Easy Pineapple Upside Down Cake Recipe (2024)

Cakes | Dessert | Desserts | Recipes | Summer Recipes

My Easy Classic Recipe for Pineapple Upside Down cake is baked in an iron skillet. I make the topping from scratch and cheat a little on the cake.

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Easy Pineapple Upside Down Cake Recipe (1)

An old-fashioned sweet fruity single layer cake recipe. Pineapple Upside Down Cake is a classic dessert made in a cast-iron skillet.

Make this pineapple cake for any occasion and remember this delicious cake for Thanksgiving and Christmas too. If you are planning a tropical party for the summer, this is a must-have dessert.

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Easy Pineapple Upside Down Cake Recipe (2)

Ingredients

Make this beautiful cake with simple ingredients you can find at your grocery store.

  • 1/2 Cup unsalted butter
  • 1/2 Cup Light Brown Sugar
  • 1 Can (20 oz.) Pineapple slices in heavy syrup
  • 12 -20 Maraschino Cherries
  • 1 Box Duncan Hines Pineapple Supreme Cake Mix
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1/3 Cup Vegetable Oil
  • 1 1/3 Cup blend of Pineapple Juice and water (instructions in printable recipe below)

Directions

Easy Pineapple Upside Down Cake Recipe (3)

Step 1

First, melt the butter in your iron skillet with the burner on medium high heat. Once the butter is melted, remove it from heat and top it with the brown sugar.

Printable recipe below.

Easy Pineapple Upside Down Cake Recipe (4)

Step 2

Next, place the Pineapple slices on top of the butter and brown sugar mixture. Create your own pretty pattern with whole and cut slices.

Step 3

Then place the cherries into the center of all the Pineapple slices and any other spots you choose. Everyone loves the cherries so use plenty!

Easy Pineapple Upside Down Cake Recipe (5)

Step 4

In a large mixing bowl, pour the cake mix and stir with whisk to remove lumps in the dry batter.

Step 5

Pour the reserved juice from the Pineapple Slices can into your 2 cup measuring cup. Add water to the juice until you reach 1 1/3 Cups.

Step 6

Add eggs, oil and juice. Mix on high about 30 seconds then reduce to medium speed and mix 2 minutes stopping occasionally to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl.

Step 7

Pour the batter over the Pineapples in the iron skillet filling the pan about 2/3 full.

Step 8

Bake at 350° about 30-45 minutes until golden brown or toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.

Step 9 Cool the cake

Cool in pan about 10 minutes before inverting onto serving platter.

How to invert the cake onto a plate

Place your cake plate on top of the iron skillet and turn both over carefully so that when you lift the skillet, the cake will be on your plate with the Pineapples on top. A well-seasoned iron skillet does not require greasing or pan coating for baking. The cake slides out quite well.

After turning the cake over fresh from the oven onto your cake plate, allow it to sit for a few minutes before cutting. This will allow the cake to soak up some of the juices from the topping making it moist and full of flavor.

Easy Pineapple Upside Down Cake Recipe (6)

I am guilty as charged of slicing or dipping desserts while they are still warm.

Easy Pineapple Upside Down Cake Recipe (7)

Easy Pineapple Upside Down Cake Recipe

Sweet fruity moist single layer cake baked in your iron skillet topped with Pineapples and Cherries.

Course Desserts

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes minutes

Total Time 50 minutes minutes

Servings 10

Calories 435kcal

Author Shirley Wood

Ingredients

  • 1/2 Cup unsalted butter
  • 1/2 Cup Light Brown Sugar
  • 1 Can 20 oz. Pineapple slices (reserve the juice)
  • 15 Maraschino Cherries
  • 1 Box Duncan Hines Pineapple Supreme Cake Mix
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1/3 Cup Vegetable Oil
  • 1 1/3 Cup blend of Pineapple Juice and water See instructions

Instructions

  • Melt the butter in your iron skillet with the burner on medium high heat. Once the butter is melted, remove from heat and top it with the brown sugar

  • Place the Pineapple slices on top of the butter and brown sugar mixture. Create your own pretty pattern with whole and cut slices.

  • Place the cherriesinto the center of each Pineapple slice and any other spot you choose.

  • In a large mixing bowl, pour the cake mix and stir with whisk to remove lumps in the dry batter.

  • Pour the reserved juice from the Pineapple Slices can into your 2 cup measuring cup. Add water to the juice until you reach 1 1/3 Cups

  • Add eggs, oil and juice. Mix on high about 30 seconds then reduce to medium speed and mix 2 minutes stopping occasionally to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl.

  • Pour the batter over the Pineapples in the iron skillet filling the pan about 2/3 full.

  • Bake at 350° about 30-45 minutes until golden brown or toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.

  • Cool in pan about 10 minutes before inverting onto serving platter.

How to invert the cake onto a cake plate

  • Place your cake plate on top of the iron skillet and turn both over carefully so that when you lift the skillet, the cake will be on your plate with the Pineapples on top. A well-seasoned iron skillet does not require greasing or pan coating for baking. The cake slides out quite well.

  • After turning the cake over fresh from the oven onto your cake plate, allow it to sit for a few minutes before cutting. This will allow the cake to soak up some of the juices from the topping making it moist and full of flavor.

Nutrition

Serving: 1o | Calories: 435kcal | Carbohydrates: 62g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 80mg | Sodium: 409mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 39g

Easy Pineapple Upside Down Cake Recipe (9)

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Easy Pineapple Upside Down Cake Recipe (10)
Easy Pineapple Upside Down Cake Recipe (11)
Easy Pineapple Upside Down Cake Recipe (2024)

FAQs

When should I flip my pineapple upside down cake? ›

Bake 50 to 55 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Immediately place heatproof serving plate upside down over pan; turn plate and pan over. Leave pan over cake a few minutes so brown sugar mixture can drizzle over cake; remove pan. Serve warm.

Why is the top of my pineapple upside down cake soggy? ›

SAM'S TIP: Make sure to blot your pineapple slices well with paper towels before placing them in your pie plate. This will absorb any excess liquid. If you skip this step it could make your cake soggy.

Should you use parchment paper when baking a pineapple upside down cake? ›

The parchment paper is not absolutely necessary, but it helps if you have a "sticking" issue with the sweet pineapple glaze (you can use waxed paper in a pinch). Mix melted butter with brown sugar and spread evenly in prepared 9" round cake pan.

Do I need to refrigerate pineapple upside down cake? ›

Leave pan over cake 5 minutes so brown sugar topping can drizzle over cake; remove pan. Cool 30 minutes. Serve warm or cool. Store covered in refrigerator.

Why is baking a pineapple upside-down cake the most difficult cake to make? ›

The hardest part of making pineapple upside-down cake is the maneuver which turns the bottom of the cake pan into the top of the cake. Cooling the baked cake slightly before flipping it allows the topping to cool and stick to the cake before turning out.

Can I substitute pineapple juice for water in a cake mix? ›

Replace water or milk in a recipe for pineapple juice.

This works well for most cookie, cake, and bread recipes.

What pan is best for upside-down cake? ›

Cast iron may not be on the ingredient list for your upside-down cake, but it's the perfect piece of cookware to experiment with this classic dessert. Here are three reasons you should use cast iron when you bake this classic treat, along with some tips to keep in mind.

What is a substitute for cherries in pineapple upside down cake? ›

If you're looking for a substitute for maraschino cherries in a pineapple upside-down cake, fresh cherries or other preserved cherries can work well. Even raspberries, blackberries, or small halved strawberries could work.

How do you get a pineapple upside down cake out of the pan? ›

Remove from oven; cool 10 minutes. Run knife around edge of cake to loosen. Place heatproof serving plate upside down over skillet; turn plate and skillet over. Remove skillet.

Why did my pineapple upside down cake fall in the middle? ›

Cakes sink in the middle due to several reasons. One reason is that the cake batter might be too moist, causing it to collapse during baking. Another reason could be that the oven temperature is too low, leading to uneven baking. Opening the oven door too frequently while baking can also cause cakes to sink.

How to prevent pineapple upside down cake from sticking? ›

In order to keep the fruit in place and protect the caramel from sticking, line the bottom of the pan with parchment. A smooth stovetop caramel is also key to the perfect upside-down cake. This recipe uses reserved pineapple juice and cornstarch to ensure the caramel stays nice and velvety.

When should you flip an upside-down cake? ›

I use a very heavy coating of non-stick baking spray that includes flour (like Baker's Joy), but you can also use a coating of butter and flour. Let the cake cool, but not completely. Before you flip the cake upside-down, let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes to let it finish setting up.

Can you eat pineapple upside down cake cold? ›

Pineapple Upside-down Cake can be served as is, or you can have it with fresh cream, ice cream, custard… whatever you fancy! I like it when it's still a little bit warm but it is just as delicious cold.

How long do you let a cake cool before flipping? ›

It should spend at least twenty to thirty minutes on your cooling rack or countertop before you even attempt to remove it from its pan. Place the cake in your refrigerator to speed up the cooling process if necessary.

How long to turn pineapple upside down? ›

Resting the pineapple upside down for 30 minutes helps the juices to run back down and distribute for evenly juicy pieces. After 30 minutes, cut off the other end of the pineapple. Remove the skin of the pineapple by slicing it off, following the shape of the pineapple.

Does turning a pineapple upside down make it more juicy? ›

tronzo last month revealed that the best way to make sure your pineapple is extra juicy and sweet is to store it upside down. Austin explains in the video that the best way to make your pineapple ripen faster is to remove the spiky leaves at the top with a twisting motion, then flip the pineapple on its head.

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