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Pineapple Upside Down Cake is a classic cake with a caramelized brown sugar and pineapple topping! Made from scratch, not a cake mix, the cake is light and tender.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe!
A Classic Dessert: This easy Pineapple Upside-Down Cake recipe is a sweet treat that has been around since the 1920s. This classic cake is the first thing I ever baked in my home ec class.
Amazing Flavor and Texture: I love the gooey and crunchy edge that forms from the brown sugar and butter. I used buttermilk in the cake batter and it makes for a nice moist cake. There is no cake mix used in this recipe.
Because there is no frosting, I like to serve this cake with a vanilla custard sauce. It is easy to make and so delicious. The perfect addition to this cake recipe.
Ingredients Needed
- All Purpose Flour
- Sugar, granulated sugar and brown sugar
- Eggs
- Butter, salted
- Milk, Buttermilk and whole milk
- Pineapple Rings, I use canned pineapple slices, but you can use fresh pineapple as well. Drain off the pineapple juice.
- Maraschino Cherries
- Baking Powder
- Cornstarch
- Vanilla Extract
- Salt
How to Make Pineapple Upside Down Cake
- Add 4 Tbsp of the butter to 9-inch cake pan or cast iron skillet and place in oven until butter melts.
- Remove pan from oven and stir brown sugar into melted butter and spread into an even layer.
- Place pineapple ring in the middle of pan and layer half slices around it.
- Mix flour, baking powder and salt together in a bowl.
- Combine butter and granulated sugar in a separate bowl with an electric mixer and beat until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
- Add eggs and egg white into batter and stir until combined, then add vanilla extract and stir.
- Alternate adding dry ingredients and milk into mixture, stirring until incorporated. Batter will be thick
- Spread batter gently over the top of pineapple slices.
- Bake cake at 350 degrees F until toothpick comes out clean, about 35-45 minutes.
- Allow the cake to sit in the pan for 10 minutes.
- Run a knife around the edge of the pan.
- Turn cake pan over onto a plate. Serve with vanilla sauce, recipe below.
How to Make Vanilla Sauce
- Heat milk in a pan until just simmering.
- Mix cornstarch into remaining milk and whisk until dissolved.
- Add in sugar and egg yolks to cornstarch mixture and beat until smooth.
- Slowly pour into simmering milk and whisk together.
- Stir frequently until thickened, about 3-4 minutes
- Remove pan from heat and stir in vanilla.
- Cover top of sauce with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming.
- Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate and chill completely.
- Pour over sliced cake and serve.
Tips from leigh Anne
- Cut the pineapple rings in half so you can get more pineapple in the pan. The more pineapple the better.
- Be sure and lot the pineapples and maraschino cherries before using. Excess liquid creates an unpleasantly wet cake.
- Be careful as you spread the cake batter so that you don’t dislodge the cherries. You want it to look pretty when you take it out of the pan too.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best way to store leftover pineapple upside down cake?
Keep in stored in an airtight container at room temperature or in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
What can I use besides a cast iron skillet?
A 9-inch cake pan or a similar size baking dish will work well too.
Can you freeze pineapple upside down cake?
Yes! Freeze it in an airtight container or wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and foil. It will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before serving and then bring to room temperature.
Check out more of my favorite pineapple recipes:
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Pineapple Upside Down Cake Recipe
Pineapple upside down cake is a classic and one of the first things I ever baked!
Prep:15 minutes
Cook:35 minutes
0 minutes
Total:50 minutes
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup butter, divided softened, salted
- 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 can pineapple rings drained, slices cut in half except for one ring
- 10 ounce maraschino cherries
- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3/4 cups sugar
- 2 eggs room temperature
- 1 egg white room temperature
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 1/3 cups buttermilk room temperature
Vanilla Sauce
- 2 1/2 cups whole milk divided
- 1 Tbsp cornstarch
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Place 4 Tbsp of butter in 9 inch cast iron pan or cake pan
- Place in oven and allow butter to melt then remove from oven.
- Stir brown sugar into butter and pat into an even layer.
- Place whole ring in middle of pan and layer half slices around middle slice.
- Mix together the flour, baking powder and salt in a bow.
- In your mixer beat remaining butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
- Beat the eggs and egg white into batter. Add vanilla
- Add in flour mixture and milk. Alternate. Mix until incorporated. Batter will be thick
- Gently spread batter over the top of pineapple slices.
- Bake cake for 35-45 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
- Let cake cool for 10 minutes.
- Place a serving plate over the top of the pan and then flip the cake over. Allow the cake to release onto the plate. Remove cake and pan allow cake to cool.
Vanilla Sauce
- Heat milk in a pan until just simmering.
- Mix cornstarch into remaining 1/2 C milk and whisk until dissolved.
- Add in sugar and egg yolks to cornstarch mixture and beat until smooth.
- Slowly pour into simmering milk and whisk together.
- Stir frequently until thickened, about 3-4 minutes
- Remove pan from heat and stir in vanilla.
- If you have lumps of cornstarch pour sauce through a sieve to remove them.
- Cover top of sauce with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming.
- Cool to room temperature. Refrigerate and chill completely.
Tips & Notes:
-
- Cut the pineapple rings in half so you can get more pineapple in the pan. The more pineapple the better.
-
- Be careful as you spread the cake batter so that you don’t dislodge the cherries. You want it to look pretty when you take it out of the pan too.
- Blot the wet pineapples and maraschino cherries before using. Excess liquid creates an unpleasantly wet cake.
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Nutrition Facts:
Calories: 393kcal (20%) Carbohydrates: 60g (20%) Protein: 6g (12%) Fat: 15g (23%) Saturated Fat: 9g (56%) Cholesterol: 96mg (32%) Sodium: 249mg (11%) Potassium: 254mg (7%) Fiber: 1g (4%) Sugar: 46g (51%) Vitamin A: 560IU (11%) Vitamin C: 4mg (5%) Calcium: 132mg (13%) Iron: 1mg (6%)
* Disclaimer: All nutrition information are estimates only. Read full disclosure here.
Terry Last says
Since this is my husband’s and I’s favorite cake , I’ll have to try this one! I add chopped pecans to the toppings, before adding the cake batter !
Leigh Anne says
Terry, Chopped pecans would be a great addition!
Deborah says
This is such a pretty cake!! You know – I don’t think I’ve ever actually made a pineapple upside down cake, but I know that definitely needs to change!
Leigh Anne says
Thanks Deborah. You definitely should make one – it’s a classic!
Mary Smith says
My mom used to make this cake. The cherries would put me in the hospital today. Sorry about your first home economics experience! My best friend back in my first home ec class put salt instead of sugar in the cocoa. We were spitting it out! She mixed up the salt and sugar. LOL
Leigh Anne says
My daughter is allergic to cherries too if they are raw but she can eat them cooked. I bet that salt in the cocoa tasted bad!
Bob says
Pineapple upside down, totally my favorite. My Mom (RIP) and my ex wife were excellent cooks but now it’s up to me when I have the need for my favorite. Yep, I’m a guy and I can do it. I’ve made them from scratch, but here’s a cheater way that works. I use any white or yellow cake mix. Store brand works well also. Follow box directions BUT use the pineapple juice in place of water (a must). Another must is use a cast iron skillet. Flip it over on a plate within minutes when done. With a box mix I usually have a little extra mix which I bake in a cake pan. Extra cake works great as strawberry short cake.
nancy says
It looks delicious. Exactly how much flour do we need? The recipe is slightly unclear. Thanks.
Leigh Anne says
Nancy, I updated the recipe – thanks!