Pineapple sage pound cake

A buttery pound cake with a hint of pineapple and light herb flavor makes for a unique and delightful dessert.

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What is Pineapple sage?

Pineapple sage is a garden herb in the mint family that has edible leaves and can get edible red flowers. Pineapple sage leaves have a light pineapple smell when they are cut or crushed. 

The leaves, especially the smaller ones, have a light, sweet, herbal flavor. When you are picking leaves for your cake recipe, try to get the smaller and more tender leaves.

Freshly picked herbs add such lovely color and aroma to dishes. My herb garden is one of my favorite things about summer. 

I started making this pineapple sage pound cake when I still lived at home and we had a pineapple sage plant in the garden. It's one of those special desserts that people find unique and interesting, while still being tasty.

The recipe has been around on the internet for a long time. I'm not sure where it originated, but this is the version I've been making whenever I've had pineapple sage available to me. 

I've been looking for a pineapple sage plant to add to my herb garden for a few years now, and I found one this year. I'm hoping it will survive our winter and come back next year and grow even larger. 

There's a bit of crushed pineapple in this cake to help bring out the pineapple sage's aroma and compliment for flavor. This cake does not have a very strong pineapple taste. It has a light taste and aroma.

This cake also has a bit of honey in it which adds to the overall sweetness and aroma of the cake. It has several eggs in it, along with regular granulated sugar, butter, flour, baking powder, and salt.

Making pineapple sage pound cake

This cake is a terrific choice for afternoon tea or for a dinner party dessert. I love the herb and honey flavors in the cake with a cup of tea. Pineapple sage pound cake would be perfect for a tea party.

It's a dessert to make at the end of summer when you have some guests, or when you just want to enjoy some cake on the patio by your garden. 

Pineapple sage pound cake made in a loaf pan and it is not a fancy cake. It's a rustic cake and it's a dense cake that you serve in slices. You can top it with some whipped cream if you would like. 

Be sure to not over-bake your cake. If it bakes too long, it will dry out. Bake for about 45-50 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out cleanly.

To make it look even nicer, garnish with a few pineapple sage leaves, or even some of the red flowers if you have them on your plant (mine did not flower this year when I took these photos). 

Pineapple sage pound cake is a great seasonal dessert since it's made with a fresh herb that you'll likely only find in your or someone else's herb garden. 

It's not an herb that I've ever seen in the grocery store, and it's not one that I've ever used dried. So, it's something that you can only make for a short time of the year, unless you live somewhere we you can grow it year round.

If you find yourself with pineapple sage, or if you have a plant and are wondering how to use it, give this pineapple sage pound cake a try. 

Yield: 8-10 servings

Author: Amy (Savory Moments)

Pineapple Sage Pound Cake

A buttery pound cake with a hint of pineapple and light herb flavor makes for a unique and delightful dessert.

Ingredients

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup honey
• 5 large eggs
• 2 heaped tablespoons finely minced pineapple sage leaves
• 4 tablespoons unsweetened crushed pineapple, drained
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees and butter an 8" or 9" loaf pan.
2. Cream the butter and sugar in a large bowl using a hand mixer or in the bowl of a stand mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in the honey.
3. Then beat in the eggs one at a time, making sure to beat each one for about one minute before adding the next. Beat in the pineapple sage and pineapple.
4. In a medium bowl, whisk together the baking powder, salt, and flour. Then add the dry mixture to the wet mixture and gently fold it together with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until just combined.
5. Pour the batter into the loaf pan. Bake for approximately 45-50 minutes, until the cake turns golden and an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
6. Set on a wire rack to cool for about 10 minutes and then remove the cake from the pan to cool further.
7. Served warm or at room temperature. Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream, if desired.

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This post was originally published in 2011 and has been updated in 2023 with a recipe card, new photos, new text, and more to improve reader experience.

Check out these other baked goods with fresh herbs:

Cheddar & Thyme Yellow Squash Biscuits

Cinnamon Basil Shortbread Cookies

Rosemary Shortbread Christmas Tree Cookies

Sharp Cheddar & Chive Quick Bread