Pineapple Upside Down Cake is a cheerful looking sunshiny cake with a delightful topping of caramelized pineapple slices and cherries. This classic, tender and moist vanilla cake is layered with sweet and sticky pineapple pieces studded with bright red cherries.
It’s called “Upside Down” cake because of the way it’s assembled. The fruit rests at the bottom of the cake tin and then the cake batter is poured over the fruit and baked. To take out the cake you need to flip the cake upside down, leaving you with glistening slices of caramelized fruit sitting on top of a soft and fluffy cake – Upside Down Cake!
I love this delish vanilla cake crowned with fresh pineapple rings and baked in brown sugar and butter. Such a yum dessert!
Pineapple Upside Down Cake Recipe:
This upside-down cake with juicy pineapple slices is a classic. The juices from the pineapple make the cake ultra-moist. The pineapple topping gets its delicious flavor from the melted butter and brown sugar – and of course the cherries. The pineapple slices with caramelized edges, embedded with sweet candied cherries, sitting prettily over a delicious airy cake results in a beautiful, moist, soft yellow cake.
- To make this homemade pineapple upside down cake from scratch, firstly preheat oven to 350F (175C)
- Melt the butter and pour into a 9.5-10″ cake pan and brush it over the bottom and sides, making sure it entirely covers the base of the pan.
- Sprinkle the brown sugar evenly over the melted butter.
- Pat dry the pineapple slices and cherries.
- Arrange whole pineapple rings over the brown sugar.
- Halve leftover pineapple rings and arrange them around the sides of the cake pan.
- Decorate with cherries, placing them in the pineapple ring holes.
- To make the cake, firstly sieve the flour, baking powder, and salt (if using unsalted butter). Keep aside.
- Next cream softened butter and granulated sugar in a medium-sized bowl using a hand mixer.
- Beat until light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs, beating after each addition.
- Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.
- Next stir in vanilla essence.
- Now add the flour mixture and milk to the wet ingredients alternately, starting and ending with flour.
- Use a spatula to fold in the flour rather than an electric mixer to prevent over-mixing, .
- Mix until just combined after each addition.
- Pour cake batter evenly over the pineapple layer in the prepared cake pan.
- Gently spread out in an even layer.
- Bake at 350F (175C) for 30 minutes.
- After 30 minutes, loosely cover with a foil and continue to bake for another 15 minutes at 350F/175C).
- At the end of the 15 minutes, check if cake is done – remove foil and insert a toothpick into the centre. It should come out clean with just crumbs on it and no raw batter. Total cook time for cake is 45 minutes.
- Remove the cake tin from the oven and allow to cool for 10-15 minutes.
- To flip the cake, use a knife to gently loosen the edges and free them from the cake pan.
- Then cover the cake pan with a plate and carefully invert the cake. Lift the cake pan off slowly.
- Allow to cool before slicing and enjoying.
- Serve Old-fashioned Pineapple Upside-Down Cake with a dollop of whipped cream!
If you are searching for more cake recipes, then do try out Lemon Cake.
Caramelized Pineapples And Cherries Cake Recipe:
Pineapple Upside-Down Cake
Ingredients
For the Topping:
- ¼ cup melted butter salted or unsalted
- ½ cup brown sugar tightly packed
- 8 pineapple rings
- 5 cherries
For the Vanilla Cake Batter:
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- ¾ cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup milk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F (175C) and place rack in the centre of the oven.
- In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Keep aside
- Place the pineapple rings and cherries on a tray lined with paper towels and pat them dry. Keep aside.
- Pour melted butter into 9.5-10" cake pan, ensuring it entirely covers the base of the pan. Brush butter up the sides of the pan.
- Sprinkle brown sugar evenly over the butter mixture.
- Arrange pineapple slices over the brown sugar. Slice leftover pineapple rings in half and place them all along the sides of the pan.
- Place cherries in the centre of the pineapple rings. Press the cherries and pineapple rings down firmly so that they touch the base of the cake pan.
- For the vanilla cake, cream together butter and sugar in medium bowl until fluffy and well-combined.
- Then add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Mix in vanilla essence.
- Alternate adding the flour mixture and milk to the wet ingredients, starting and ending with flour. Use a spatula to combine the mixture so as not to overmix.
- Pour the cake batter evenly over the pineapple slices. Smooth the top with the back of a spoon.
- Bake at 350F (175C) for 30 minutes. Then cover with a foil and continue to bake for a further 15 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean.
- Remove the cake from the oven and place on a wire rack. Allow to cool down for 10-15 minutes.
- To loosen the edges, run a knife around the inner edges of the cake pan. Place a plate over the cake and then flip. Tap the base or shake the pan gently and then lift slowly.
- Let cool completely before cutting and serving
- Serve Upside Down Pineapple Cake oven-fresh!
