How to Make a Simple, Fruit-Sweetened Pineapple Cake (Diabetic Friendly, No Artificial Sweeteners, Air Fryer or Oven)

This easy cake is moist and delicious without being cloyingly sweet. It's more like a coffee cake than a layer cake, and you can make it in your air fryer or oven in about half an hour. The cake is sweetened primarily with dates and pineapple (canned is fine), not refined sugar or artificial sweeteners. The cake also is acceptable (in moderation, as always) if you're on a diabetic diet or want to "eat healthy." With plenty of fiber and protein, the cake is less likely than many desserts to cause blood sugar spikes. We like the cake for a simple dessert or snack with tea or coffee, and it's also good as a breakfast or brunch treat. Because it contains no preservatives, any leftover cake needs to be stored in a cool place or the refrigerator. Enjoy!

How to Make a Simple, Fruit-Sweetened Pineapple Cake (Diabetic Friendly, No Artificial Sweeteners, Air Fryer or Oven)

Pineapple Cake (Diabetic Friendly) -- Makes an 8-inch Cake

1 cup of regular oats

1/2 cup of pitted dates

1/3 cup of canola oil

1/3 cup of unsweetened pineapple juice (reserved from a can of pineapple)

5-6 pineapple rings, chopped roughly (about 1/2 can--you also can use pineapple tidbits)

1/2 cup of plain Greek yogurt (non-fat is fine)

2 tablespoons of milled flax seeds

1 teaspoon of vanilla

1/2 cup of white whole-wheat flour (or golden wheat flour)

1 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder

1/4 teaspoon of salt

1 cup of chopped pecans, divided

Put the oats and dates in the bowl of a large food processor and process them together for a couple of minutes or until the oats are mostly ground and the dates are little bits in the oat flour. Add to the oat mixture the canola oil, pineapple juice, pineapple, Greek yogurt, milled flax seeds, and vanilla. Process them into the oat mixture until blended. Add to the processor bowl the white whole-wheat flour, baking powder, and salt and pulse them into the wet mixture until blended. Pulse in 1/2 cup of pecans or, if you want them in larger pieces, stir them in by hand. Spritz an 8-inch square pan with non-stick cooking spray (or line the pan with aluminum foil and spritz the foil with spray for easy cleanup). Pour the batter into the pan and smooth out the batter evenly. Sprinkle the remaining chopped pecans over the batter.

Air Fryer: Air fry the cake at 320 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown and a pick inserted in the center of the cake comes out with no wet batter attached.

Oven: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Bake the cake for about 30 minutes or until golden brown and a pick inserted in the center of the cake comes out with no wet batter attached.

How to Make a Simple, Fruit-Sweetened Pineapple Cake (Diabetic Friendly, No Artificial Sweeteners, Air Fryer or Oven)