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When spring has sprung, make this light and fluffy homemade pineapple upside down cake! An easy vanilla cake batter is baked with a brown sugar pineapple topping with maraschino cherries. The vanilla cake is made with melted butter, so this pineapple upside down cake recipe comes together in less than 30 minutes!
I have to admit pineapple upside down cake is not a cake I grew up on. In fact it’s only been a few years since I ever enjoyed a slice. But man was I missing out! For those of you who have enjoyed this cake for years then you know what I’m talking about.
There’s something magical about flipping the cake upside down after it bakes and revealing that beautiful caramelized pineapple topping with those beautiful red cherries peeking in around the slices. And the brown sugar butter mixture that coats the fruit is clearly my favorite part of this upside down pineapple cake. Yes let’s just say I am a big fan of pineapple upside down cake and I think you will be too once you take a bite.
This pineapple upside down cake recipe did take a few rounds of trial and error. I wanted a cake that could hold up underneath the heavy pineapple topping and not create a soggy sort of smushed sponge cake underneath. But I also wanted the perfect balance of fruit topping to cake.
I started with using my vanilla cake batter as the jumping off point. I cut that recipe in half, but I found that using softened butter created too fluffy a cake and it didn’t have the perfect topping to cake ratio. I decided to try it with melted butter instead. And it was pure pineapple gold! It was the perfect cake to topping ratio. The best pineapple upside down cake recipe was born if I do say so myself.
By using melted butter instead of softened butter also meant I didn’t need to bust out my stand mixer and bring my butter to room temperature and cream it with the sugar. That meant this became a very easy cake to whip up and serve then I originally planned. I seriously love my stand mixer but I also love being able to make a cake with just a mixing bowl and a whisk. Call me lazy but I’ll call myself efficient. 😉
What is a pineapple upside down cake?
If you’re unfamiliar with this type of cake, this is a really fun retro cake to make! Let me break it down for you – basically the topping of the cake – melted butter, brown sugar, pineapple slices, and maraschino cherries get placed in the bottom of the cake pan. The cake batter is poured over the fruit mixture and then baked.
After it’s baked the cake is flipped upside down (hence the name!) revealing the pineapple topping. So it’s basically baked “upside down” and then flipped upside down as well.
Of course pineapple is the most famous of them all, but other fruits are often used to make an upside down cake.
What is the origin of the pineapple upside down cake?
A upside down pineapple cake really isn’t that old in “cake years”. Although there isn’t an exact date of when it first came about but it seems the 1920s when it started to make it first appearance.
And it was when this cake really gained popularity when the Dole company decided to run a contest for pineapple recipes. Apparently they received over 2500 recipes for it! Genius marketing there don’t you think?
Ingredients Needed
For the topping:
For the pineapple upside down cake topping you will need just 4 ingredients: melted butter, brown sugar, pineapple slices and maraschino cherries.
For the vanilla cake:
And for the cake you will need flour, baking powder, salt, eggs, vanilla, buttermilk, sugar, oil, and melted butter.
Besides gathering the ingredients above, here are a few things to mention about some of the ingredients in order to make the best pineapple upside down cake from scratch:
For the topping:
- Melted Butter
- Pineapple – I used canned pineapple slices, but you can definitely use fresh pineapple if you want. I use pineapple slices and not chunks which might make for a messy topping that doesn’t stay in place. I recommend blotting the pineapple slices dry before starting to remove any extra liquid.
- Cherries – I used jarred maraschino cherries but I think fresh cherries might also work. If they are large I would recommend cutting them in half.
- Brown Sugar
For the cake:
- Cake Flour – I made this cake with cake flour to create a light, fluffy texture. If you don’t have cake flour on hand you can make a Homemade Cake Flour but it won’t be quite the same, or swap and use AP flour (but again the cake might be a bit denser than intended).
- Baking Powder
- Salt
- Unsalted Butter – I always bake and recommend using unsalted butter, if you salted butter make sure to reduce the salt in the recipe or omit completely.
- Granulated Sugar
- Oil
- Vanilla Extract
- Eggs
- Buttermilk – I loved the flavor and texture buttermilk gives to the cake. If you don’t have any buttermilk on hand, you could try making Homemade Buttermilk but it won’t be quite the same as the store-bought but will do in a pinch. But milk and buttermilk are the NOT the same thing and react differently with the baking powder and baking soda, so do not swap in milk.
How To Make Homemade Pineapple Upside Down Cake
Prepare topping. I like to first blot the pineapple sand cherries to remove excess liquid so it doesn’t add extra moisture to the cake. Pour the melted butter into the bottom of the cake pan then sprinkle brown sugar evenly over the melted butter.
Arrange pineapple slices in sugar mixture (8 on the bottom, and cut the remaining 3 slices in half and place around the sides of the pan). Place a cherry in the center of each pineapple slice and in the center of the pan and around the sides.
Combine dry ingredients. Sift together flour, baking powder and salt in a small mixing bowl and set aside.
Mix butter, oil and sugar. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the melted butter, oil and sugar until combined.
Add eggs and vanilla. Add the eggs, beating well after the addition. Beat in vanilla.
Add dry ingredients alternately with buttermilk. Add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk, beating well after each addition.
Bake. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan with the pineapple topping. Some of the pineapple slices will peek above the batter.
Bake 45 to 50 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean (don’t go all the way down or you will just get the brown sugar bottom) . Top will be a dark golden brown and spring back when touched. Cool 5 minutes. Loosen edges, and invert out onto a serving platter.
Heather’s Baking Tips
- Blot the pineapple slices and cherries first. This will ensure there isn’t too much liquid in the fruit and causing an overly wet cake.
- Grease your cake pan JUST in case. I’ve never had an issue with this cake sticking since there’s a whole lot of butter in the bottom, but I still give it a spray. Call it superstition. Old habit. But hey, a quick spray and I’ll know there’s definitely NO way this cake is sticking.
- Measure Your Flour Correctly – Too much flour in your measuring cup will result in a heavy, dry cake. I recommend using a kitchen scale and measuring by weight for best accuracy. But if using measuring cups, then be sure to spoon the flour into your cup and level it off, making sure to not pack the flour down into the cup.
- Use room temperature eggs. You want to make sure your eggs are cold going into the bowl, otherwise they might cause the butter to solidify. I place my eggs in a bowl of warm water for 10 minutes before I use them.
- Invert The Cake After About 5 Minutes In The Pan. Give the cake a few minutes to rest in the pan after baking but then invert the cake while warm before the topping sets up.
- Give It A Tap If Need Be. If the cake does appear to be losing some of the topping, then give it a tap when you’ve inverted it. And if all else fails, remove any of the fruit that stuck, and simply place it back on top. No one needs to be the wiser!
Recipe FAQ’s
You can store the cake or leftovers in a container, covered, for up to 3 days.
I think fresh pineapple slices would work instead of pineapple rings but I wouldn’t recommend chunks or crushed pineapple as it may make a messy topping that doesn’t stay in place but I haven’t tried it. I use and recommend canned pineapple rings.
It might be from excess liquid from your pineapple and cherries. Be sure to blot the pineapple rings and cherries before making the topping.
Yes you can and it will definitely help with any sticking issues with the fruit.
Yes, this cake freezes well. Freeze any leftovers by wrapping up any slices and freezing for 3 months. Thaw at room temperature, unwrapped, before serving.
More Recipes To Try
If you love this pineapple upside down cake recipe then here are more cake recipes to try!
Pineapple Upside Down Cake Recipe
Ingredients
For the topping:
- 1 20 ounce can pineapple slices
- ¼ cup (4 Tbs., 57 g) unsalted butter, melted
- ⅔ cup (143 g) packed light brown sugar
- 19 maraschino cherries
For the cake:
- 1 ½ cups + 2 Tablespoons (165 g) cake flour spooned and leveled
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup (4 Tbs., 57 g) unsalted butter, melted
- ¼ cup (60 ml) canola oil
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated white sugar
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- ⅔ cup (160 mL) buttermilk
Instructions
- Prep oven and prepare pan. Position a rack in the center of your oven and preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Spray 9-inch (23 cm) cake pan with non-stick cooking spray. You can also line the bottom of the cake pan with parchment which will help with any sticking issues.
- Prep fruit. Drain pineapple. Place pineapple slices and cherries on a plate and blot with a paper towel to remove excess moisture. Cut 3 pineapple slices in half.
- Prepare topping. Pour the melted butter into the bottom of the cake pan, swirling to coat the entire bottom. Sprinkle the brown sugar over the top of the butter. Place the whole pineapple slices on top of the brown sugar (8 on the bottom of the pan, and with the remaining cut pineapple slices, place each pineapple half slice around the sides standing upright alternating between the slices on the bottom. Place a cherry in the center of each pineapple slice and in between the pineapple slices and around the sides.
- Combine dry ingredients. Sift together the cake flour, baking powder and salt in a small mixing bowl and set aside.
- Cream butter and sugar. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the melted butter, oil, and sugar until combined. Add the eggs and vanilla, whisking to combine.
- Add dry ingredients alternately with buttermilk. Add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk, mixing well after each addition. Pour the batter over the top of the pineapple topping. Some of the pineapple slices may still peak above the top of the cake batter.
- Bake. Bake in the center of your preheated 350°F oven for 45 to 50 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean (don’t go all the way down or you will just get the brown sugar bottom) . Top of the cake will be a golden brown and spring back when lightly touched. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes in the pan. Use a knife and loosen around the edge of the cake pan, and invert out onto a serving platter. Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Video
Notes
- Storage: You can store the cake or leftovers in a container, covered, for up to 3 days.
- Pineapple – I used canned pineapple slices, but you can definitely use fresh pineapple if you want. I use pineapple slices and not chunks which might make for a messy topping that doesn’t stay in place. I recommend blotting the pineapple slices dry before starting to remove any extra liquid.
- Cherries – I used jarred maraschino cherries but I think fresh cherries might also work. If they are large I would recommend cutting them in half.
- Cake Flour – I made this cake with cake flour to create a light, fluffy texture. If you don’t have cake flour on hand you can make a Homemade Cake Flour but it won’t be quite the same, or swap and use AP flour (but again the cake might be a bit denser than intended).
- Buttermilk – If you don’t have any buttermilk on hand, you could try making Homemade Buttermilk but it won’t be quite the same as the store-bought but will do in a pinch. But milk and buttermilk are the NOT the same thing and react differently with the baking powder and baking soda, so do not swap in milk.
Ellen says
I think my mother made this cake in a cast iron fry pan!
Heather says
oh yes in a cast iron is awesome!
Reshundra says
This cake sounds amazing. Would the recipe cover a 13×9 baking dish. Thanks so much!
Heather says
oh thank you! So this fits a 9 inch cake pan so if you wanted to bake in a 9×13 baking dish I would try doubling it.
Reshundra says
Thanks so so much! I was thinking to double, but wasn’t quite sure. I’ll be sure to leave a review after I make it! Thank you!
Kelsey B says
I doubled the recipe to bake in my 9×13 pan. 40-45 minutes it was nicely browned. My family LOVED this recipe.
Heather says
aw that’s wonderful Kelsey! I’m so glad you loved it and were able to double it successfully!
Tracy says
Do you think this would work well as a bundt cake!?!
Heather says
I haven’t tried but I don’t see why not?
Kate says
Interesting you mentioned not to use chunks because that’s exactly what I like to use. Well more like the pineapple ‘tidbits’.
I use to use the rings but found the whole ring would slide off when I cut into it. With the tidbits, there is guaranteed pineapple in every bite!
I love a more dense cake too so hopefully this one is not too light and fluffy, lol.
Heather says
I’m so glad the tidbits worked for you – I’ll make sure to make mention for others in case they don’t have rings!
Regenne says
Fluff moist flavorful cake. It’s great that the recipe can be customized to number of servings. However, there is not a note recommending pan size adjustment for increased servings.
Heather says
Hi Regenne! So glad you loved the recipe! And I’ll see if I can find a good pan adjustment and make a note of it.
Rachel graybill says
I just think that I seen it way before it was basically made from the hit movie that brought me was American girl Grace stirs up success and so the actor who was grace Thomas in the Thomas family was Olivia Rodrigo so she really did it way so very really good at it when she was about to make that at the end during the MasterChef baking edition Carter was the cheater who did not want her to make it so I just hate him not to do that when he was stared at her in her eyes that’s like not the best thing for him so that’s why she was talking about to make it but Carter was confused about that when he was about to take it so that’s a very true meaning thing in the movie.
Denise costello says
The ingredient section calls for baking soda but it isn’t listed in the section for combining dry ingredients
Heather says
Hi Denise, my apologies! That’s an error, there is no baking soda in the cake. Recipe is updated now!
Heidy says
I love a good old-fashioned homemade pineapple upside-down cake. My mom and grandmother used to make them all the time, and over the years, I have made them far and few. However, that is about to change because your homemade pineapple upside-down cake looks impressive.
Loreto and Nicoletta says
You are so right when you say it is magical to unfold this cake. I always love the carameluzation that happens when the pineapple cooks under the batter. One of my favorite cakes! Totally yummy. Plus pineapple is good for you right?😁 in that case I will have two pieces please!😋🥰👍👌🙏
Tristin says
We love pineapple upside down cake and this one came out baked to perfection. So good, its my favorite cake recipe!
Katie Crenshaw says
This pineapple cake turns out perfect. It is so moist, buttery, and sweet. I loved it.
Hayley Dhanecha says
I have a massive tin of pineapple rings in my pantry and this looks to incredibly tasty so I’m going to make it next weekend for Mother’s day ! Very well explained recipe. can’t wait to bake!
Lauren Michael Harris says
This recipe reminds me so much of my moms recipe for pineapple upside-down cake! It’s absolutely perfect!
Liz says
I made this cake the other day and it was delicious! The whole cake was gone in a matter of a few days! I saved it to make it again! Your recipe was also very easy to follow!
Marta says
This takes me back to my childhood! I loved pineapple upside down cake as a kid but thought they were too much of a hassle to bake. This recipe helped me get over that.
Veronika Sykorova says
I usually make a plum upside-down cake at the end of summer but never tried it with pineapple. It was delicious! It’s always satisfying to flip it over and come out so easily haha.
Gloria says
It has been ages since I had an upside-down cake. Always a hit. The classic recipes never go out of style. Prresentation perfect.