Name: Banana, pineapple and pecan cake
Yield: 1 three-layer cake, about 14 servings
Cuisine: United States; Jamaican roots
Ingredients: 375 g All-purpose flour Plain; 5 mL Baking powder Level measure; 5 mL Baking soda Level measure; 7.5 mL Ground cinnamon; 2.5 mL Ground allspice; 2.5 mL Fine salt Level measure; 3 Large eggs Room temperature; 225 g Neutral oil; 200 g Caster sugar; 100 g Brown sugar; 345 g Ripe banana Peeled and mashed; 225 g Crushed pineapple with juice Do not drain; 190 g Pecans Chopped; 450 g Full-fat block cream cheese Softened; 115 g Unsalted butter Softened; 480 g Icing sugar Sifted; 60 g Pecans Chopped

Method

01 · Prepare
5 min
Use: Equipment
Heat oven; grease tins and line their bases.
Ready when: Three matching tins ready.
01 PrepareThree matching tins ready.
02 · Mix dry ingredients
1 min
Use: Dry
Whisk the dry group together.
Ready when: Leaveners evenly dispersed.
02 Mix dry ingredientsLeaveners evenly dispersed.
03 · Mix wet ingredients
3 min
Use: Wet
Whisk eggs, oil and sugars; stir in banana and pineapple with its juice.
Ready when: Fruit remains slightly textured.
03 Mix wet ingredientsFruit remains slightly textured.
04 · Combine
3 min
Use: Mix dry ingredients, Mix wet ingredients, Nuts
Fold dry mixture and 190 g pecans into the fruit mixture. Divide among tins.
Ready when: Batter evenly divided without dry pockets.
04 CombineBatter evenly divided without dry pockets.
05 · Bake
26–29 min
Use: Combine
Bake until the layers are set; rotate only after their structure has formed if your oven heats unevenly.
Ready when: Centre skewer has no raw batter.
05 BakeCentre skewer has no raw batter.
06 · Cool
Until completely cool
Use: Bake
Cool briefly in tins, then turn onto racks.
Ready when: Layers firm and no longer warm.
06 CoolLayers firm and no longer warm.
07 · Make icing
3 min
Use: Icing
Beat cheese and butter smooth, then gradually mix in sugar.
Ready when: Thick spreadable icing.
07 Make icingThick spreadable icing.
08 · Assemble
30 min chilling
Use: Cool, Make icing, Finish
Sandwich and cover the layers with icing; add reserved 60 g pecans. Chill before slicing.
Ready when: Layers stay aligned.
08 AssembleLayers stay aligned.

What to look for

Stage	Look / feel for	Needs attention
Cool	Layers firm and no longer warm.	Stop at this cue rather than relying only on elapsed time.
Make icing	Thick spreadable icing.	Stop at this cue rather than relying only on elapsed time.
Assemble	Layers stay aligned.	Stop at this cue rather than relying only on elapsed time.

Troubleshooting

If you see this	Likely cause	What to do now	Next time
Sunken centre	The batter was underbaked or lost too much air.	If still in the oven, continue until the centre is set.	Use the stated pan and avoid opening the oven early.
Dry crumb	Excess flour or baking time.	Serve with an appropriate cream or filling.	Weigh flour and check doneness at the low end of the range.

Keep covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Ingredient choices & substitutions

Ingredient	Specified type	Brand	Status
All-purpose flour	Plain	No required brand	Match the ingredient type
Baking powder	Level measure	No required brand	Match the ingredient type
Baking soda	Level measure	No required brand	Match the ingredient type
Fine salt	Level measure	No required brand	Match the ingredient type
Large eggs	Room temperature	No required brand	Match the ingredient type
Ripe banana	Peeled and mashed	No required brand	Match the ingredient type
Crushed pineapple with juice	Do not drain	No required brand	Match the ingredient type
Pecans	Chopped	No required brand	Match the ingredient type
Full-fat block cream cheese	Softened	No required brand	Match the ingredient type
Unsalted butter	Softened	No required brand	Match the ingredient type
Icing sugar	Sifted	No required brand	Match the ingredient type
Pecans	Chopped	No required brand	Match the ingredient type

Ingredient	Alternative / ratio	Adjust handling	Likely outcome
All-purpose flour	Plain wheat flourEqual weight	Use plain flour, not self-raising; mix only until combined.	Similar result; stronger bread flour produces a firmer crumb.
Full-fat block cream cheese	Another full-fat block cream cheeseEqual weight	Use a firm product; drainable or whipped tub spreads are not equivalent.	Similar texture; wet spreads can prevent setting.
Pecans	Walnuts250 g total	Keep 190 g in batter and 60 g for finishing.	A slightly more assertive nut flavour.

Match the ingredient’s function and weight. See the flour, gluten, yeast and salt guide.

Other approaches to this recipe

Cook / recipe	Use	What differs

The working ingredients and method form one recipe. Different formulas are compared without averaging their quantities or rise schedules.

Recommended Tools Regular Baker	Casual Baker Workarounds Hacks
Digital kitchen scale	Borrow a suitable scale for the gram amounts. Use measuring cups only where a volume is provided; fluff flour, spoon it in and level without packing.
Measuring spoons and a marked jug	Use standard measuring spoons for small volumes and a kitchen measuring jug for liquids; eating spoons vary in size.
Three 23 cm round cake tins	Use an existing pan of the same dimensions, depth and material where possible. A different size changes thickness and cooking time; do not fill a smaller pan with the full batch.
Bowls	Use a clean food-safe bowl with enough headroom for mixing or rising. For whipped whites, keep it free of grease.
Mixer with paddle or beaters	Use a sturdy spoon and bowl for softened butter mixtures, or a hand mixer. Cream until lighter; do not replace beating with a quick stir.
Cooling rack	Set a clean, cool wire trivet over a tray. Let air reach underneath; a flat plate can trap steam.

Recommended Tools Regular Baker	Casual Baker Workarounds Hacks
Digital kitchen scale	Borrow a suitable scale for the gram amounts. Use measuring cups only where a volume is provided; fluff flour, spoon it in and level without packing.
Measuring spoons and a marked jug	Use standard measuring spoons for small volumes and a kitchen measuring jug for liquids; eating spoons vary in size.
Three 23 cm round cake tins	Use an existing pan of the same dimensions, depth and material where possible. A different size changes thickness and cooking time; do not fill a smaller pan with the full batch.
Bowls	Use a clean food-safe bowl with enough headroom for mixing or rising. For whipped whites, keep it free of grease.
Mixer with paddle or beaters	Use a sturdy spoon and bowl for softened butter mixtures, or a hand mixer. Cream until lighter; do not replace beating with a quick stir.
Cooling rack	Set a clean, cool wire trivet over a tray. Let air reach underneath; a flat plate can trap steam.

Banana, pineapple and pecan cake

Banana, pineapple and pecan cake