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    Home » Desserts » Pineapple Angel Food Cake | Weight Watchers

    June 24, 2019

    Pineapple Angel Food Cake | Weight Watchers

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    A slice of pineapple angel food cake with berries and cream
    A top down picture of an pineapple angel food cake
    A pineapple angel food cake on a cake stand

    Wow! This light Pineapple Angel Food Cake is GOOD! At just 5 Smart Points per slice on Weight Watchers Freestyle, Blue, Green & Purple plans. It makes a perfect low Smart Point WW dessert recipe!

    To find out how many Personal Points this recipe will be for you & to track it in the WW App, click on the blue button in recipe card below!

    Serve it with fresh berries and a dollop of fat free Greek yogurt for a satisfying and tasty low Smart Point dessert.

    The cake is good enough to serve at any party, cook out or family gathering and best of all, no one will know that it's a Weight Watchers friendly recipe!

    A pineapple angel food cake on a cake stand surrounded by berries

    Variations of this cake have been doing the rounds of the internet & WW social media for years.  The recipe appears to have originated from the Betty Crocker website.

    Please be aware that this post was written prior to Weight Watchers changing to the WW Personal Points Plan! You can discover exactly how many Personal Points this recipe will be for you by clicking on the blue ‘WW Personal Points’ button in the recipe card below.

    Because it uses a box of Angel Food Cake mix, which is fat free, and tinned pineapple it has been adopted by people following the Weight Watchers Freestyle plan as a go to recipe.

    However, when the Smart Points are discussed on the forums for this wonderful WW friendly cake, the Smart Points are often calculated incorrectly.

    Well, in my opinion anyhow 🙂  I'll explain why I think so a little later on.

    OK, so I love desserts and I am making it my life's work (kind of 😀 ) to try lots of them & to develop new tasty Weight Watchers dessert recipes.

    So when I saw this recipe for Pineapple Angel Food Cake doing the rounds a couple of years ago, I knew I had to give it a go!

    Problem is that they don't sell Angel Food Cake mix in any shops near me so I was bit stuck.

    However, I recently managed to get my hands on some boxes of mix and since then, I've been practicing!  Practicing a lot 😀

    A slice of pineapple angel food cake - weight watchers

    How many Smart Points in this recipe?

    SO .... my issue with just combining 1 box of angel food cake mix with 1 large can of crushed pineapple, mixing and baking (as discussed in the forums) is that the juice in the crushed pineapple needs to be pointed.

    And it often isn't.

    According to WW, canned fruit in juice needs to be pointed. If you drain the juice from the fruit first it's zero Smart Points but eating it with juice, it will have points.

    However it doesn't look like this has been taken into account when working out the overall Smart Points for a lot of the recipes.

    Using pineapple in juice adds 12 Smart Points to the overall Smart Point total - according to the recipe builder!

    So for my recipe, I drain the liquid from the tinned pineapple slices and swap in some water. I then blitz it in a food processor until smoothish and add it to the mix.

    I've made the cake both ways (with drained fruit & water and with fruit in its own juice) and honestly I can't taste any difference between the two!

    In fact, the only real difference between the two recipes is that you save a Smart Point per slice if you drain the fruit first!

    And I like it if I can save a Smart Point 😀 so that is what I have done.

    So what Pineapple should I use?

    In the US you can buy large 20oz cans of pineapple rings or pineapple chunks. Drain these and then add a cup of water to replace the fruit juice.

    Crushed pineapple is more difficult to drain so I would suggest that you don't bother trying! Just add the crushed pineapple and add an extra 1 Smart Point per slice. 

    In the UK it is difficult to find such large cans of pineapple rings & pineapple chunks. So use 1 ¼ large (435g) cans of pineapple rings or chunks. Drain off the juice and add 1 cup of water (250ml).

    What Angel Food Cake Mix should I use?

    I have made this cake using both Duncan Hines Angel Food Cake Mix and Betty Crocker Angel Food Cake Mix. They differ very slightly in Smart Point values. However, when split into 16 portions both come out at 5 Smart Points per slice.

    Two Angel Food Cake Box Mixes

    This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Visit this page to see what that means.

    I live in the UK, where can I buy Angel Food Cake mix?

    If you live in the UK you can sometimes purchase Angel Food Cake Mix in bulk from Amazon.com here. Prices do vary but you can often find 12 box packs which work out as a couple of pounds per box. You can also very occasionally find them for sale on Amazon.co.uk.

    What Pan should I use?

    A bundt pan or angel food cake pan is best for this recipe.

    As you can see from my photos, I use a fluted bundt pan to bake this cake. It is suggested on the cake mix box that you don't use a fluted pan but in my experience it has always worked well.  This may be because I use a good quality, heavy fluted pan like this one, available from Amazon that doesn't have too much detail.

    Whatever pan you use, it will need to be at least 3L capacity.

    Can I make it in a regular pan?

    Yes! If you don't have a bundt pan you can use loaf pans instead.  You will need to reduce the cooking time slightly though.

    For this recipe you could use two 9 inch (2L) loaf pans.

    How do I prepare the cake pan?

    Do not grease the pan and do not use parchment paper to line the pan.

    These cake mixes are generally quite robust but the cake won't rise or may sink if the mixture is over-beaten or if the tin is greased before baking.

    A top down photo of pineapple angel food cake on a white table

    How do I know when the cake is done?

    The cake will turn golden brown and will start to crack across the top when it is done. It shouldn't be sticky when you touch the top and should feel very dry to the touch.  The cake then needs to be cooled thoroughly - see below!

    How do I cool angel food cake?

    The Pineapple Angel Food Cake needs to be cooled by hanging/balancing the bundt pan upside down on top of a heatproof bottle or jar.

    This prevents the cake from collapsing as, until the cake is cooled, the mixture is still a little unstable.

    If you are using loaf pans to bake this cake it is pretty difficult to cool the cakes upside down!! Therefore, once you remove them from the oven place them on their sides on a  heatproof surface to prevent them sinking.

    It will take 1 - 2 hours for the cake/s to cool completely.

    How to store it?

    You can store the cake in an air-tight container at room temperature for a couple of days. Alternatively, wrap the cooled cake in kitchen foil and store in the refrigerator for up to a week.

    I find, however, that this particular cake does become moist and a little tacky after a day - but it still tastes great!

    Can I freeze it?

    You can freeze this cake either as whole or sliced into individual portions.

    Wrap it in plastic wrap first then cover in a layer of kitchen foil. It can be kept in the freezer for a good few months.

    Defrost it thoroughly by removing from the freezer and leaving it, still wrapped,  at room temperature until it is soft and springy.

    Serving Suggestions.

    I serve this sweet cake with mixed fresh berries and a dollop of creamy fat free Greek yogurt that I mix with a little coconut flavouring. Yum!

    If you have enough Smart Points left over you could also serve it with some whipped cream or a spoonful of one of these Low Smart Point Ice Creams. 

    A pineapple angel food cake on a cake stand surrounded by berries

    Pineapple Angel Food Cake | Weight Watchers

    Marianne
    A light and airy 3 ingredient Pineapple Angel Food Cake. So easy to make & best of all it is low in Weight Watchers Points!
    4.75 from 24 votes
    Print Recipe WW Personal Points WW Personal Points(UK)
    Prep Time 15 mins
    Cook Time 45 mins
    Additional Time 2 hrs
    Total Time 3 hrs
    Course Desserts
    Cuisine American
    Servings 16 Servings
    Calories 125 kcal

    Equipment

    • KitchenAid KHM926ER Empire Red 9-Speed Hand Mixer
    • Nordic Ware Exclusive Bundt and Bundt Bag, Champagne
    • Betty Crocker Cake Mix Angel Food White 16 Oz
    • Duncan Hines Angel Food Cake Mix - 16 oz

    Ingredients
     
     

    • 1 box of angel food cake mix I used Betty Crocker White Angel Food Cake Mix
    • 1 can pineapple slices / chunks in juice (20oz) drained *
    • 1 cup water *

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat the oven to 350°F / 180°C / 160°C fan.
    • Move the oven shelf to the lowest position in your oven if you are cooking this cake in a Bundt tin. If you are using loaf tins you can leave the shelf in the middle of the oven.
    • Drain the juice from the can of pineapple (see notes on why I do this).
    • Place the drained pineapple slices / chunks in a food processor with 1 cup of water. Pulse until almost smooth.
    • Place the cake mix and blitzed pineapple in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer for 1 - 1½ minutes. It is important not to over-beat the mixture.
    • Pour the frothy mixture into an un-greased bundt pan or into two 9 inch loaf pans. (Please read additional important information above for more details on the best pans to use)
    • If using a bundt pan, cook for 40 - 45 minutes until it turns golden brown and starts to crack on the top. The cake should be dry on top with no hint of stickiness.
    • If you are using loaf pans, bake for 38 - 43 minutes until the tops turn golden brown and they have started to crack on the top. The cakes should be dry on the top with no hint of stickiness.
    • If you are using a bundt pan carefully hang it upside down on a heat proof glass bottle or can and leave it to cool for approx 1½ hours. Once cool run a knife around the edge of the pan and carefully remove the cake.
    • If you are using loaf pans, once you remove them from the oven, lie them on their sides still in the pans on a heatproof surface or wire rack until cool. To remove from the pan run a knife around the edge and turn upside down.
    • The cake is best cut with a serrated knife.
    • Serve with fresh berries and fat free greek yogurt or a little whipped cream (if you have spare Smart Points!).

    Notes

    • * If you use the juice from the tinned pineapple it changes the Smart Points of this cake to 6 Smart Points per slice. I therefore drain the pineapple juice from the tin and swap in 1 cup of water. I do not find that this changes the taste at all.
    • * If you use 1 large tin (20oz) of crushed pineapple with juice or use undrained pineapple slices / pieces then you can omit the 1 cup of water BUT once slice of Pineapple Angel Food Cake will be 6 Smart Points.

    Nutrition

    Nutrition Facts
    Pineapple Angel Food Cake | Weight Watchers
    Serving Size
     
    1 /16
    Amount per Serving
    Calories
    125
    % Daily Value*
    Fat
     
    1
    g
    2
    %
    Saturated Fat
     
    1
    g
    6
    %
    Polyunsaturated Fat
     
    1
    g
    Monounsaturated Fat
     
    1
    g
    Sodium
     
    234
    mg
    10
    %
    Potassium
     
    70
    mg
    2
    %
    Carbohydrates
     
    30
    g
    10
    %
    Fiber
     
    1
    g
    4
    %
    Sugar
     
    22
    g
    24
    %
    Protein
     
    2
    g
    4
    %
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    Keyword weight watchers dessert recipes. pineapple angel food cake, weight watchers freestyle recipes, Weight watchers recipes with points
    Tried this recipe?Mention @PointedKitchen or tag #pointedkitchen!
    « Sweet Pepper Frittata | Weight Watchers
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    Comments

    1. Anonymous says

      June 26, 2019 at 2:34 pm

      5 stars

      Reply
    2. HELEN OSBORN says

      August 12, 2019 at 12:56 am

      HI
      I live in New Zealand, not sure where to buy angle cake

      Reply
      • Marianne says

        August 12, 2019 at 8:27 am

        Hi Helen
        I am sorry but I can't really help you there except to suggest that you search the web for an online store that imports American groceries in NZ! I know that there's a lot of them in the UK but they are more expensive.
        Sorry I couldn't help further!
        Good luck on your WW journey
        Marianne x

        Reply
    3. Kitty Streiler says

      October 08, 2019 at 2:29 am

      I have this angel food pineapple cake on hand all the time fresh. I much prefer baking mine in a 9 x 13 glass baking dish and I do spray it lightly with olive oil baking spray. I bake for 30 minutes at 350°. I have tried it with water instead of its own juice, but don’t care for it quite as much. I never use a blender or a mixer. I stir it by hand with a slotted metal spoon just enough to know I have all the dry ingredients mixed well. I’ve also made this with cherry, strawberry, and blueberries. The other ingredient I add is about a teaspoon of cinnamon and mix it well and it does enhance the taste. I make this cake for all of the carry- in food or potluck and it’s the first to go. Some people like Cool Whip on top, however, I don’t want the Cool Whip on mine.

      Reply
    4. Sheila says

      February 07, 2020 at 6:36 am

      Wonder if u chop pinapple use a vanilla Greek yogurt n coolwhip mix together for a topping hav u tried or does it make cake soggy?

      Reply
      • Marianne says

        February 07, 2020 at 2:37 pm

        Hi Sheila
        I personally have never tried topping this cake with coolwhip and yogurt - although it does sound delicious!
        I would say that it most probably does make the cake soggy though!
        Do let me know how you get on, if you try!
        Kindest regards
        Marianne x

        Reply
    5. Anne says

      February 16, 2020 at 3:45 pm

      Can I use strawberry instead in the can

      Reply
      • Marianne says

        February 22, 2020 at 5:16 pm

        Hi Anne
        I've never tried with any fruit but pineapple. Sorry I can't be more help.
        Kind regards
        Marianne

        Reply
    6. Liz says

      February 21, 2020 at 1:20 am

      Have you tried making this in a cupcake pan?

      Reply
      • Marianne says

        February 22, 2020 at 10:18 am

        Hi Liz
        I haven't tried this in a cupcake pan! It is however something that I have been planning to do & as soon as I do, I will let you know how I get on.
        Kind regards
        Marianne

        Reply
    7. Debbie says

      October 18, 2021 at 1:46 am

      This was delicious! I had crushed pineapple on hand and did the Bundt cake version. We topped the finished cake with Cool Whip Light and fresh cut-up pineapple. Light, fresh and so good!

      Reply
      • Marianne says

        October 19, 2021 at 3:22 pm

        So glad that you liked it Debbie!
        I love the sound of the topping that you added - delicious!
        Best of luck with your WW journey & thanks for the comment.
        Kind regards
        Marianne

        Reply
    8. Peggy says

      March 05, 2022 at 3:05 pm

      I just made this cake with fruit cocktail. Just tested a piece , to see, and this way is also very good. Going to top with whip cream later. Enjoy.

      Reply
    9. Bert says

      April 11, 2022 at 4:25 pm

      I made your WW pineapple Angel Food Cake using the water in 2 loaf pans...it's heavenly....will keep on hand all the time....QUESTION? How many points is a slice when use the water as I did? Thanks for sharing this recipe....

      Reply

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