Just like my popular French Strawberry Cake, this French Pineapple Cake is simple to make but impressive to serve. This cake has a custardy middle, a crackly sugar top and is filled with fresh pineapple.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9-inch round cake pan and set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer (or with a hand mixer), whip together the softened butter and 1 cup of the sugar until pale and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes.
Add the eggs, one at a time and beat well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Gradually add the flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with sour cream, beginning and ending with flour mixture, beating just until combined after each addition.
Fold in the fresh pineapple. Spread the batter in the prepared cake pan.
Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar evenly over the top of the cake batter.
Bake until the top of the cake is browned and crackly and the cake feels firm to the touch, about 40 minutes.
Let the cake cool completely in the pan and slice and serve the cake from the pan.
Notes
This cake is meant to be "custard-like" in the middle. Not under-baked but not "crumby" like a traditional cake.Some people have reported needing to bake the cake longer than the recommended time of 40 minutes. Color of cake pans and individual ovens will all factor into the correct baking time.