Pineapple Upside Down Cake – gorgeous, delicious, and decadent! This festive cake bursts with tropical flavors and is made more special with a dash of spiced rum.
Pineapple Upside Down Cake is a good way to use up pineapple for most people, but… for me, I go out of my way to indulge in this delicious cake.
What is Pineapple Upside Down Cake?
The combination of juicy tart pineapple up against the sweet caramel and buttery cake is extremely enticing. Growing up, I preferred eating raw pineapples because they were extremely sweet. And disliked canned pineapple.
Now, wait….. my disappointment came when I moved to the United States and pineapples here tasted blah! Not so sweet or juicy like the ones I grew up eating.
Then came this delightful cake, with its sharp tropical flavor. Oh my! I knew things were about to change with canned pineapples. It makes this cake SO EASY to put together. And not so bad after all.
In fact, my brother and I always fight over this cake; he does not have a sweet tooth as I do. He hardly touches dessert. So the first time I made this, he went bananas over this.
Cake Recipe Ingredients
This recipe has been updated to make it even special. Yup, with a dash of spiced rum, vanilla extract, and nutmeg. You won’t believe how the flavors in this cake meld beautifully.
I listed below the other ingredients that you need to prepare for this wonderful cake recipe.
For the cake batter:
- unsalted butter
- granulated sugar
- sour cream (makes our cake super moist, and boosts the pineapple flavor)
- eggs
- cake flour
- nutmeg
- baking powder
- baking soda
- salt
- vanilla
- spiced rum
For the toppings:
- butter
- brown sugar
- pineapple rings
- maraschino cherries
Pineapple Upside Down Cake Toppings
I looked over the internet to see if there are Pineapple Upside Down Cake recipes that use different toppings other than pineapple and maraschino cherries. And yeah, the internet never disappoints me.
I found a version of this cake that used toppings like pecans, whipped cream, and pineapples alone. You can also try to use other ingredients that you think will complement the tangy, caramel-y, and buttery flavor of this cake and share it with me in the comment section!
How to Flip a Pineapple Upside Down Cake?
Be careful not to flip your Pineapple Upside Down Cake right away after baking. Allow it to cool for 10 to 15 minutes. If you see that the edges tend to stick on the pan, gently loosen it using a knife. Put a serving dish upside-down on top of the baking pan, and quickly flip it unto the plate.
However, Pineapple Upside Down Cakes are traditionally prepared in a cast-iron skillet. The heavy pan prevents the butter from burning, and flipping the cake upside-down is actually quite easier.
Can You Freeze It?
Been thinking of making lots of Pineapple Upside Down Cake for easy access to snacks? Of course, you can! The freezer will be your friend to make it possible.
Let your cake cool completely after flipping. You can place it in the refrigerator overnight, and wrap the cake with a plastic wrap then again with a foil and place it in your freezer.
This will allow the cake to last for 2 to 3 long months in the freezer!
More Festive Cake Recipes
Since you were able to successfully remake my Pineapple Upside Down Cake, give these other festive cakes a try and share it with your family.
How To Make Pineapple Upside Down Cake
Preheat oven to 350°F. If needed, wrap a 10-inch springform pan in heavy foil paper to prevent leaking or use a 10-inch skillet or baking pan. Drain the pineapple slices and cherries. Place the pineapple and cherries on paper towels to absorb excess moisture. In a heavy saucepan, melt the butter. Or place the butter in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave it for about 30-60 seconds until melted.
Pour the melted butter into the cake pan, followed by the brown sugar. Spread it evenly. Then arrange the pineapple slices with one in the center, 5 others around it, and put the cherries in between the pineapple rings. You will need around 10 whole pineapple rings as the rest of the pineapple rings are split in half. Place the half slices against the sides, facing down if desired. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar. Add in the sour cream and mix until combined. Next, add in the eggs, sifted flour, nutmeg, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Mix until combined. Then pour in the vanilla extract, and spiced rum. Mix everything until fully incorporated.
Scoop the batter into the assembled cake pan, and spread the batter evenly. Bake the cake in a preheated oven until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, or for about 45–50 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack. Let the cake cool in a pan for 10 minutes. Then run a sharp knife around the sides of the pan to loosen the cake. Tap the bottom of the pan and flip the cake onto a large plate or just open the sides if using a springform pan.
Watch How To Make It
This post was first published in November 2016 and has been updated with new photos, additional writeup, and a video.
Pineapple Upside Down Cake
Ingredients
Toppings
- 4-5 tablespoons (60 grams) unsalted butter , melted
- ½ cup (110 grams ) brown sugar
- 20 ounces canned pineapple slices
- 7-12 maraschino cherries
Pineapple Cake
- 6 ounces (170.1g) unsalted butter , softened
- ¾ cup (165g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (115g) sour cream
- 3 large eggs
- 1 ½ cup (187.5g) sifted cake flour
- ½ teaspoon (1g) nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon (4g) baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon (1.5g) baking soda
- ½ teaspoon (2.5g) salt
- 1 teaspoon (4.2g) vanilla extract
- 1-2 tablespoons (15ml-30ml) spiced rum
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. If needed, wrap a 10-inch springform pan in heavy foil paper to prevent leaking or use a 10-inch skillet or baking pan.
- Drain the pineapple slices and cherries. Place the pineapple and cherries on paper towels to absorb excess moisture.
- In a heavy saucepan, melt the butter. Or place the butter in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave it for about 30-60 seconds until melted.
- Pour the melted butter into the cake pan, followed by the brown sugar. Spread it evenly. Then arrange the pineapple slices with one in the center, 5 others around it, and put the cherries in between the pineapple rings. You will need around 10 whole pineapple rings as the rest of the pineapple rings are split in half. Place the half slices against the sides, facing down if desired. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar. Add in the sour cream and mix until combined. Next, add in the eggs, sifted flour, nutmeg, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Mix until combined.
- Then pour in the vanilla extract, and spiced rum. Mix everything until fully incorporated.
- Scoop the batter into the assembled cake pan, and spread the batter evenly. Bake the cake in a preheated oven until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, or for about 45–50 minutes.
- Transfer to a wire rack. Let the cake cool in a pan for 10 minutes. Then run a sharp knife around the sides of the pan to loosen the cake. Tap the bottom of the pan and flip the cake onto a large plate or just open the sides if using a springform pan.
Tips & Notes:
- You may beat the batter with a whisk. No mixer required.
- Be sure to let the cake rest for about 10-20 minutes before turning it upside down.
- Replace spiced rum with pineapple juice from the canned pineapple.
- If you can't find sour cream replace with 1/2 cup yogurt.
- Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on products used.
Kathy says
Can this cake be made with All Purpose Flour as well?
ImmaculateBites says
Yes it can
Elle says
Wow! I made this cake for my daughter’s Birthday yesterday! It was a hit!! Like every recipe of yours I try!!! Thanks!
ImmaculateBites says
YAY! Glad to hear it worked out well.
Shawn says
Thank you for the quick response!
ImmaculateBites says
It’s room temperature.
elodie says
this cake has always challenged me i hope this will help me out