If you’ve been huntin’ for the best Pineapple Upside Down Cake Recipe, look no further! This here cake is everything your sweet tooth dreams of and then some. A moist, tender sponge cake crowned with caramelized pineapple rings and those bright red cherries – it’s like sunshine on a plate! Pineapple upside down cake is an American classic that has been delightin’ folks for nearly 90 years, and once you take a bite, you’ll know why.
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Have y’all ever wanted to know how to make pineapple upside down cake from scratch? Well, this recipe is here to teach you! I found it in one of my Big Mama’s old handwritten recipe notebooks so I knew it would be amazing, and indeed it was. I loved watching her and my mama make this cake when I was growing up. I couldn’t wait to get me my slice! And you know for a fact that whenever you see a cake made in a cast iron skillet, you know it has the goods.
What is a Pineapple Upside Down Cake?
This sweet Southern delight is essentially a good ol’ yellow butter cake that’s flipped over after baking to show off a beautiful mosaic of caramelized pineapple rings and cherries. It dates back to the days when folks cooked in cast iron skillets, makin’ it easy to add fruit and sugar to the bottom, pour the batter on top, and let it bake up nice and golden.
If you’re wondering “Where did the idea to use pineapple come from?” the answer is a Dole engineer. Back in 1911, he invented a machine to cut pineapple into those perfect rings. Every slice is truly what makes this retro cake what it is: slightly tropical and excitingly nostalgic!
The Lowdown Of The Best Pineapple Upside Down Cake Recipe
Cuisine Inspiration: Classic American
Primary Cooking Method: Baking in a cast iron skillet
Dietary Info: Decadently indulgent (not exactly diet-friendly, but worth every bite!)
Key Flavor: Caramelized pineapple with a hint of vanilla
Skill Level: Easy as pineapple pie!
- The Perfect Cake: Its classic look and well-balanced flavors speak to everyone. You can give a slice of this pineapple upside down cake to your grandma, your cousins, and your kids, and I bet they’ll all love it. A true crowd-pleaser, y’all!
- Great flavor: Every bite is a heavenly mix of rich, caramelized goodness paired with sweet, fragrant pineapple rings. Plus, the pineapple slices are tender, juicy, and downright irresistible. The whole thing is so lit!
- Simple Ingredients: No need to break the bank – most of these ingredients are sittin’ pretty right in your pantry already. You won’t need to make a fancy store run, just grab what you got and get bakin’!
- Ready in Under an Hour: Whip up this delightful dessert for a last-minute dinner party, an unconventional birthday treat, or to satisfy a late-night craving without breaking a sweat. You’ll wonder why you didn’t make it sooner!
Ingredients Needed To Make This Pineapple Upside Down Cake Recipe
- All-Purpose Flour: This is the backbone of our cake, giving it that perfect, tender crumb. Just good ol’ plain flour does the trick.
- Granulated Sugar: Brings the sweetness to the party!
- Salt: A pinch to balance all the flavors.
- Baking Powder: Helps the cake rise nice and fluffy.
- Eggs: Bind everything together and give the cake its wonderful richness.
- Vanilla extract: Gives the sponge cake a bit of warmth and natural sweetness. Use pure vanilla extract for the best flavor – it makes all the difference, y’all!
- Pineapple juice: Adding pineapple juice really livens up the flavor and gives the cake more moisture, creating that melt-in-your-mouth feeling.
- Butter: Use unsalted butter for the best flavor! It brings that rich, buttery goodness we all love in a good cake.
- Light brown sugar: Brown sugar has more depth of flavor than granulated sugar and works with the butter to create that caramelized top that forms on the cake. It’s the secret to that golden, gooey perfection.
- Pineapple rings: Canned pineapple rings work great since they’re the perfect thickness, and you can use the juice in the can for the pineapple juice. If you use fresh, the trick is to cut the pineapple slices thin enough so they cook up tender when baked.
- Maraschino cherries: Add a lovely color contrast to the top of your classic pineapple upside down cake.
PRO TIP: The best part of any pineapple upside down cake is its bottom (or top once its turned over). The trick is baking it in a cast iron skillet to really get that deep caramelization from the butter and brown sugar.
How to Make Pineapple Upside Down Cake
Making this cake is super simple! It goes together in just a few steps.
- Whisk together the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, vanilla extract, eggs and pineapple juice until well mixed.
- Melt the butter in a 9-inch cast iron skillet over medium heat. When it’s melted, whisk in the brown sugar and cook for 1 minute.
- Place 6 to 7 pineapple rings over the top of the melted butter and brown sugar mixture and cook over medium heat for an additional 2 minutes.
- Pour the cake batter over the top of the pineapple rings.
- Bake the cake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool the cake for 10 minutes then invert the cake onto a serving plate.
Tips for Making the Best pineapple upside down cake
- Use the Right Equipment: A cast-iron skillet is your best friend for this pineapple upside down cake recipe, y’all. It cooks everything up nice and even, and its heavy bottom keeps the butter from burning. Plus, that handy handle makes flipping the cake a breeze.
- Season Your Skillet: Make sure your cast-iron is properly seasoned so the cake doesn’t stick. You want that beautiful pineapple top to slide right out, not get left behind!
- Serve Warm: This cake is at its absolute best fresh out of the oven, cooled just for a few minutes. When it’s warm, it’s pure perfection.
- Slice Pineapple: If you’re using fresh pineapple, make sure those slices are cut nice and thin so they cook up tender and juicy in the time it takes to bake the cake.
Popular Substitutions and Additions
- Add Caramel: Drizzle caramel sauce over the top of your cake. It’s the bomb.com. Seriously, you’ll wanna lick the plate!
- Try It With Peaches: Swap the pineapple rings for peach slices for a tasty peach upside down cake. Get into that seasonal flavor in the summer!
- Make Mini Cakes: Use individual cake pans to make mini pineapple cakes. Perfect for personal servings and just as yummy!
- Cinnamon or Nutmeg: Sprinkle a bit of cinnamon or nutmeg over the top of the pineapple rings for an extra burst of flavor. It’ll make your old fashioned pineapple upside down cake smell and taste even more amazing!
What To Serve With old fashioned pineapple upside down cake
- Y’all, a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of fresh whipped cream is a must with this cake. It’s like the cherry on top, literally and figuratively!
- Pair a slice of this heavenly cake with a creamy pecan pie swirl ice cream pie, a bowl of banana pudding, or a smooth cheesecake. They will make your dessert table the talk of the block!
- Serve it up with a classic Southern ambrosia salad or a cold glass of sweet tea. Y’know it boo, nothing says Southern hospitality like a spread of sweet treats and a tall glass of iced tea!
- Yep, you read that right. Warm, buttery buttermilk biscuits can make an unconventional but delicious partner to your cake. Just imagine a bite of that fluffy biscuit followed by the sweet, caramelized pineapple goodness. Pure bliss!
How to Store Pineapple Upside Down Cake
Boos, let me tell you, there’s nothing like savoring this cake fresh out the oven. But hey, we all need a little sweetness on standby, right? So, if you’ve got some of this scrumptious pineapple cake left over, here’s the deal:
- Fridge: Let it cool all the way down, then wrap it tight in plastic wrap or aluminum foil, and pop it in the fridge. When properly stored, your classic pineapple upside down cake will last up to five days. Make sure it’s wrapped well to prevent it from drying out!
- Freezer: Wrap individual slices or the whole cake tightly in plastic wrap, then place in a freezer-safe bag or container. It’ll stay fresh in the freezer for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to indulge, just let it thaw in the fridge overnight.
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely boo! You can bake this pineapple upside down cake in a 9×9 square pan if you want. Just make sure to grease or spray it well with baking spray. You’ll need to cook the brown sugar, butter, and pineapple in a skillet first, then transfer everything to your square pan. I’d stick with a metal pan rather than glass to get that lovely caramelization on the bottom.
It might be because your pineapple was too juicy. Canned pineapple can have a lot of extra liquid, so make sure to drain it really well before adding it to the skillet.
The best way to tell if your cake is done is to insert a toothpick into the center. If it comes out clean, you’re good to go! The top should be golden brown and the edges will start pulling away from the skillet a bit.
More Pineapple Recipes
- Pineapple Upside Down Pancakes.
- Pineapple Upside Down Milkshakes
- Grilled Pineapple Donut Sundaes
- Pineapple Honey Bourbon Grilled Catfish
- Pineapple Whip
- Tropical Pineapple Punch
- Pineapple Pound Cake
*Did you make this recipe? Please give it a star rating and leave comments below!* Post a photo of how your version of the recipe came out on Instagram (using #grandbabycakes)!!
Pineapple Upside Down Cake
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Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 2 tsps pure vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs
- ¼ cup pineapple juice
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- ¾ cup light brown sugar
- 6-7 fresh pineapple rings or more to create design
- maraschino cherries
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- For the cake batter: In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, vanilla extract, eggs and pineapple juice until well mixed. Set aside.
- Next melt butter to a 9 inch cast iron skillet over medium heat.
- Once melted, whisk in brown sugar and cook for 1 minute.
- Line the bottom of the butter and sugar mixture with 6 to 7 pineapple rings, place a cherry insdie each ring and cook over medium heat for an additional 2 minutes.
- Pour cake batter on top of the pineapples.
- Bake cake for 28-33 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.
- Cool cake for 10 minutes then invert the cake onto a serving plate and serve.
Video
Notes
- Use the Right Equipment: A cast-iron skillet is your best friend for this pineapple upside down cake recipe, y’all. It cooks everything up nice and even, and its heavy bottom keeps the butter from burning. Plus, that handy handle makes flipping the cake a breeze.
- Season Your Skillet: Make sure your cast-iron is properly seasoned so the cake doesn’t stick. You want that beautiful pineapple top to slide right out, not get left behind!
- Serve Warm: This cake is at its absolute best fresh out of the oven, cooled just for a few minutes. When it’s warm, it’s pure perfection.
- Slice Pineapple: If you’re using fresh pineapple, make sure those slices are cut nice and thin so they cook up tender and juicy in the time it takes to bake the cake.
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This was one of my favourite desserts when I was a child, Jocelyn. It’s so delicious with creamy English custard. I’m sure any dinner guest would still be wowed by this enduring classic. Love your mini versions, too! They’re stunning!
Thanks so much Helen!!! I need to try it with English custard!
This is a cake I have yet to tackle. So naturally beautiful. I love the rings of pineapple!
It is seriously such a simple cake to make too!
It’s gorgeous!! I wish I had old recipe books. Although my grandma didn’t measure anything, so that would probably have been interesting, lol. 🙂
Same here!!! I basically had to figure out the entire thing lol. I think I got it right lol.
This is one delicious classic! I put full faith in those old, handwritten family recipes. This cake looks wonderful! 🙂
Thanks so much Alyssa!!! I do too!
I have no doubt that this cake tastes amazing. And yes, I am totally ready to try it out :). You always have the best recipes, dear. XOXO
Thanks so much Kathi!!! It is amazing indeed my dear!
You know what Jocelyn, old recipes are usually the best 😉 I totally respect an old recipe. Pineapple upside down cake forever brings me back to making it with my grandmother one summer. I was completely clueless to what it was, until we made it together, and I loved it! I’ve never made it though :/ sad huh? Pinned this for later. Thanks girl!
Thanks so much Kelly! There is something so nostalgic about this cake!! Especially when you make it with your grandmother.
That looks delicious! So rich and flavorful. I love upside down cakes, especially with pineapple. 🙂
Same here! I am a big upside down cake fan!
Love Upside Down Cakes.. this one looks soo good. I am sure it was as goos as it looks.
Thanks so much Ella! I do too!
I just love how pineapple upside down cakes look. Great recipe.
Thanks so much Erin!! I love how they look too!
I adore upside down cakes..they’re so retro and rustic and just plain delicious! I love them in all flavors, but you just can’t beat the classic pineapple, and this looks divine! 🙂
Thanks so much Marcie! You are a woman after my own heart. I adore them too!