Pineapple upside down cake is made with a caramelized pineapple and cherry base that is baked underneath a white cake. Then, after it is removed from the oven it is flipped over so that you can see the pretty design of the fruit.
I really like this particular pinneaple upside down cake from scratch because it has a denser cake that prevents it from getting soggy.
Pineapple upside down cake is my brother’s favorite cake so my mom made it for his birthday every year. She liked to use a boxed cake but I never really liked eating it because it was so soggy! You won’t have that problem with this recipe!
Alright, let’s get baking!
Supplies needed to make pineapple upside down cake from scratch
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- Measuring cups, spoons, kitchen scale
- 9″ round cake or pie pan – make sure it’s at least 2″ deep!
- Large, medium & small (microwaveable) bowl
- Spatula
- Stand mixer, hand-held mixer or whisk
How to make pineapple upside down cake from scratch
Make sure you use a pan that is at LEAST 2″ deep. A cake or pie pan works great for this. If you use a springform pan, wrap the bottom with two layers of aluminum foil to prevent dripping in your oven.
Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C).
Pour the melted butter into the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle the brown sugar evenly on top of the butter.
Next, blot the pineapple rings by pressing it between two paper towels. Arrange the pineapples on top of the sugar mixture in any pattern that you want and accent with the maraschino cherries. Place pan in the refrigerator to set until the batter is ready.
In a separate bowl, whisk together cake flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
Then, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth.
On high speed, beat in the egg whites until incorporated. Then, add in the sour cream, and vanilla. Again, beat on high to incorporate well.
In several additions, add in the dry ingredients, mixing until combined.
Pour the milk into the batter and beat on low until everything is incorporated, but be sure not to overmix the batter. Check to see that there are no remaining clumps in the batter. Switch to a whisk or spatula if you need to work out some clumps.
Remove pan from refrigerator and spread the cake batter into an even layer on top of the chilled pineapple layer.
Bake for 43-48 minutes, placing a tented tinfoil on top about 20 minutes in. Remove from oven when an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
Allow the pan to cool on a baker’s rack for 20 minutes before flipping the pan over onto your serving platter. Don’t wait too long or your pineapple mixture will firm up too much.Allow the pan to cool on a baker’s rack for 20 minutes before flipping the pan over onto your serving platter. Don’t wait too long to flip or your pineapple mixture will firm up too much.
Allow to cool completely at room temperature before serving and avoid chilling before it is cooled to room temperature or the cake will become too dense.
This is great served with ice cream to smooth out some of the sweetness of the cake.
This pineapple upside down cake will store for up to 3 days refrigerated in a covered container.
Don’t forget to download your recipe card
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you keep pineapple upside down cake from getting soggy?
To prevent a soggy pineapple upside down cake, be sure to blot any excess liquid from your pineapples, and avoid using any additional juice or liquid than the recipe calls for in the cake.
Can I use fresh pineapple instead of canned?
You can use fresh pineapple in pineapple upside down cake, but make sure you can slice them to about 1/2″ consistently. It will be a little less sweet than using canned pineapple.
When should I flip my pineapple upside down cake?
Wait at least 10 minutes-15 minutes, but no longer than 20 minutes to flip your upside down cake. You want to make sure it has enough time to set, but not too long that it solidifies into the pan.
If your cake sticks to the pan, you can use a knife to run around the edges of the pan to help it release.
Can I use all purpose flour in pineapple upside down cake?
Yes! You can easily substitute all-purpose flour for cake flour in this recipe. See the notes in the recipe card to use cornstarch to modify your all-purpose flour to replace the cake flour.
Should you refrigerate pineapple upside down cake?
This pineapple upside down cake recipe should be refrigerated in an air tight container. It should keep for about 3 days when chilled.
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Pineapple Upside Down Cake From Scratch
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes + cooling time
- Yield: 8–10 servings 1x
Print Recipe
Pin RecipeDescription
Pineapple upside down cake is made with a caramelized pineapple and cherry base that is baked underneath a white cake. Then, after it is removed from the oven it is flipped over so that you can see the pretty design of the fruit. I really like this particular pinneaple upside down cake from scratch because it has a denser cake that prevents it from getting soggy.
Ingredients
Topping
- 1/4 cup (60 grams) butter
- 1/2 cup (107 grams) brown sugar
- 8–10 pineapple rings (20-ounce can)
- 16–20 maraschino cherries
Cake
- 1–1/2 cups (170 grams) cake flour spoon & leveled, *see note for cake flour substitute
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 6 tablespoons (85 grams, unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 3/4 cup (155 grams) granulated sugar
- 2 large egg whites
- 1/3 cup (80 grams) sour cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup (80 ml) whole milk
Instructions
Make sure you use a pan that is at LEAST 2″ deep. A cake or pie pan works great for this. If you use a springform pan, wrap the bottom with two layers of aluminum foil to prevent dripping in your oven.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C).
- Pour the melted butter into the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle the brown sugar evenly on top of the butter.
- Next, blot the pineapple rings by pressing it between two paper towels. Arrange the pineapples on top of the sugar mixture in any pattern that you want and accent with the maraschino cherries. Place pan in the refrigerator to set until the batter is ready.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- Then, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth.
- On high speed, beat in the egg whites until incorporated. Then, add in the sour cream and vanilla. Again, beat on high to incorporate well.
- In several additions, add in the dry ingredients, mixing until combined.
- Pour the milk into the batter and beat on low until everything is incorporated, but be sure not to overmix the batter. Check to see that there are no remaining clumps in the batter. Switch to a whisk or spatula if you need to work out some clumps.
- Remove pan from refrigerator and spread the cake batter into an even layer on top of the chilled pineapple layer.
- Bake for 43-48 minutes, placing tented tinfoil on top about 20 minutes in. Remove from oven when an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
- Allow the pan to cool on a baker’s rack for 20 minutes before flipping the pan over onto your serving platter. Don’t wait too long or your pineapple mixture will firm up too much. Allow the pan to cool on a baker’s rack for 20 minutes before flipping the pan over onto your serving platter. Don’t wait too long to flip or your pineapple mixture will firm up too much.
- Allow to cool completely at room temperature before serving and avoid chilling before it is cooled to room temperature or the cake will become too dense.
Notes
- This is great served with ice cream to smooth out some of the sweetness of the cake.
- This pineapple upside down cake will store for up to 3 days refrigerated in a covered container.
- Cake flour substitute: 2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled. Then, remove four tablespoons and add in 4 tablespoons of cornstarch. Mix well, and remove 1/2 cup. Use the remaining 1-1/2 cups of flour for the recipe.
- Category: cakes
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: pineapple upside down cake, pineapple upside-down cake
Have fun making this Pinneapple Upside Down Cake!
I hope you enjoyed this recipe as much as I did!
I love hearing from my readers. Let me know in the comments below how you like it!
And, don’t forget to give the recipe 5 stars if you loved making this Pineapple Upside Down Cake from scratch!
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