Preacher Cake

 3 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 20-ounce can crushed pineapple, with juice
1 1/2 cups finely chopped pecans or walnuts, divided
1 cup flaked coconut (optional)

Cream Cheese Frosting (recipe below)

Sift together flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon; set aside.

Combine sugar, eggs, oil and vanilla and mix on medium-low speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Slowly mix in flour mixture until just combined.

Add pineapple (undrained), 1 cup chopped pecans and coconut and continue mixing on medium-low speed until all ingredients are thoroughly combined (about 1 minute).

Spray a 13x9 baking pan with cooking spray. Pour cake batter into pan and bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes or until cake is set in the center and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Cool cake completely in pan then the frost with Cream Cheese Frosting. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup chopped pecans over cake. Store in refrigerator.

Cream Cheese Frosting

1 8-ounce package cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups powdered sugar, sifted

Whip cream cheese, butter and vanilla with an electric mixer until fluffy (about 2 minutes). Beat in powdered sugar (add more if necessary to reach desired consistency – if your kitchen’s hot, you might need more because the butter will be softer). Makes enough to top one 13x9 cake – double recipe if using on a layered cake