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Pineapple upside down cake is a classic dessert that is so soft and moist, filled with the perfect amount of pineapple flavor!
Pineapple upside-down cake is perfect all year long, but is an especially good summertime dessert along with our cupcake version!
We Love This Fruity Dessert!
My mom has been making pineapple upside down cake for years. It’s a family favorite and a dessert recipe that my dad LOVES!
She has a go-to recipe for this delicious cake (from scratch), and we adapted it by adding almond extract since it’s our favorite “secret” ingredient. 😉
Why we love it:
- The flavor. What I love most about this treat is that it is so moist and delicious.
- Easy. With a quick prep, it’s a showstopper that is quite simple!
- For friends. This is an incredible summer treat perfect for barbecues, parties, and holiday get-togethers.
Ingredients
- unsalted butter
- light brown sugar
- pineapple rings in juice
- maraschino cherries
- all-purpose flour
- baking powder
- salt
- granulated sugar
- eggs
- milk
- almond extract
how to make pineapple upside down cake
- PREP. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-x-13-inch baking dish.
- SAUCE. Melt ½ cup butter in a medium pot over medium heat. Set remaining ½ cup butter aside to soften.
- Stir 1 cup brown sugar into melted butter in the pot and bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Continue boiling for 1 minute, then pour into the prepared pan.
- Drain pineapple rings, reserving ½ cup of the juice, and place rings into the bottom of the pan. Place a cherry in the middle of each ring. Set aside.
- CAKE. Prepare cake batter. Carefully spread batter over pineapple slices.
- BAKE. Bake for 35–40 minutes, or until the middle is cooked through and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool for at least 30 minutes.
- FLIP AND SERVE!
DIFFERENT PANS
- Bundt pan. Bake at 350°F for 35-40 minutes or until done.
- 9” rounds. Bake at 375°F for 30-35 minutes or until done.
Cake Flipping 101
Allow the classic pineapple upside-down cake to cool enough that the structure will hold up, but don’t wait too long otherwise the caramelized juices from the pineapple will harden making it difficult for it to release from the bottom of the pan (between 10-30 minutes).
- Use a sharp paring knife or a rubber spatula and slide it around the inner perimeter of the pan.
- Place the serving platter over the top of the pan. Be sure the platter is larger than the cake.
- Place one hand on top of the platter and one hand on the bottom of the pan, then flip.
- Allow it to sit for another few minutes with the pan covering it.
- Carefully remove the pan.
Recipe Tips
- Variations.
- Add halved pineapple slices to the sides.
- Sprinkle chopped walnuts or pecans in the bottom.
- Serve this cake warm or cold with a scoop of Vanilla Ice Cream.
- Sinking cake. There are a couple of factors to avoid:
- Opening the oven door too soon or too often can cause the oven temperature to drop which can cause the sake to sink.
- Using expired or too much baking powder. Either it won’t rise enough or it will rise too much, then fall.
- Not properly drying the pineapples can yield too much liquid which may cause the cake to become oversaturated and then sink.
- Soggy cake. The biggest culprit of a soggy cake is excess juice from the pineapples. Drain excess liquid into a bowl (don’t discard it since some of it is needed in the recipe).
- Leave the pieces of pineapple in a colander to finish draining. Blot the remaining juice with a paper towel then place in the pan.
Storing Info
- Make ahead of time. Store this best pineapple upside down cake at room temperature for 1-2 days, in the fridge for a few days, or even freeze it for a couple of months.
- STORE the cake covered with plastic or in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in the fridge for about 3 days.
- FREEZE. Allow the cake to cool and place it in the freezer for 1-2 hours; long enough to allow the outside of the cake to freeze. Wrap the cake with plastic wrap then again with foil. Label and freeze for 2-3 months.
- Allow to thaw if applicable. Reheat it in the microwave, or loosely wrap it in foil and place it in the oven. Heat at 350°F until warm.
For More Cakes with Fruit:
Best Pineapple Upside Down Cake
Our best pineapple upside down cake is a family favorite with a secret ingredient that takes this classic to a whole new level!
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, divided
- 1½ cups packed light brown sugar, divided
- 1 (20-ounce) can pineapple rings in juice
- 10 maraschino cherries
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup milk
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Melt ½ cup butter in a medium pot over medium heat. Set remaining ½ cup butter aside to soften.
- Stir 1 cup brown sugar into butter in the pot and bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Continue boiling for 1 minute, then pour into the prepared pan.
- Drain pineapple rings, reserving ½ cup of the juice, and place rings into the bottom of the pan. Place a cherry in the middle of each ring. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In another medium bowl, beat softened ½ cup butter, granulated sugar, and remaining ½ cup brown sugar with a hand mixer until well combined. Add eggs and blend well.
- Add flour mixture to wet mixture and beat until well combined.
- While still mixing, add milk, ½ cup reserved pineapple juice, and almond extract.
- Carefully spread batter over pineapple slices.
- Bake for 35–40 minutes, or until the middle is cooked through and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool for at least 30 minutes.
- Slide a sharp paring knife or a rubber spatula around the inner perimeter of the pan. Invert a serving platter larger than the cake over the top of the pan. Place one hand on the platter and one hand on the bottom of the pan, then flip. Allow the cake to sit for another few minutes with the pan still covering it, then carefully remove the pan and enjoy!
Video
Notes
Different pans.
- Large cast iron skillet. Preheat the skillet in a 325°F oven. Add the pineapple, cherries, and batter, and bake for about 40-45 minutes.
- Bundt pan. Bake at 350°F for 35-40 minutes or until done.
- Two- 9-inch cake rounds. Bake at 375°F for 30-35 minutes or until done.
Nutrition
Serving: 1slice, Calories: 373kcal, Carbohydrates: 54g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 17g, Saturated Fat: 10g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 4g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 69mg, Sodium: 219mg, Potassium: 158mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 37g, Vitamin A: 531IU, Vitamin C: 0.01mg, Calcium: 78mg, Iron: 1mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This cake is absolutely delish. I made in a 8X10 pan and it turned out lovely. Thanks for such a great recipe
You’re welcome! I’m so glad it was a success! Thanks for giving the recipe a try.
Came out dry. Recipe calls for 9×13” pan but it seems a 8×8” would work betterJeanne
What type of flour?
All purpose flour works great!
Excellent recipe
Thank you!! So glad to hear you enjoyed it!
Cake was dry and actually a bit flavorless. There are so many pop-ups that I couldn’t even make this cake without constantly closing ads! Kinda disappointed
Thanks for your feedback and for giving the recipe a try!
If I cut the recipe in half, will it work in a cake pan?
It should work just fine 🙂
thanks! for some reason, your answer didn’t show until I posted the second comment.
Am going to try this … hope all goes well….. thanks for the recipe
So glad you are! I hope you like it! Good luck!
Are you sure the salt measurement is right in the 2020 version of the cake part of this recipe? One whole teaspoon is a lot of salt for 2 cups of flour. My grandson told me he COULDN’T eat it because of the salt. It tasted way too salty For me, too. I was so disappointed because my grandchildren had never had pineapple upside down cake before. It is a shame because the cake looks so good, but cant be eatEn. I can’t give a rating because of that.
Delicious!!! Great recipe! You could use either extract depending on your preference. I used almond and it came out great tasting.
Glad you liked it! Thank you for sharing that!!
This was my first-eVer attempt to make pineapple Upside-down cake, and it was A hit at our social DISTANCING celebrAtion FOr our mom’s 90th biRthdaY. It turned out beautifully APPETIZING. Your clEar directions Made for a fun prep. I made homemade whipping cream to top off the Perfectly moist servings. OuR mom requested this kind if cake, so Thank you for helping make Her birthday special.
That’s so nice of you to say! Thank you so much for letting me know 🙂 Hope she had a great day!