Easy Pineapple Upside-Down Cake
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All it takes is five simple ingredients to transform a handful of pantry staples into a delightful treat that’s sure to transport your taste buds to a world of nostalgic flavors. This easy pineapple upside-down cake recipe is a true classic, and it boasts the perfect balance of sweet and tangy, all neatly encased in a moist and buttery yellow cake.
Pineapple upside down cake was a regular around most dinner tables when I was a girl, and it was even a regular in the school cafeteria! The flavor of a buttery cake, topped with brown sugar and that glazed slice of pineapple on top with a cherry in the center – what’s not to love? The brown sugar caramelizes on top of the cake so each bite is fluffy, moist, and so deliciously sweet.
The way I make this cake is as easy as they come and you can pull off a nostalgic showstopper in no time flat! Folks usually ask me how I get it so super moist and the secret is a crazy trick I use. Today, I’m going to share my secret with you, along with the fact that it actually began as a mistake and led me to have the reputation of making the moistest pineapple upside-down cake around! Once you’ve made this you are going to be craving all the different pineapple desserts so make sure you try our Pineapple Poke Cake or Pineapple Cobbler.
Ingredients for this Pineapple Upside Down Cake Recipe
- Cake mix (yellow cake or pineapple supreme plus ingredients)
- Maraschino cherries
- Pineapple slices
- Brown sugar
- Unsalted butter
Helpful Kitchen Tools
How To Make This Easy Pineapple Upside Down Cake Recipe
Turn your oven to 350 and while we are mixing up the cake batter, place a stick of butter in a 9×13-inch baking dish and place it in the preheating oven so it melts.
Drain the juice from your pineapple can and use that as part of the water. My can of pineapple yielded just over a 3/4-cup of juice so according to my package, I’m going to add enough water to make 1 1/3 cup of liquid (in place of plain water) to add.
From there, simply follow the directions on your box of cake mix to prepare the mix and set it aside. Adding in this pineapple juice is going to make our cake so moist and flavorful!
Once your batter is mixed, remove the pan from the oven. Your butter should be nice and melted like this.
Sprinkle about a cup of brown sugar over the melted butter in your cake pan.
Until it looks like this. If you need to use more than a cup you can.
Arrange pineapple slices on top of the sugar, putting a maraschino cherry in the center of each pineapple ring.
PRO TIP: If you don’t have cherries, don’t feel like you need to go buy them special just for this. Just make it with pineapple slices only and it will still be delicious.
Gently pour your cake batter over the canned pineapple slices.
Now place this in your 350-degree oven for about 45 minutes.
Once your cake looks done, make sure you can press on the center and it springs back a bit before you remove it from the oven (or just use the toothpick trick. Insert a toothpick in the center, if it comes out clean your cake is done).
Once you remove the cake from the oven, let it sit in the pan for 10 minutes, and then invert the cake onto your surface of choice.
PRO TIP: A cutting board is a perfect thing to serve this cake on if you don’t have a tray or cake holder big enough. I just go with the cutting board because it is sturdy enough for transport.
How do I store pineapple upside down cake?
Store any leftover cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. You can also freeze individual slices for up to 3 months. Thaw them in the fridge overnight when you’re ready to enjoy them again.
Additional Tips for Making Easy Pineapple Upside Down Cake:
Can I use canned pineapple?
While the recipe recommends using canned pineapple for its juice and convenience, you can also use fresh pineapple slices if preferred. Just make sure to capture any juice from cutting the fresh pineapple and incorporate it into the cake mix for added flavor.
Can I make this pineapple upside down cake gluten free?
If you or someone you’re serving has dietary restrictions, you can easily make this cake gluten-free by using a gluten-free cake mix. Be sure to check the labels to ensure all ingredients are gluten-free.
What can I serve this pineapple upside down cake with?
While this cake is delicious on its own, consider serving it with a dollop of freshly whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream to take it to the next level. The contrast of the cold creaminess against the warm cake is delightful.
Enjoy your delicious and moist pineapple upside-down cake!
More delicious pineapple recipes:
- Pineapple Cobbler
- Cherry Pineapple Dump Cake
- Pineapple Poke Cake
- Pineapple Pumpkin Smoothie
- Vanilla Wafer Pineapple Pudding
Ingredients
- 1 box yellow cake mix or pineapple supreme cake mix
- 1 can pineapple slices
- 1 stick butter
- 1 jar cherries optional
- 1 cup brown sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the stick of butter in a 9×13-inch baking dish and put this in the oven while it preheats for just a few minutes until the butter is melted.1 stick butter
- Once the butter is melted, carefully remove the pan from the oven and sprinkle brown sugar all over the top of the melted butter. Place the pineapple slices on top of the brown sugar, reserving the pineapple juice. Place a cherry in the center of each pineapple slice.1 can pineapple slices, 1 jar cherries, 1 cup brown sugar
- Prepare the cake mix as directed on the package, substituting pineapple juice for some of the water. Slowly pour the cake batter over the pineapple slices and cherries.1 box yellow cake mix
- Bake at 350 for 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the cake comes out clean.
- For an even more moist cake, place toothpicks in the corners and center of the cake and cover it with cling wrap or aluminum foil before it has cooled completely.
Video
Nutrition
Christy,
I want to make this for my mom’s Christmas dinner. Would it be best to cook in a glass dish or a metal one, and also do I need to grease and flour the pan? Your recipes are so wonderful. If any of your readers could help it would be greatly appreciated.
You can cook it in either glass or metal, they both work just as well for this. No need to grease or flour your pan because all that butter goodness melted in the bottom does it for ya :). Hope you enjoy it!
Christy,
When I tried to turn out this wonderful cake, the topping stuck to the pan! Instead of the beautiful presentation, I had to scrape the topping off and try to evenly smear/ plop it on the cake. It still tasted great, but looked lousey. How can I make sure that doesn’t happen next time?
I love Southern Plate!
For those wanting a slightly less sweet cake, I use a Bisquick recipe. It has a denser, almost pound cake-like density. Everyone’s always loved my cakes. I just personally like it better than using a box cake, allowing the sweetness to come from the fruits and the brown sugar rather than the cake itself. The recipe below makes one 8-9″ cake:
1 1/2 c BIsquick
1/2 c sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
2 tbs butter, softened
1/2 c pineapple juice
As you would any other pineapple upside-down cake recipe, melt butter, add brown sugar (I always use dark, but it seems a lot of people on here like light, so whichever), then the pineapple and cherries. Combine all the cake ingredients above in a bowl and mix on medium for about 3 minutes until it is very well mixed. Pour over the pineapple and bake for 25-35 mins at 350.
That should be it. I hope you’re willing to take the few extra steps to make a homemade (well, sort of, given the Bisquick :P) cake! It’s worth it – trust me! 🙂
emily, my mama’s was more like your recipe. both sound fabulous. alas, they would put me in a diabetic coma……maybe i can get one of my girls to make one and let me have one bite! i couldn’t have one in the house, since i’m a recovering sugarholic. :o)
Hi again Christy! Just wanted to let you know I tried this cake a few weeks ago and my 5-year ( the one who was eating all the apple chips from the apple butter!) decided he wanted THIS cake for his luau-themed birthday party tomorrow! Now, if that’s not a compliment, I don’t know what is! 😉 I’m really looking forward to trying more of your recipes. I’ve been referring so many people to your blog! …Especially after getting an email from you and seeing what a great friendly personality you really do have! ;). Thanks again for all your stories & recipes! 😉
We loved it! It turned out just like you said it would.
I’m new to this site, think I saw it on Southern Savers. And I love it!! You have such a terrific personality and your posts are not only fantastic, but hilarious! Girl, you have got to take your show on the road (if you haven’t already!)
I’ve got a list going of all the recipes I want to try of yours…and this one is going on the top!
Thanks for the terrific Southern Recipes!! I’m a follower for life!!
Amy
Yum!!! I mostly make it like you (with the juices and stuff), BUT I had no idea I could “cover it” to make it even moister. Yum, yum! What a funny, but yummy tip!