Pineapple Upside-Down Cake Recipe - Easy and Quick (2024)

Classic pineapple upside-down cake is one of our family’s favorites—deliciously moist, fruity pineapple and cherries cake. Just a few simple ingredients and a yellow cake mix make this a quick and easy cake. Topped with ooey gooey brown sugared caramel pineapple goodness, it just could not be any more delicious.

Pineapple Upside-Down Cake Recipe - Easy and Quick (1)

Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

Pineapple cake is always a delicious treat, especially for spring dinners. I like to serve it on Easter after a meal of ham, deviled eggs, Irish Soda Bread, and roasted Brussel sprouts.

I have made this cake for birthdays and served it with whipped cream and ice cream and a cherry on top. It has fruit instead of sugary icing.

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Pineapple Upside-Down Cake Recipe - Easy and Quick (2)

pineapple cake with whipped cream

Pineapple Upside-Down Cake Recipe

Whenever I serve my pineapple upside cake, I get recipe requests. So I wanted to share with you the best pineapple upside-down recipe using a yellow cake mix.

Before you begin the recipe, I would like to share some helpful tips.

Baking tips

  • Preheat the oven while preparing the cake batter.
  • When baking upside-down cakes. Cut a parchment liner to fit your pan to ensure your cake turns out of the pan neatly.
  • Use the pineapple juices from the canned pineapple to replace the water in the cake mix.
  • Squeeze out the moisture from 1/8 cup canned crushed pineapple to fill in around the pineapple rings and maraschino cherries.
  • Bake according to your baking dish size.
  • Use a toothpick inserted in the center; if it comes out clean, it is finished baking.
  • Cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes before turning the cake out of the pan.

Pineapple Upside-Down Cake Recipe - Easy and Quick (3)

Pineapple cake ingredients

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Heat butter and brown sugar in a saucepan

Pineapple Upside-Down Cake Recipe - Easy and Quick (5)

Pineapple slices and cherries arrange in a pan over the butter and brown sugar mixture

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Easy Pineapple Upside-down cake

Tools:

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Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

This super moist quick pineapple upside-down cake will be a fast favorite since it is easy and delicious. They will be begging for more.

4.67 from 15 votes

Print Recipe Rate

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: pineapple upside-down cake, Pineapple upside-down cake recipe, upside-down cake

Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 28 minutes minutes

Servings: 12 slices

Calories: 374kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 box Yellow cake mix
  • 1 Large can of pineapple rings
  • 1 can crushed pineapple
  • 1 stick butter
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1 jar maraschino cherries pitted

Instructions

  • Drain a can of pineapple rings, conserving the liquid.

  • Drain a can of crushed pineapple.

  • Prepare the cake mix according to the directions, except use the conserved pineapple liquid instead of water.

  • Heat butter and brown sugar in a medium saucepan until the butter is melted and the mixture is well combined.

  • Using a pastry brush, spread the butter and brown sugar mixture in the bottom of the pans.

  • Arrange pineapple rings on top of the brown sugar mixture.

    Use drained crushed pineapple to fill in around the pineapple rings.

  • Decorate the pineapple rings with cherries.

  • Pour the cake batter gently over the pineapple and cherries.

Equipment

Mixing bowl

Cake pans

Mixing spoon

Silicone pastry brush

Notes

Pineapple Upside-Down Cake Recipe - Easy and Quick (14)

Pineapple upside-down cake

This quick pineapple upside-down cake is one of your favorite go-to recipes.

Please note:

  • I added a little crushed pineapple to the areas between the pineapple rings.
  • I like to place 1/8 cup of crushed pineapple into the cake batter after squeezing out all the moisture.
  • To ensure the pineapple upside-down cake toppings stay on when you turn it out of the pan I cut a circle of parchment paper to line the bottom of as my first step.

Nutrition

Calories: 374kcal | Carbohydrates: 74g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 20mg | Sodium: 381mg | Potassium: 167mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 55g | Vitamin A: 288IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 131mg | Iron: 1mg

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Tried this recipe?Mention @kippiathome or tag #kippiathome!

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Want More?

Sometimes we all need a little inspiration for easy meals and recipes. I put together some recipes. I think you will like it.

If you like easy everyday recipes, you might enjoy my favorite recipes delivered straight to your inbox click HERE.

I hope you have a safe and healthy spring,

Kippi

Pineapple Upside-Down Cake Recipe - Easy and Quick (2024)

FAQs

Can I use pineapple juice instead of water in a cake mix? ›

I also like using the pineapple juice from the canned pineapple in place of water (or with water) in the cake mix. Once the cake comes from the oven you're done. No icing or decorating needed.

When should I flip my pineapple upside down cake? ›

Bake 50 to 55 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Immediately place heatproof serving plate upside down over pan; turn plate and pan over. Leave pan over cake a few minutes so brown sugar mixture can drizzle over cake; remove pan. Serve warm.

Why is the top of my pineapple upside down cake soggy? ›

My #1 Tip for the Topping: Blot the wet pineapples and maraschino cherries before using. The more liquid in the fruit, the more liquid that won't “set.” Excess liquid creates an unpleasantly wet cake.

Should you use parchment paper when baking a pineapple upside down cake? ›

The parchment paper is not absolutely necessary, but it helps if you have a "sticking" issue with the sweet pineapple glaze (you can use waxed paper in a pinch). Mix melted butter with brown sugar and spread evenly in prepared 9" round cake pan. Set aside.

What does adding milk instead of water do to cake? ›

Milk's fat and protein add tenderness, structure, and flavor to a cake — all great attributes you want in your baking!

What makes a cake mix more moist? ›

Add an Extra Egg

Most cake mixes call for two to three eggs. Just one more egg will add extra moisture, fat, and a little protein, which means the cake will be softer and less likely to overbake and dry out in the oven.

What does pineapple mean in girl code? ›

The prickly but sweet 🍍 signifies a “complicated” relationship, but this fruit-filled code has many other ingredients in the mix: : Single. 🍎: Engaged. 🍒: Committed relationship. 🍋: Single and loving it.

What is the pineapple upside down trick? ›

She explains that you can see that pineapples are usually nice and yellow on the bottom where all the juices have been flowing as it's been stored that way, and letting it sit upside down for a day or two before slicing into it makes sure that the pineapple is nice and juicy all over.

Should you refrigerate pineapple upside down cake after baking? ›

You have to refrigerate it, especially after you bake it. Though, cool it first. And make sure to do that before putting it in the fridge. Consequently, if you did not store it in the fridge, it will indeed spoil quickly.

Why is baking a pineapple upside-down cake the most difficult cake to make? ›

The hardest part of making pineapple upside-down cake is the maneuver which turns the bottom of the cake pan into the top of the cake. Cooling the baked cake slightly before flipping it allows the topping to cool and stick to the cake before turning out.

What can you substitute for cherries in pineapple upside-down cake? ›

By substituting pecans (or other nuts) for the usual maraschino cherries, this twist on a classic upside-down cake is less sweet and crunchier than the usual recipe. Caramelizing the brown sugar in a skillet before adding the fruit gives you a particularly deep, complex flavor.

Why did my pineapple upside-down cake fall in the middle? ›

Cakes sink in the middle due to several reasons. One reason is that the cake batter might be too moist, causing it to collapse during baking. Another reason could be that the oven temperature is too low, leading to uneven baking. Opening the oven door too frequently while baking can also cause cakes to sink.

When should you flip an upside-down cake? ›

I use a very heavy coating of non-stick baking spray that includes flour (like Baker's Joy), but you can also use a coating of butter and flour. Let the cake cool, but not completely. Before you flip the cake upside-down, let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes to let it finish setting up.

How do you get pineapple upside down cake to not stick to the pan? ›

In order to keep the fruit in place and protect the caramel from sticking, line the bottom of the pan with parchment. A smooth stovetop caramel is also key to the perfect upside-down cake. This recipe uses reserved pineapple juice and cornstarch to ensure the caramel stays nice and velvety.

Which side of parchment paper do you bake on? ›

Since parchment paper doesn't have a helpful “this end up” sign with an arrow, it takes a little detective work. Just hold the paper up to the light and look for the side that's slightly glossier or shinier. It is the shiny or glossy side of the parchment paper that should be face up on your baking sheet or cake pan.

Can I substitute pineapple juice for water? ›

Replace water or milk in a recipe for pineapple juice.

Simply replace either the water or milk with pineapple juice in equal proportions. Note that if a recipe calls for multiple liquids, like milk and oil, you should only substitute the juice for one of the liquids.

Can you substitute juice for water in cake mix? ›

You can also think 'outside of the box and use other non-dairy liquids: Try swapping out the water for soda, juice (orange juice is great with vanilla / yellow cake), or even a stout beer or coffee (for chocolate cake).

What can you substitute for water in a cake recipe? ›

To take any mix up a notch, anywhere water is called for, milk can generally be used in a 1:1 substitution.

What can you substitute for water in Betty Crocker cake mix? ›

Yes, you can substitute milk for water when preparing SuperMoist cake mixes, however, the cake may be slightly drier than if prepared with water. Also keep in mind that milk will add calories and change the nutrition slightly.

References

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