Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

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
Ingredients

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 cups Swans Down® Cake Flour, sifted before measuring
  • 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
Directions
  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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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  • German Chocolate Cake: How are the coconut and the nuts divided? How much for the filling of each? Love your recipes. Thank you.

  • Have been using Swansdown cake flour for 77 years! You guessed it I started with a wood stove and calculated the oven temperature. I have asked and still have not found your recipe for One egg wonder cake. Any chance you can retrieve it. Thank you so much.

    • Hello Anita, thanks for writing in and sharing your love for Swans Down! We're happy to have been in your life for 77 years.

      Here's the recipe for One-Egg Cake Wonder

      One-Egg Wonder Cake
      The handiest little all-around cake you ever tasted. Bake it any time, any way you please. Preparations. Use two round 8-inch layer pans. 1 1/4 inches deep; line bottoms with paper. Start the oven for moderate heat (375 F.). Sift flour before measuring.

      2 cups sifted Swans Down Cake Flour
      2 teaspoons Calumet Baking Powder
      3/4 teaspoon salt
      1/3 cup shortening (at room temperature)
      1 cup sugar
      1 egg, unbeaten
      1 cup minus 2 tablespoons milk
      1 teaspoon vanilla

      The Mixing Method
      Measure sifted flour, add baking powder and salt, and sift together three times. Cream shortening, add sugar gradually, and cream together until light and fluffy. Add egg; beat well. Add flour, alternately with milk, in small amounts, beating well after each addition. Stir in vanilla.

      Baking. Pour batter into pans. Bake in moderate oven (375°F.) about 25 minutes. This cake may be baked in a 9x9x2-inch pan about 25 minutes.

      Frosting. Spread hot cake with Praline Topping; or cool cake and frost with Quick Fruit Frosting.

    • 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!

    • 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.

    • 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!

    • HI Ruth,
      I will email you a copy of the recipe and see if we can fix that on the website! Happy Baking.

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