Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

This easy recipe for Pineapple Upside-Down Cake just screams warm weather and fun! This quick and tasty cake is a classic for a reason!

Pineapple Upside Down Cake

I don’t know about you, but for me, Pineapple Upside-Down Cake just screams warm weather and fun! If I had to pick an easy dessert that wasn’t chocolate, it would probably be this easy Pineapple Upside-Down Cake – it’s the best one I’ve ever had and it’s a classic for a reason!

As of writing, we’re about halfway through spring already. I can hardly believe it!!

The weather has been totally up and down with everything from highs in the 80s to lows in the 30s!! I’m over the colder temperatures and I’m ready for warmer weather!

This is a tropical dessert that goes back decades and decades. You can probably find recipes for it in your older relatives’ cookbooks!

But it’s stuck around for a reason: pineapple upside-down cake is a comfort food and instant mood-lifter. Plus, it’s really good for picky eaters, since if you like fruit, you’re bound to like this cake.

Also, a little secret: pineapple upside-down cake is really easy to make, and only takes about an hour. It may sound complicated since you have to flip the finished cake at the end (hence the “upside down” part), but it’s simple for anyone with a few extra minutes to whip up the best dessert ever.

Sometimes you just need a little tropical flavor in your life, regardless of the weather!

Pineapple Upside-Down Cake: Ingredients & Equipment

To make this Pineapple Upside-Down Cake recipe, you will need …

Ingredients

• baking powder, butter, flour, brown sugar, white sugar, egg, milk – I grouped all these together because they’re standard baking items. Nothing much to say about them! If you’ve made a cake before, all these ingredients should be familiar!
• shortening – this is a fat often used in cooking to give foods a slightly crumbly texture, and you can find it at the grocery store. Shortening is also somewhat standard when baking a cake from scratch, but I wanted to separate it out just in case!
• pineapple slices – get a can of these that includes the juice. You’ll be draining that liquid out, but the juice provides more flavor to the slices in the can. 
• cherries – use maraschino cherries here. You’ll put these in the middle of your pineapple slices for an extra hint of tropical fruit flavor.

Equipment

• oven-proof skillet (10”) or 9”x9”x2” baking dish – you’ll bake your cake in this. I usually prefer to use my cast iron skillet for this recipe, but, the recipe works in either kind of pan – no need to make any changes.
• electric mixer – for beating the ingredients.

Pineapple Upside-Down Cake: FAQs

Other recipes you may enjoy

• Ham and Pineapple Fried Rice
• Pineapple Orange Smoothie
• Pineapple Sunshine Cake
• Peach Upside-Down Cake
• Pineapple Cottage Cheese Salad

Pineapple Upside Down Cake

Jamie Sherman

This easy recipe for Pineapple Upside-Down Cake just screams warm weather and fun! This quick and tasty cake is a classic for a reason!

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr

Course Dessert

Cuisine Southern

Servings 9 servings

Calories 386 kcal

Equipment

• Silicone Spatula Set of 4
• Hand Mixer with Snap-On Case
• Pyrex Glass Mixing Bowl Set (3-Piece)
• Stainless Steel Measuring Cups – 5 Piece Stackable Measuring Set
• Glass Measuring Cup Set (3-Piece, Microwave and Oven Safe)
• Stainless Steel Metal Measuring Spoons, Fits in Spice Jar, Set of 6 with bonus Leveler
• 10.25 Inch Cast Iron Skillet. Pre-Seasoned.

Ingredients

  

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• ¼ cup butter 1/2 stick
• ⅔ cup packed brown sugar
• 1 can sliced pineapple in juice, drained 20 oz.
• maraschino cherries if desired (no stems)
• 1 ⅓ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• ⅓ cup shortening
• ¾ cup milk
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 large egg

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Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Melt butter in a 10-in. oven-proof skillet or in a 9x9x2-in. baking dish. Remove the skillet from the oven and sprinkle the brown sugar over the melted butter. Arrange the pineapple slices over the brown sugar. Place a cherry in the center of each pineapple slice. 
• Beat the remaining ingredients with an electric mixer on low speed for 30-45 seconds. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Beat on HIGH speed for 3 minutes, scraping the bowl occasionally. Pour the cake batter over the pineapple. 
• Bake the skillet for 45-50 minutes or the 9x9x2-in pan for 50-55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted near the center tests clean.
• Immediately turn the skillet or baking dish upside down over a heat-proof plate. Let the skillet or pan remain over the cake for 3-4 minutes. Remove the skillet or baking dish. Serve warm.

Notes

• This cake is best served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!

Nutrition

Calories: 386kcalCarbohydrates: 63gProtein: 4gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 37mgSodium: 262mgPotassium: 160mgFiber: 1gSugar: 48gVitamin A: 252IUVitamin C: 6mgCalcium: 96mgIron: 1mg

Please note that the nutritional information listed on this page is an estimation based on the products I used. Ingredients and nutritional information can vary significantly between brands. Always be sure to read labels. Please verify that a recipe fits your needs before using it. Nutrition info may contain errors, so please verify it independently. Likewise, recipes may contain errors, so please use your common sense when following them.

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Originally published on February 17, 2014. Updated on April 21, 2022.