Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

My classic Pineapple Upside-Down Cake recipe is a retro dessert idea that's a sweet option any time of year. Using fresh or canned fruit, the easy cake recipe calls for just 10 minutes of prep time.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 45

Cooling Time 2

Servings servings

Calories 424kcal

Author Meggan Hill

Ingredients

12 tablespoons butter cut into 12 pieces (1 tablespoon each), softened and divided (1 1/2 sticks)
3/4 cup brown sugar packed
20 ounces canned pineapple slices drained (about 10 slices, see note 2)
10 maraschino cherries drained, plus more as desired, without stems (see note 3)
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs room temperature
1 egg white room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup milk

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and preheat oven to 350 degrees. To the bottom of a 9-inch round by 2-inch tall cake pan (see note 1), add 4 tablespoons butter.
Place pan in preheated oven and heat butter until melted, about 2 to 4 minutes. Brush butter up sides of pan.
Sprinkle brown sugar over the melted butter, then stir to combine. Pat brown sugar mixture into an even layer.
Arrange pineapple slices in a single layer over brown sugar mixture. Add one cherry to the center of each pineapple ring. Add more cherries if desired (for decoration).
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. In an electric mixer on medium speed, or by hand using an electric mixer, cream together remaining 8 tablespoons of butter and granulated sugar until fluffy and light, about 3 to 6 minutes.
One at a time, beat in the eggs and egg white. Beat in the vanilla. Reduce speed to low.
Add 1/3 of the flour mixture and beat until incorporated. Add 1/2 milk and beat until incorporated. Repeat with 1/3 of dry mixture, then milk. Add remaining dry mixture and mix until incorporated (batter will be thick).
Pour batter over the pineapple and smooth top. Gently tap the pan on counter to remove any air bubbles and settle the batter.
Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with few, moist crumbs attached, about 45 to 50 minutes. Rotate pan halfway through to ensure even baking.
Allow cake to cool in pan 10 minutes. Place a large plate or serving platter on top of cake pan, turn plate and pan over (careful; the pan will still be warm). Allow cake to release itself onto the platter, about 1 minute, without shaking or tapping the pan. Remove pan and allow cake to cool completely, about 2 hours.

Notes

Cake pan: To prevent the cake from overflowing, choose a 9-inch round cake pan with sides that are at least 2 inches tall (with a volume of 8 cups).
Brown sugar: Light or dark brown; either will do.
Pineapple: To substitute fresh pineapple rings for canned, you'll need about 1 1/2 pounds of fresh fruit.
Cherries: To substitute fresh cherries, it's a one-for-one swap. Simply slice 10 fresh cherries them in half, remove the pit, and drain on paper towels to remove excess juice.
Yield: This Pineapple Upside-Down Cake makes 8 generous slices (or more or less depending on the width of your wedges and your appetite level, of course!).
Storage: Cover extra Pineapple Upside-Down Cake with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
Make ahead: After baking, leave the cake in pan. Cover the cake with plastic wrap and refrigerate; aim to enjoy within 4 days. When you're ready to share the Pineapple Upside-Down Cake, reheat it in a 375-degree oven until warmed, about 4 minutes. Turn the cake over onto serving platter as directed in step 7 and serve.
Freezer: Allow the cake to cool completely, wrap it in plastic wrap, then store the tropical cake in an airtight freezer-safe container or zip-top bag for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature while still wrapped, about 1 hour, and reheat if desired (as explained above in the "make ahead" section) or enjoy as-is.

Nutrition