Pineapple Upside Down Cake

Why This Recipe Works

Classic Cake: My pineapple upside down cake recipe is a take on a classic cake that has stood the testament of time. There is a reason why this cake has so many different recipes and why everyone has heard of it! It is just that good! Everyone, even the pickiest of eaters, is going to love this fruity, buttery cake recipe.

No Fuss Dessert: The best part about upside down cakes is that they are automatically decorated! That’s right, once you flip that cake over and reveal the pineapple cherry layer, there is no need for any additional work or decoration. It is totally beautiful and ready to be eaten!

Ingredients

For the Pineapple Topping

• Pineapple Rings: The classic top of the pineapple upside down cake uses pineapple rings. These are super easy to buy canned in juice!
• Maraschino Cherries: I like to have some maraschino cherries on top for some added flavor. This is optional though!
• Butter: Butter will combine with the brown sugar to make a syrup.
• Brown Sugar: Brown sugar adds flavor and will caramelize on the edges of the cake and create a lovely layer on top of the cake.

Here’s How to Make It

Step by Step Instructions

1. Preheat & Prep: Preheat the oven to 350 F. Drain the pineapple rings, setting aside 1/4 cup of juice. Dry the rings and the cherries thoroughly on a piece of kitchen paper towel. Butter a 9 inch cake pan or prep it with cooking spray before lining both the bottom and the sides with baking parchment. (not pictured)
2. Make Butter & Brown Sugar Syrup: In a small saucepan, melt together the butter and the brown sugar. Pour the mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan making sure that the sugar distribution is even and the mixture reaches right to the edges. Arrange pineapple rings across the bottom of the pan, taking them right to the edges, placing a cherry in the middle of each ring. (photos 1-3)
3. Make the Batter: To make the cake batter, using a hand held mixer or in the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together the butter and sugar until pale. Follow with the eggs, one by one, the sour cream and the vanilla. (photos 4-6)
4. Add Dry Ingredients: Beat in the baking powder and baking soda, followed by the flour, 1/2 cup at a time. Finally beat in the reserved 1/4 cup pineapple juice from the can. If there is leftover pineapple, roughly chop the rings and fold the pieces into the batter using a rubber spatula. (photo 7)
5. Pour: Pour the batter into the cake pan, covering the prepared pineapple rings. Make sure to push the batter to the edges and smooth the top. (photos 8-9)
6. Bake: Bake for 45-50 minutes until the top is golden, slightly cracked, and the tip of a sharp knife or a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. (photo 10)
7. Cool: Leave the cake to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before removing the paper around the edge of the tin and placing a large serving plate on top. Invert, and the cake should come away from the tin, leaving a caramelized pineapple top once the baking parchment circle is removed. Allow to cool completely before slicing and serving! (photos 11-12)

Expert Tips

• Make sure to blot the fruit dry! The reason we thoroughly dry the pineapples and cherries with paper towels prior to placing them in the cake tin is to reduce too much excess moisture. The fruits will release additional juices when baking, but too much juice can cause the cake to be overly wet!
• Dense but delicious! Keep in mind, this cake recipe has to be slightly dense to hold up to the weight of the fruit once it is flipped. Pineapple upside down cake will always be slightly dense, but it is still seriously delicious! To keep it from getting too dense, don’t over mix the cake batter once the flour is added!
• Don’t leave the cake in the pan for too long! After about 10 minutes of cooling, you’ll want to flip the cake over and get it out of the pan.