Amazing 1 Pan Taiwanese Pineapple Cake Recipe

Oh my goodness, you have to try these! Taiwanese pineapple cakes, or *feng li su*, are pure magic—that crumbly, buttery shortbread crust hugging the sweet, tangy fruit filling? It’s impossibly delicious. I used to think making them meant wrestling with those fussy tiny molds, but no more! Seriously, I cracked the code for us home bakers with this **Irresistible One Pan Taiwanese Pineapple Cake Recipe** that uses just a standard muffin tin or even a single pan. Trust me when I say this shortcut gives you the same incredible melt-in-your-mouth texture without any of the stress. It’s my go-to when I need a world-class Taiwanese pastry fix, fast!

Why This Irresistible One Pan Taiwanese Pineapple Cake Recipe Works So Well

Listen, I’m all for tradition, but I also love dinner ready in under an hour! That’s why I adore this one-pan approach. It cuts down on cleanup time drastically. No dozens of little molds sticking, just one simple tin to worry about. When you’re making a delicate Taiwanese pastry, you want consistency, and using a standard muffin tin gives you uniform little treasures every single time. Forget those cakes that crumble apart when you try to cut them.

The secret here is that crust. It’s not a flaky pastry; it’s a rich, buttery shortbread that melts the second it hits your tongue. This recipe nails that perfect crumbly structure without turning into dry dust. If you’ve been intimidated by the authentic molds, this recipe is your ticket in. Before you know it, you’ll be hooked on how easy this is!

Quick Prep for Your Irresistible One Pan Taiwanese Pineapple Cake Recipe

You saw the total time—under 45 minutes! Honestly, the mixing takes maybe 25 minutes if you’re moving quickly. Because we aren’t messing around with sealing individual cakes or worrying about intricate designs, the assembly flies by. You just press the dough into these little cups, drop in the jam, and bake! It’s foolproof for those evenings when you absolutely need a fantastic treat but don’t have hours to spend in the kitchen.

Baking Tips for Perfect Texture

This is where you need to trust your instincts over the clock sometimes. The dough for these gorgeous cakes relies on butter and flour. If you mix it too long after adding the flour, you develop gluten, and suddenly your shortbread crust is chewy instead of tender. Yuck, right? So, mix that flour in just until you see no more dry streaks. Stop! Seriously, stop mixing. That’s the key to that beautiful, tender texture that makes these pineapple jam tarts legendary.

Gathering Ingredients for Your Irresistible One Pan Taiwanese Pineapple Cake Recipe

Okay, let’s talk ingredients! Since this is an easy recipe, we need to make sure every component is good quality because we aren’t masking anything with a ton of egg or liquid. The beauty of this Taiwanese pastry relies on that perfect buttery dough and the bright, tangy filling. It’s a short list, which is fantastic, but you want to pay attention to the state of your butter—it needs to be nice and soft, not melted, when you start creaming it.

This recipe is straightforward, and I’ve actually got a great guide on making your own sweet fillings if you ever get interested, though store-bought jam works perfectly here for speed. Think of this ingredient list as the foundation for pure perfection. You’ll see the flour and sugar for the crust, and just two things for the filling to make sure that pineapple flavor pops! Honestly, you probably have most of this in your pantry right now.

For the Shortbread Dough

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1/4 cup milk powder
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

For the Pineapple Filling

For the filling, we are thickening up that jam just a touch. This is important so it doesn’t completely soak the bottom of your crust while baking. I’ve tried making my own fruit concentrate before, which you can read about here, but for this quick bake, the store-bought jam wins.

• 1 1/2 cups pineapple jam (store-bought or homemade)
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch

Step-by-Step Instructions for the Irresistible One Pan Taiwanese Pineapple Cake Recipe

Alright, this is the fun part! Following instructions shouldn’t feel like a chore, especially when the result is this incredible Taiwanese pastry. We’ll move through this quickly because everything is happening in one place. If you ever want to see a really lightning-fast dessert method, check out my blender cake guide, but for these pineapple cakes, a stand mixer or hand mixer is your best friend for the dough!

Preparing the Pan and Oven

First things first, we need heat! Preheat your oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. That’s 160 degrees Celsius if you’re thinking metric. Now, grab that standard 12-cup muffin tin—or your single baking pan if you went that route—and give it a good light grease. We want these beauties to come out cleanly later, so don’t skip that prep step!

Making the Shortbread Dough Base

In your big bowl, start by creaming that softened butter and the granulated sugar together. You want it light and fluffy—that means you whipped enough air into it! Next, beat in the single egg yolk until everything looks happy and merged. Then, stir in your milk powder. In a separate dish, whisk your flour and salt together. Now, add that dry mix to your butter mix slowly, just mixing until a soft dough forms. And I mean *soft*. Stop mixing the second you see no more flour streaks! Overmixing here is the enemy of that lovely shortbread texture we talked about.

Assembling the Irresistible One Pan Taiwanese Pineapple Cake Recipe

Time to build these little fruit parcels! Take about a tablespoon of that dough and press it firmly into the bottom and up the sides of each cup until you have a nice shell shape. Then, take your thickened pineapple filling—make sure that cornstarch is mixed in well—and drop about a teaspoon right into the center of the dough shell. If you’re using a muffin tin, you can gently press a little bit more dough over the top to close it off, but leaving it open-faced is totally fine too! If you used a bigger pan, just spread that filling evenly over your base layer of dough.

Baking and Cooling Times

Pop the pan into the preheated oven. You are looking for them to bake for about 15 to 20 minutes. You want to see those edges just starting to get a hint of golden brown color. Don’t let them get dark; we are going for tender, remember? Once they are baked, pull them out, but don’t rush! Let them cool right there in the pan for a crucial 10 minutes. This lets them firm up before you carefully move them onto a wire rack to cool all the way down. Patience pays off here!

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions for Your Taiwanese Pineapple Cake

Even though this is the super simple, one-pan version of the **Irresistible One Pan Taiwanese Pineapple Cake Recipe**, paying attention to the ingredients is what keeps it tasting authentic. We aren’t making a fussy, complex pastry here—we’re making something rustic and totally delicious—but a couple of ingredient tweaks can make your life easier or save a batch that went slightly sideways.

If you look at professional bakeries, they often use special molds, but you certainly don’t need to run out and buy them! Remember, the baking method we are using—muffin tin or one pan—is meant to simplify things. But when it comes to the filling, sometimes you get a jar of jam that just seems way too loose. I’ve got a trick for that, and it’s also why we add cornstarch!

For more ideas on how pineapple and buttery dough can work together in different ways, you should check out my thoughts on a pineapple coconut pound cake—it’s a totally different vibe, but the flavor pairing is gold.

Adjusting Pineapple Jam Consistency

This is probably the most common snag with any fruit-filled pastry, isn’t it? If your store-bought jam is a little on the watery side, you absolutely need to thicken it before you put it in the dough shells, or else you end up with a runny, soggy bottom, and nobody wants that.

If you find your jam is too wet, just scoop it into a small saucepan. Add the tablespoon of cornstarch right in there and stir slowly over low heat until it just starts to bubble and thicken up. You only need it to simmer for a minute or two! Once it cools down a bit, it will firm up perfectly for filling your little cakes. It stops that moisture from bleeding into your beautiful shortbread crust.

Handling the Dough

Sometimes the dough can feel a little… responsive. You know? It gets warm from your hands while you’re pressing it into the bottoms of the muffin tin, and suddenly it’s sticking everywhere or getting hard to manage. This is where a little chill time saves the day!

If you find the dough is tearing or just being generally difficult when you try to press it into shape, don’t force it! Wrap up the whole ball of dough and stick it in the fridge for about 30 minutes. Chilling it solidifies the butter again, making the dough much firmer and easier to handle. You can then take it out, break off your portions, and press them perfectly into your pan without any fuss at all. It seems like an extra step, but trust me, it makes the assembly process much cleaner!

Storage and Reheating for Your Irresistible One Pan Taiwanese Pineapple Cake Recipe

Once you’ve managed to let these golden treasures cool down completely—which is the hardest part, I know—you’ll want to make sure they stay absolutely perfect for snacking later. Since this **Irresistible One Pan Taiwanese Pineapple Cake Recipe** results in a shortbread-style crust, keeping moisture *out* is key to maintaining that melt-in-your-mouth quality.

The absolute best way? Airtight containers, hands down. If you managed to make these gorgeous little cakes using the muffin tin, just make sure they are fully cooled, and then stack them gently in layers separated by wax or parchment paper inside a solid, sealing container. They keep really well on the counter for a few days. I find that the flavor actually deepens slightly on day two—those slightly warmed spices just bloom!

Now, should you need to reheat one, don’t even think about the microwave! It’ll make that buttery shortbread go limp fast. If you want to bring the crust back to its glorious, just-baked texture, just pop it on a small baking sheet in a toaster oven for maybe 3 to 5 minutes at about 300 degrees Fahrenheit. It brings back that wonderful buttery aroma, and it’s perfect before your afternoon tea break. They usually last me about three or four days before they disappear entirely!

Serving Suggestions for This Taiwanese Pastry

So, you’ve got your batch of **Irresistible One Pan Taiwanese Pineapple Cake Recipe** beauties cooling on the rack. What now? Well, you certainly could eat one straight out of the kitchen while pretending nobody is watching—I do it all the time! But these little golden treasures really shine when paired with the right beverage.

Since the flavor profile is rich from the butter and intensely sweet-tart from the pineapple, you need something to cut through that richness. Forget heavy sodas! These are perfectly designed to go with warm, aromatic drinks. My absolute favorite way to serve them is alongside a steaming cup of excellent quality Oolong tea. The slightly roasted, sometimes floral notes of the tea act as a perfect counterbalance to the shortbread crust.

If you’re serving these in the morning or need a caffeine kick, a simple, good black coffee works wonders too. If you want to get really fancy or need a cozy afternoon pick-me-up, you have to try my recipe for coconut chai latte! The gentle spice and creaminess of that drink make the pineapple filling sing. It elevates what is already a fantastic Taiwanese pastry into a true moment of indulgence. Honestly, presentation-wise, just setting them out on a simple white plate lets that beautiful golden color do all the talking!

Frequently Asked Questions About the Irresistible One Pan Taiwanese Pineapple Cake Recipe

I get so many messages after people try this batch, and I love hearing what everyone thinks! It’s always the little questions that pop up once you get into the mixing process. If you’re wondering if this shortcut messes with the classic flavor of the Taiwanese pastry, don’t worry—it absolutely doesn’t. But here are the common things readers ask about putting this **Irresistible One Pan Taiwanese Pineapple Cake Recipe** together.

If you want truly quick results, though, you should check out my super fast pineapple muffin recipe; it’s almost instant gratification!

Can I make the dough ahead of time for this Irresistible One Pan Taiwanese Pineapple Cake Recipe?

Yes, you totally can! That’s one of the best parts about working with a buttery, shortbread-like dough like this one. If you mix up the dough first, wrap it up tightly in plastic wrap, and stick it in the fridge, it will keep beautifully for a day or two. Chilling it actually makes it easier to handle when you go to press it into the muffin tin! Just let it sit on the counter for about 15 minutes to soften up just enough before you start pressing the shells.

What is the best way to tell when the pineapple cakes are done baking?

Don’t just rely on the timer, because ovens can be tricky! For these little treasures, you are mainly watching the color. The instructions say 15 to 20 minutes, but your goal is to look for the edges of the dough shells to turn a very light, pale golden brown. If the top center still looks pale, but the sides are golden, they are done! That gorgeous color lets you know the shortbread is cooked but hasn’t dried out. If you pull them out and they look pale, just give them two more minutes and check again.

Can I use fresh pineapple instead of jam in this Taiwanese pastry?

That’s a great question about using fresh fruit! While I love fresh pineapple, swapping it in directly for the jam is tricky for this specific recipe. Fresh pineapple is much wetter than the thick jam we use, even after cooking. If you want to use fresh pineapple, you would need to chop it super finely and cook it down on the stovetop—way down—with a lot of extra sugar and maybe even some lemon juice until it turns into a super-thick, almost chewy paste. Honestly, that extra cooking step kind of defeats the purpose of this convenient one-pan recipe! For the ease and texture we are aiming for here, stick to a high-quality, thick jam.

Estimated Nutritional Data for One Serving of Irresistible One Pan Taiwanese Pineapple Cake Recipe

I know some of you gorgeous cooks are watching your macros and carbs, and I totally respect that! If you’re curious about what goes into these delicious morsels, I’ve run the numbers based on the yield of 12 cakes. Remember, this is just an estimate, because you know how I always say that every kitchen is a little bit different—the brand of butter, the exact ripeness of the pineapple—it all plays a role! So, treat this as a good guideline rather than gospel, okay?

This **Irresistible One Pan Taiwanese Pineapple Cake Recipe** uses a good amount of butter for that incredible shortbread texture, so the fat content is what you’d expect for a rich pastry. But look at the bright side: you only need one of these lovely cakes to feel completely satisfied because the flavor is so intense!

Here’s a quick peek at the approximate breakdown per cake:

• Serving Size: 1 cake
• Calories: 250
• Sugar: 15g
• Fat: 15g
• Saturated Fat: 9g
• Carbohydrates: 28g
• Protein: 3g
• Sodium: 50mg

Just a quick note: While I try my absolute best to be accurate, remember that these numbers are calculated approximations based on the standard ingredients listed right above. If you use a lighter sugar alternative or different jam, your numbers will shift a bit. But honestly, when they taste this good, who’s counting *that* closely? Enjoy every bite!

Share Your Irresistible One Pan Taiwanese Pineapple Cake Creations

Now that you’ve made your first batch of these incredibly easy Taiwanese pineapple cakes, I need to know what you think! Honestly, making food is only half the fun; the other half is seeing how you all tackle my easy methods in your own kitchens. Did the one-pan approach save you time? Did you stick with the muffin tin or try a regular baking dish? I’m dying to hear all the details!

Please, please, please leave a rating and a comment below this recipe. A rating really helps other home bakers see that this simple formula works just as well as the traditional fussy ones. I read every single comment that comes through, and your feedback helps me know what recipes to focus on next!

If you snapped a picture of your beautiful golden pineapple cakes—maybe you’re enjoying them with a lovely cup of tea, or perhaps you cut one open to show off that perfect jam center—I want to see it! Tag me on social media when you post your photos. I love sharing reader creations to my stories because it shows everyone just how achievable these amazing desserts are. If you have any suggestions, questions, or just want to tell me how much you loved them, head over to my contact page or drop it in the comments!

Seriously, thank you for baking with me. Happy munching!

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