The Pineapple Upside Down Cake was originally a “skillet cake.” Fruit and syrup were arranged in the bottom of a cast-iron skillet, topped with cake batter, and cooked on the stovetop. This homespun cake is a sweet slice of Americana that is making a comeback.
Prep: 30 min
Bake: 50 min
Yield: 1 (9-inch) cake
Pineapple
- 1 ripe pineapple
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 1/4 cup rum
Topping
- 1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 6 pineapple rings (as prepared from pineapple, above)
- 12 maraschino cherries, stems removed
Cake
- 1 1/2 cup Swans Down® Cake Flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- PREPARE PINEAPPLE: Remove rind from pineapple and slice into 6 (1/2-inch thick) rounds. Place a 3-inch round cookie cutter over each round to trim off outer edges; reserve the trimmed pieces. Place a 1-inch round cookie cutter on the center of each round and cut out the core, creating 6 pineapple rings; set rings aside. Dice remaining pineapple and trimmed pieces and place in a medium saucepan with granulated sugar and rum; heat over medium-high heat, reducing until liquid is the consistency of syrup. Remove from heat and strain diced pineapple from syrup, reserving both pineapple syrup and diced pineapple in separate containers; set both aside.
- MAKE TOPPING: Grease a 9-inch round cake pan with pan spray. Melt butter over medium heat, add brown sugar and cook and stir until it starts to bubble. Pour into prepared pan, spread out evenly and top with the 6 pineapple rings. Place cherries in the center of and between pineapple rings. Set aside.
- MAKE CAKE: Preheat oven to 350℉. Whisk flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs and mix until combined. Add flour mixture intermittently with buttermilk, starting and ending with flour mixture. Fold reserved diced pineapple into batter. Pour batter evenly into pan to cover pineapple rings and bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until tester comes out clean. Remove from oven and brush top of cake with reserved pineapple syrup. Run a knife around sides of cake and cool for 10 minutes in pan. Place a plate or serving platter over cake, bottom side up. Carefully flip the plate and cake over so the cake is sitting on the plate.
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Please send the recipe for the pineapple upside down cake. Thank you!
will send you a copy of the Pineapple Upside-Down Cake via PDF to your email. I hope you enjoy it. It is certainly one of our most popular cakes!
Happy Baking!
Hello, I would like to have the recipe . Thank you
Hi Nena, I will send you a copy of the Pineapple Upside-Down Cake via email. Please be on the lookout for it.
Enjoy and Happy Baking.
Recipe for upside down pineapple cake
Hi Jeanne, I have sent you a PDF version of this recipe to your email. Please be on the lookout for it. Enjoy! It is one of our favorites and most requested.
Happy Baking!
My mom and I made this recipe since I was a little girl and I am in my-mid 60s now. I love this cake but it tastes best the first day and it is not too sweet!
Thank you Margaret Ann. We love to hear from happy bakers. So happy to hear that you are still making this classic recipe. Enjoy and Happy Baking!
I cannot see the recipe.
Please email the Pineapple Upside Down Cake recipe to me. Thank you Ruth
HI Ruth,
I will email you a copy of the recipe and see if we can fix that on the website! Happy Baking.
I can't see the recipe. Can you email it to me.
HI Charlotte, Yes we will email the recipe to you.
Enjoy and happy baking!
Hi. I can not find the recipe. Please email me if you could
Hi Helen,
I sent you an email with the link to the Pineapple Upside-Down Cake. Let me know if you received it. I can send it again, if you have not.
Thank you for reaching out to us.
Where’s the recipe
Hi Mary, We can email you the recipe. You may need to scroll the page or refresh your browser for the recipe to load. Happy baking!
Why doesn’t y butter and sugar come out fluffy?
Can u use a 9x13 pan. ? What would u need to give more upside down cake. Can u use the juice instead of the buttermilk?
Hi Eve, To use a 9x13 pan you will likely have to double the recipe. We would not recommend using the pineapple juice in place of the buttermilk. Th buttermilk along with the baking powder is what will make the cake rise. Happy baking!