Pineapple upside down cake is a pineapple version of a popular cake where sugar and fruit are cooked in the bottom of a pan, then a silky cake batter is spread over the fruit, so once flipped over after it bakes, the fruit sits on top of the cake.
This cake is simple enough to be considered an everyday cake. I prefer to keep with the classic canned pineapple rings and glazed cherries, as they give the cake its iconic look. Keep in mind that fresh pineapple and cherries produce considerably more juice while cooking and might not produce the same sticky-sweet topping that canned pineapple and glazed cherries will.
Pineapple upside down cake can also be stored in an airtight container for upto 3 days. Now let’s begin with this simple yet yumm cake….
Ingredients
Pineapple upside down cake
For the topping
- Cooking spray
- 4 tbsps. unsalted Butter
- ½ cup packed light brown Sugar
- 1 can Pineapple rings
- 8 to 10 Glazed Cherries
For the cake
- 1 ½ cups All-purpose Flour
- 1 tsp. Baking powder
- ¼ tsp. Salt
- 1 cup Granulated Sugar
- 8 tbsps. (1 stick) unsalted Butter, at room temperature
- 2 large Eggs
Method
- Heat the oven and prepare the pan. Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 350°F. Coat a 9-inch round cake pan with cooking spray and set aside.
- Melt the butter and sugar for the topping in a small frying pan over medium heat, stirring frequently. The mixture is done when the sugar is bubbly and slightly brown.
- Pour the sugar mixture into a prepared cake pan and spread into an even layer to cool slightly.
- Remove the pineapple rings from the can and reserve ½ cup of the juice. Set a single ring in the centre of the pan, then arrange 6 to 7 rings around the centre ring. Place a cherry in the centre of each ring and set the pan aside.
- Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl and set aside.
- Place the sugar and butter in a large mixing bowl. Using an electric hand mixer, beat on medium speed until lightened and creamy, say about 5 minutes. Add the eggs and beat until smooth, about 1 minute more.
- Add the flour mixture and pineapple juice in alternating batches.
- Spread the batter over the fruit. The batter will be thick, so use a large spoon to dollop large spoonfuls of the batter evenly over the fruit in the pan. Smooth the batter with an offset spatula, then tap the cake pan lightly on the counter to settle the batter.
- Bake the cake until dark golden-brown and a cake tester comes out clean, say about 45 minutes.
- Remove the warm cake from the oven to a cooling rack and cool for 10 minutes. Invert a plate over the cake pan and, using kitchen towels or oven mitts to grasp onto both the plate and the cake pan, flip both the pan and the plate over so the pan now sits on top of the plate. Slowly lift the cake pan away. Serve the cake warm or cool, as you like it.