Pineapple Cream Cheese Pound Cake

Ingredients:
For the Cake:

1 box (15.25 oz) yellow cake mix
1 (3.4 oz) box vanilla instant pudding mix
8 oz cream cheese (softened)
1/2 cup unsalted butter (softened)
1/2 cup vegetable oil
4 large eggs
1 (20 oz) can crushed pineapple (drained well, reserve 2 tbsp juice)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp almond extract (optional, but adds great flavor)
1/4 tsp salt
For the Glaze (optional):

1 cup powdered sugar
2 tbsp reserved pineapple juice
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions:
Preheat Oven & Prepare Pan:
Preheat your oven to 325°F (165°C). Grease and flour a 10-inch Bundt pan or a 9x13-inch baking dish.

Mix the Wet Ingredients:
In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and butter until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the vegetable oil, eggs, vanilla extract, and almond extract (if using). Beat until everything is well combined.

Add the Dry Ingredients:
In a separate bowl, whisk together the cake mix, pudding mix, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined.

Add Pineapple:
Stir in the well-drained crushed pineapple (don’t forget to save about 2 tablespoons of the juice for the glaze). Mix until the pineapple is evenly incorporated into the batter.

Bake the Cake:
Pour the batter into the prepared pan, spreading it evenly. Bake for 60-70 minutes (depending on the size of your pan), or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs. If you’re using a Bundt pan, check for doneness around 55 minutes.

Cool the Cake:
Let the cake cool in the pan for about 10-15 minutes, then carefully remove it from the pan and place it on a wire rack to cool completely.

Make the Glaze (optional):
In a small bowl, mix the powdered sugar, reserved pineapple juice, and vanilla extract until smooth. If you prefer a thicker glaze, add more powdered sugar. Drizzle the glaze over the cooled cake for an extra touch of sweetness and shine.

Serve & Enjoy:
Once the cake is fully cooled and glazed, slice and enjoy! This cake is perfect on its own, but it also pairs wonderfully with fresh whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream for an extra treat.