Pineapple Upside Down Cake

Table of Contents

This pineapple upside-down cake recipe is a quick and easy classic that’s graced tables since the 1920s!

Tangy pineapple slices are caramelized underneath a vanilla cake and then flipped right-side up for a stunningly tasty dessert!

This cake is best served warm from the oven, topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!

A Favorite Easy Cake!

This famous cake is elegant enough to take to a party but simple enough to make and enjoy on any given day.
Upside-down cakes like this one are incredibly adaptable for using other fruits.
Make in a single-layer cake pan or a cast iron skillet or even a bundt cake pan.

Ingredients for Pineapple Upside Down Cake

Cake – All the basic cake batter components are here except that adding applesauce lowers the amount of both the oil and sugar needed. If you’d like, instead of making a scratch cake use a boxed vanilla or yellow cake mix and make two upside-down cakes.

Fruit – Canned sliced pineapple rings are perfect in this recipe. Try sliced apples, peaches, pears, or plums.

Toppings on the bottom – Maraschino cherries are what make this recipe so sweet and colorful, but red or green grapes, raisins, currants, dried or sugared cranberries can be used, flaked or toasted coconut, and pecans, walnuts, or slivered almonds.

How to Make Homemade Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

Melt butter & brown sugar in the cake pan. Arrange pineapple rings and cherries on top and set aside.
Prepare cake as directed in the recipe below and gently pour the cake batter over the pineapples.
Bake until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes and then invert the pan onto a plate.

Serve warm or cooled with homemade vanilla ice cream, or whipped cream.

Storing Pineapple Upside Down Cake

After Baking: Keep the baked cake in the pan and let it cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate for 3 days.
To Freeze: Wrap the cake tightly in plastic wrap and store it in the freezer for up to 3 months.
To Thaw (if frozen): Warm in a 300°F oven for 15-20 minutes just until heated through. Flip and serve.

More Fruity Favorites

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This recipe starts with a layer of caramelized pineapple rings and maraschino cherries, topped with an incredibly moist vanilla cake layer!

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Cool Time 5 minutes

Total Time 55 minutes

Place butter in 9″ round cake pan or pie plate and put in the oven. Preheat the oven to 350°F allowing the butter to melt in the pan while warming.
Remove the pan from the oven once the butter has melted. Stir in brown sugar (you can do this right in the pan!).
Arrange pineapple slices and cherries on top of the butter mixture.

Cake

In a medium bowl, whisk together oil and sugar. Add applesauce, egg, and vanilla and whisk until combined.
Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and stir just until combined. Spread carefully over pineapple in pan, making sure not to disturb the cherries as you spread the batter.
Bake for 20-25 minutes, until top of the cake is golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool for 5 minutes in the pan before running a knife carefully around the edge.
Place a large round plate on top of the pan, flip and allow the cake to fall out onto the plate before removing the pan.

Cover and store leftover cake in the fridge for up to 4 days. Serve cold or reheat in the oven or microwave.

Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.

Course Cake, Dessert

Cuisine American

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