Welcome to this Pineapple Cake Bar, where the crumbly bottom meets the rich and creamy sour pineapple topping that is then adorned with a crumbly topping and a thick coconut drizzle. These bars are bright and particularly tropical-soaked, perfect for being served at day out in the sun, backyard barbecues, or after-work snacks, while indulging in a sweet treat. Each layer is designed to complement everything about the other, creating a blend of taste and textures.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Delightful Pineapple Cake Bars define a seriously tropical way to mix a pineapple flavor with a crumbly bottom, creamy filling, and a delectable coconut glaze. When looking forward to something enjoyable to bake for a potluck, Sunday dinner, or your next sugar craving, these are handicrafts to which you can truly treat! A good balance between sweetness and tartness, the crisp crust and topping are rightly moreish. And why these bars tick all the boxes? They are very share-worthy and transportable on-the-go!
Key Ingredients
All-Purpose Flour: This builds the sturdy foundation for the crust and the topping, ensuring a delightful crunchy texture.
Cold Butter: This is very important for forming a flaky crust and crumbly topping; it makes the sweet bars melt in your mouth.
Sugar: Sweetens the layers from the buttery crust, through the tangy filling, to that creamy icing.
Crushed Pineapple: The Creme de le Creme and tropical, juicy flavor has a freshness that brings everyone’s taste buds alive.
Sour Cream: This adds creaminess and just the right tang to the filling to set perfectly together with the pineapple.
Eggs: These give the filling structure to set perfectly after baking.
Coconut Extract: A rich tropical flavor of which the aroma perfectly complements pineapple.
Powdered Sugar: It makes for a silky sweet glaze that crowns the bars quite elegantly.
Half and Half: The creamy icing provides a consistency of drizzle that enhances the experience.
Complete list of ingredients with quantities and instructions is located in the recipe card below
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Step-by-Step Instructions:
Step 1: Preheat the Oven
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish thoroughly to ensure easy removal of the bars.
Step 2: Prepare the Crust
Combine Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, mix 1 ½ cups of all-purpose flour, ½ cup sugar, and a pinch of salt.
Incorporate Butter: Add cubed cold butter to the flour mixture. Use a pastry cutter or your fingers to blend until crumbly.
Reserve and Press: Set aside 1 cup of the mixture for the topping. Press the remaining mixture into the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
Bake the Crust: Bake for 15 minutes, or until lightly golden. Allow to cool slightly.
Step 3: Prepare the Filling
Mix Ingredients: In a bowl, whisk together:
2 large eggs
½ cup all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
A pinch of salt
16 oz drained crushed pineapple
½ cup sour cream
Combine until smooth.
Spread Over Crust: Pour the pineapple filling over the slightly cooled crust. Spread evenly.
Step 4: Add the Topping
Sprinkle Reserved Mixture: Evenly sprinkle the reserved crumbly mixture over the filling.
Step 5: Bake the Bars
Final Bake: Bake for about 1 hour, until the top is golden brown and the filling is set. Cover loosely with foil if the top browns too quickly.
Step 6: Prepare the Icing
Mix Ingredients: In a small bowl, whisk:
1 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon coconut extract
2 tablespoons half and half
Adjust consistency by adding more half and half if needed.
Step 7: Final Touches
Cool the Bars: Let the baked bars cool for 15-20 minutes in the dish.
Drizzle Icing: Drizzle the prepared icing over the cooled bars using a spoon or piping bag.
Slice and Serve: Cut into individual portions. Garnish with shredded coconut or pineapple tidbits if desired.
Serving Suggestions
Pineapple Cake Bars are highly malleable in their use:
Casual Comfort Food: Serve them alone as they area,and they make a good snack or dessert on the go.
Elegant Dessert: Top every portion with whipped cream and lightly toasted coconut.
Tropical Platter: Perfect for fresh fruit and pineapple stacked on mango, papaya, and kiwi for dessert.
Hot Tea and Piña Colada: Drink with a refreshing iced tea, piña colada, or a hot cup of coffee.
Storage Tips
Refrigeration: Bars can last for up to 5 days when stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator; until consumed, the cold helps the filling get fully set and fresh.
Freezing: Bars may be frozen on a baking sheet (spread out) until hardened, then packed into a freezer bag or airtight container; bars shall maintain their best quality for three months of freezing; thaw in the refrigerator.
Make-Ahead Option: Crust and pineapple puree could be prepared overnight before proceeding with activation and icing on the day of consumption for the best taste.
Variations
Mingled with some crushes for some nut crunch and flavor. In the meantime. the zest of lemons or limes can be tossed into the filling.
Accumulation of coconut to the crust could finish this one off, or scattered on the icing later.
Reworking to make a totally gluten-free model could sometimes be done by merely substituting anti-gluten with 1:1 gluten-free entities.
One may use other supplements to substitute for the sour cream, dairy butter, or coconut cream for the purely dairy-free version of the recipe.
Conclusion
Pineapple Cake Bars form the ultimate dessert and a tropical spectacle for any event, from ancient summer outings to special gatherings. Delicate, yet vibrant, each buttered crust with creamy pineapple filling and dreamy coconut frosting makes these kinds of treats beckon an unveiling the tropical miracle. The mere thought of it resonates as simple to make and rattling easy to customize; it would surprise you with the showstopper element. Why not, then, go to the counter, pick up your baking dish, throw everything in with the world’s tropical heaven?
Pineapple Cake Bars
Ingredients
- 1.5 cups all-purpose flour for crust and filling
- 0.75 cup cold butter cubed
- 0.5 cup sugar for crust
- pinch of salt for crust and filling
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup sugar for filling
- 16 oz crushed pineapple drained
- 0.5 cup sour cream
- 1 cup powdered sugar for icing
- 1 tsp coconut extract for icing
- 2 tbsp half and half for icing, adjust as needed
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish thoroughly to ensure easy removal of the bars.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine 1 ½ cups of all-purpose flour, ½ cup sugar, and a pinch of salt. Add cubed cold butter and use a pastry cutter or your fingers to blend until crumbly. Reserve 1 cup of the mixture for the topping. Press the remaining mixture into the bottom of the prepared dish. Bake for 15 minutes or until lightly golden. Allow to cool slightly.
- In a bowl, whisk together eggs, ½ cup flour, 1 cup sugar, a pinch of salt, drained crushed pineapple, and sour cream until smooth. Pour the filling over the slightly cooled crust and spread evenly.
- Evenly sprinkle the reserved crumbly mixture over the pineapple filling.
- Bake for about 1 hour, until the top is golden brown and the filling is set. Cover loosely with foil if the top browns too quickly.
- In a small bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, coconut extract, and half and half. Adjust the consistency by adding more half and half if needed.
- Let the baked bars cool for 15-20 minutes in the dish. Drizzle the prepared icing over the cooled bars using a spoon or piping bag. Slice into individual portions and serve. Garnish with shredded coconut or pineapple tidbits if desired.
