it and fold the mixture gently.
11. Bake the cake for forty to forty-five minutes till you insert the toothpick and it comes out clean from the center of the cake.
12. Let the cake cool for ten minutes.
13. For the cake to completely cool down, put it on the wire rack.

SERVING SUGGESTIONS:

• You can serve this pineapple cheese pound cake with a drizzle of pineapple glaze.
• Serving this cake with vegan whipped cream or toasted coconut flakes is also a good serving option.
• For a light dessert feeling, you can pair this cake with either coffee or tea or even some fresh fruit slices.

TIPS:

• Use ingredients that are at room temperature so that you can avoid any lumpy batter.
• Try not to overmix, it may lead the cake to become dense.
• You can chill this cake for a night for a richer and delicious flavor.

STORAGE INFORMATION:

FRIDGE:

• You can store this cake in the fridge for a period of 5 days.

FREEZER:

• By tightly wrapping the cake with plastic wrap, it can last for 2 months in the freezer. A night before serving, thaw the cake inside the fridge.

FAQs:

Can I make this recipe in cupcakes rather than a loaf?

• Yes, bake the cupcakes for 20-25 minutes.

Is it okay to use fresh pineapples for this cake?

• To make them juicy and a little crushed, blend the fresh pineapples slightly.

How to make this cake sugar-free?

• You can use monk fruit sweetener instead to make it sugar-free, but know that the texture of the cake might become a bit dry.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION:

Calories: 278 kilocalories
Net carbs: 36 grams
Iron: 1.1 grams
Total carbs: 38.5 grams
Vitamin A: 130 IU
Fiber: 2.5 grams
Calcium: 42 milligrams
Protein: 3.2 grams
Serving size: 1 slice
Sodium: 180 milligrams
Serving: 10
Potassium: 125 grams