Hi Bold Bakers!
I love the way pineapple upside-down cake looks. It reminds me of old cookbooks from the 50s or 60s—but pineapple upside-down cake never goes out of style, especially if you love sweets!
This cake is perfect for a small crowd, with a pot of warm tea or coffee. It all starts with brown sugar that gets melted in butter and poured into your baking dish. Then you layer in your pineapples and pop a maraschino cheery in the center of each ring. As the cake bakes, the pineapple flavor intensifies and caramelizes.
Then, you flip the cake out of your pan. Like MAGIC, your pineapple and cherries stay on top of the cake, and all those delicious fruit and caramel juices soak the cake underneath, guaranteeing a beautiful, moist, soft yellow cake!
What Is Pineapple Upside-Down Cake?
Pineapple upside-down cake is a classic dessert recipe in which you bake it, well, upside-down! When you flip your cake out of your baking dish, then it’s right-side up. Or is it then upside-down? Better not overthink this; it may be a “which came first, the chicken or the egg” situation, and honestly, I rather just think about that soft yellow cake topped with caramelized pineapple.
What You Need To Make Pineapple Upside-Down Cake
How To Make Pineapple Upside-Down Cake
This cake is so incredibly soft and flavorful, plus you can’t beat that cheerful coloring of pineapple and cherries! Here is how you make pineapple upside-down cake (get the full recipe down below):
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C) and generously butter a 9×13-inch (23x33cm) baking pan. Set the pan aside.
- Combine the butter and brown sugar in a small saucepan over medium-low heat and let it come to a simmer until the sugar dissolves. This will take 2-3 minutes. Pour this mixture into your prepared baking pan.
- Drain the pineapple rings, but save ½ cup (4floz/120ml) of juice. Arrange your rings 4 by 3, or as many as you can fit in a single layer, in the pan on top of the butter and brown sugar mixture.
- Place a maraschino cherry in the center of each pineapple ring.
- Now, make the cake batter. In a large bowl, cream together the butter, dark brown sugar, and granulated sugar until light and fluffy.
- Whisk in the eggs, milk, reserved pineapple juice, and vanilla extract.
- In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Then, fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined.
- Carefully spread the batter over the pineapples and bake for about 35-40 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Allow the cake to cool for 10 minutes in the pan before inverting it onto a serving tray.
Gemma’s Pro Chef Tips For Making Pineapple Upside-Down Cake
- You can use fresh pineapple for this recipe. Peel, core, and slice it to 1/2 inch thick. If you do this, use ½ cup pineapple or orange juice in the cake batter instead of the reserved can juice.
- If you have fresh cherries on hand, you can make homemade glacé cherries instead of store-bought maraschino cherries.
- Be sure to invert the cake while it is still warm but not hot out of the oven. 10 minutes of resting is best. This way, it won’t stick to the pan or break while inverting.
- This cake is delicious served with coconut whipped cream: place a can of full-fat coconut milk in the refrigerator until cold. Open the can, scoop out the solids (discard the liquid) and whip until soft peaks form.
- Make this a pineapple rum upside-down cake: stir 2 tablespoons of rum into the butter and brown sugar sauce before pouring it into the pan.
How Do I Store Pineapple Upside-Down Cake?
Because there is so much fruit juice and caramelly goodness, this is a cake that is best enjoyed the day it is made. However, you can store any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
Get more of my Best Cake Recipes:
And don’t forget to buy my Bigger Bolder Baking Cookbook!
Full (and printable) recipe below!
Prep Time 20 mins
Cook Time 35 mins
My version of this iconic pineapple-upside down cake recipe is next-level — but keeps the classic pineapple ring and cherry look you know and love.
Author: Gemma Stafford
Servings: 12 people
Ingredients
For vthe Caramel:
- ½ cup (4oz/115g) butter
- 1 ¼ cups (7½oz/213g) dark brown sugar
- 1 large can (20oz/567g) sliced pineapple in juice
- 10-13 maraschino cherries (stems removed)
For the Cake:
- ½ cup (4oz/115g) butter, softened
- ½ cup (4oz/115g) granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup (2oz/57g) dark brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup (4floz/120ml) whole milk
- ½ cup (4floz/120ml) juice from the tinned pineapple
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 2 cups (10oz/284g) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
To Make The Caramel:
Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and generously butter a 9x13-inch (23x33cm) baking pan. Set aside.
In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, combine butter and brown sugar and simmer until the sugar is dissolved in about 2-3 minutes. Pour into the prepared baking pan.
Drain the pineapple rings and reserve ½ cup (4floz/120ml) of juice. Arrange as many rings 4 x 3 or as you can fit in a single layer in the pan on top of the butter and brown sugar mixture.
Place a maraschino cherry in the center of each pineapple ring.
To Make The Cake:
In a large bowl cream together the butter, dark brown sugar and granulated sugar until light and fluffy.
Whisk in the eggs, milk, reserved pineapple and vanilla extract and stir to combine.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt, and then fold this into the wet ingredients until just combined.
Carefully spread the batter over the pineapples and then bake for 35-40 minutes, until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
Let the cake cool for 10 minutes in the pan before inverting onto a serving tray.
This cake is best the day it is made, but you can store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
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