This pineapple upside down cake is soft and buttery with a caramelized brown sugar pineapple & cherry topping. Its juices seep down into the cake, adding even more luscious flavor and texture. A classic favorite using canned pineapple and maraschino cherries, this retro cake is served upside down and perfect any time of year.
I love learning in the kitchen and I’m always working hard to improve my skill. With constant practice comes the opportunity to bring you the best recipes I can. This is an exciting post!
Improved Pineapple Upside Down Cake Recipe – Read the Difference
I developed and published a pineapple upside down cake recipe several years ago. It’s certainly loved by many, but the cake is prone to overflowing because there’s quite a lot of batter. Additionally, it can taste overly wet and the instructions were never written very clearly. As a cookbook author and baker, I’ve certainly improved my craft over the years!
My improved pineapple upside down cake recipe, written below, is much softer than my original. Using creamed butter instead of melted, cake flour instead of all-purpose flour, all white sugar instead of brown sugar + white, and using egg whites guarantees a huge textural difference. I adapted it from my white cake. My new recipe doesn’t yield as much cake batter, so we don’t have to worry about overflowing.
The pineapple cherry topping remains the same. You don’t mess with perfection. 😉
- Old Cake Recipe (in notes below): Overly heavy, wet, overflowed
- New Cake Recipe (below): Softer, pleasantly moist, reduced amount of batter
We’re using the same ingredients in my updated cake batter just in different forms, ratios, and amounts. Baking is truly a science and I’m happy to continue to deliver you well tested and improved recipes!
Key Ingredients You Need
- Cake Flour: Lighter than all-purpose flour, cake flour produces a soft crumb.
- Baking Powder & Baking Soda: The two add plenty of lift under the heavy topping.
- Salt: Balances the sweetness.
- Butter: Instead of melted butter, use 6 Tablespoons of softened butter. (Not the whole stick, though you do need more for the topping.) Creaming butter and sugar guarantees a buttery soft crumb. It’s how I prepare my vanilla cupcakes, too.
- Sugar: White granulated sugar sweetens and tenderizes the cake. There’s brown sugar in the topping to provide essential flavor!
- Egg Whites: Don’t let yolks weigh down a cake that’s already weighed down by the fruit topping. After all my recipe testing, I now swear by just egg whites here. So there’s no waste, here are my recipes using egg yolks.
- Vanilla Extract: Flavor.
- Sour Cream: Along with cake flour and egg whites, sour cream promises a tender cake crumb. Plain yogurt works in a pinch.
- Pineapple Juice & Milk: Liquid is key in most cakes because it thins out the batter. You typically make pineapple upside down cake with canned pineapple, so use some of the liquid in the can for the cake batter.
I appreciate that the cake, in general, is smaller and not as overwhelming just like this apple upside down cake. Both are great options for smaller gatherings for Easter and other holidays. See more Easter brunch recipes and Easter dessert recipes.
Pineapple Upside Down Cake Topping
I didn’t change my original topping recipe. Sticking with tradition, the topping includes canned pineapple rings, maraschino cherries, butter, and brown sugar. I always use 10 pineapple rings (some are halved for the sides), which is one 20 ounce can. Feel free to use fresh pineapple and cherries. Canned pineapple chunks will be a little messy and could spill down the sides when you invert the cake, so proceed with caution.
- 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.
I know you’ll appreciate this too: pineapple upside down cake is basically already frosted. There’s no extra decoration required; the garnish is literally baked into the cake!
Overview: How to Make the Best Pineapple Upside Down Cake
This classic pineapple upside down cake is buttery rich and the sweet fruit topping is downright irresistible. Let me walk you through each step so you understand the process.
- Prepare the topping: Melt the butter, pour into an un-greased cake pan or pie dish, sprinkle with brown sugar, then arrange the blotted pineapple rings and maraschino cherries as you see in my photos and video tutorial. I always refrigerate the topping as I prepare the cake batter—this helps solidify the designed arrangement underneath the wet cake batter.
- Prepare the cake batter: Whisk the dry ingredients together. In a separate bowl, cream the butter and sugar together. Beat in the egg whites and vanilla, then the sour cream. Pour the dry into the wet ingredients, pour in the pineapple juice & milk, and then beat to combine. You’ll have about 2 cups of cake batter and it’s very straightforward to prepare.
- Spread over topping: Pour and spread the cake batter over the chilled topping.
- Bake: Because of the wet bottom layer (which is the topping), the cake takes much longer than a typical 1 layer cake. Its juices will bubble up the sides, creating these incredible caramelized edges. (They’re so good!) With upside down cakes, it’s always good practice to place a baking pan or sheet on a lower rack to catch any juices should they splatter over the edges.
- Cool: Cool the cake for 20 minutes before inverting onto a serving plate. Inverting any sooner will create a seeping mess—we want the topping to “set” as much as it can. You can serve this cake warm, though it slices much better if you let it cool completely at room temperature first.
Expect a Dense Cake
I’ve been making pineapple upside down cake since I could hold a spatula. I’ve made hundreds of versions, or so it seems, and I say with 100% certainty that this cake will always be on the denser side. (Unless you are using store-bought cake mix.) You see, the cake is served upside down. The weight of the topping, which is the bottom of the cake as it bakes, weighs down the crumb beneath it. Pineapple upside down cake will never be as light and airy as white cake. If you were to make this exact cake batter and serve it right-side-up, the cake would taste much airier.
Does that make sense?
I know you’ll love its unique texture, especially paired with the brown sugar caramelized fruit topping. Let me know how you like it!
Print
Pineapple Upside Down Cake
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes
- Yield: serves 8-10
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
Updated in 2020, this is my favorite recipe for traditional pineapple upside down cake. For best success, read the recipe and recipe notes before beginning.
Ingredients
Topping
- 1/4 cup (60g) unsalted butter, melted
- 1/2 cup (100g) packed light or dark brown sugar
- 8–10 pineapple slices (see note)*
- 15–20 maraschino cherries (see note)*
Cake
- 1 and 1/2 cups (177g) cake flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 6 Tablespoons (85g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar
- 2 large egg whites, at room temperature
- 1/3 cup (80g) sour cream, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup (60ml) pineapple juice, at room temperature (use leftover from can)
- 2 Tablespoons (30ml) milk, at room temperature
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C).
- Prepare topping first: Pour 1/4 cup melted butter into an ungreased 9×2 inch pie dish or round cake pan. (Make sure the pan is 2 inches deep. I recommend this pie dish, which is 1.8 inches deep but I never have an overflow issue.) Sprinkle brown sugar evenly over butter. Blot any excess liquid off the fruit with a clean towel or paper towel. (The wetter the fruit, the more likely the cake could overflow or the topping could seep over the sides when inverted.) Arrange about 6-7 blotted pineapple slices and all the cherries on top of the brown sugar. I like to halve 3 pineapple rings and arrange them around the sides of the pan, too. See my photo and video above for a visual of the arranged topping. Place pan in the refrigerator for a few minutes as you prepare the cake batter. This helps solidify or “set” the topping’s arrangement.
- Make the cake batter: Whisk the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together. Set aside.
- Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, beat the butter on high speed until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute. Add the sugar and beat on high speed until creamed together, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. On high speed, beat in the egg whites until combined, then beat in the sour cream and vanilla extract. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl as needed. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Turn the mixer onto low speed and as the mixer runs, slowly pour in the pineapple juice and milk. Beat on low speed just until all of the ingredients are combined. Do not over-mix. You may need to whisk it all by hand to make sure there are no lumps at the bottom of the bowl. The batter will be slightly thick.
- Remove topping from the refrigerator. Pour and spread cake batter evenly over topping.
- Bake for 43-48 minutes, tenting foil on top of the cake halfway through bake time to prevent the top from over-browning before the center has a chance to fully cook. The cake is done when a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out mostly clean—a couple moist crumbs are OK. Don’t be alarmed if your cake takes longer or if the cake rises up and sticks to the foil. (We serve the cake upside down anyway!)
- Remove cake from the oven and cool on a wire rack for just 20 minutes. Invert the slightly cooled cake onto a cake stand or serving plate. Some of the juices from the topping will seep over the sides—that’s ok. You can slice and serve the cake warm, but the slices will be messy. I find it’s best to cool the cake completely at room temperature before slicing and serving. Do not refrigerate the cake to speed up the cooling process because it could end up tasting overly dense.
- Cover leftover slices and store for up to 3 days in the refrigerator or 3 months in the freezer. Thaw at room temperature. I don’t recommend freezing the cake as a whole because the topping arrangement doesn’t thaw very nicely. See make ahead instructions below.
Notes
- Make Ahead Instructions: You can refrigerate the topping in step 2 for up to 1 day. If refrigerating for longer than 1 hour, cover it tightly. Other than that, this isn’t the best cake to make ahead of time or freeze because the pineapples will settle down into the cake—while still tasty, the presentation won’t be as pleasing. You can, however, prepare the wet ingredients (cover and refrigerate) and dry ingredients (cover at room temperature) separately up to 1 day ahead of time, then continue with the recipe the next day. Let the wet ingredients come to room temperature before mixing.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): 9-Inch Pie Dish or 9-Inch Round Cake Pan | Glass Mixing Bowl | Whisk | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Cooling Rack
- Old Recipe: The current cake batter recipe was updated in 2020. If you loved the old cake batter recipe, originally published in 2014, here it is: The topping recipe is the same. Prepare the recipe above through step 2. For the cake batter, whisk 1 and 2/3 cups (210g) all-purpose flour, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoon salt together. In a separate bowl, whisk 1/2 cup (115g) melted unsalted butter, 3/4 cup (150g) packed light brown sugar, 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar, 1 large egg, 1/4 cup (60g) yogurt or sour cream, 1/2 cup (120ml) milk, 1/4 cup (60ml) pineapple juice, and 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract together. Whisk wet and dry ingredients together until smooth. Continue with step 5 in the recipe above.
- Pineapple & Cherries: Traditional recipes use canned pineapple and maraschino cherries. I recommend 1 20 ounce can of pineapple rings/slices, which usually holds 10 rings/slices. You can use fresh pineapple rings/slices and fresh cherries if desired. If using fresh cherries, I recommend halving them. Blot excess liquid off the fresh fruit just as I instruct in step 2. Fresh or canned pineapple chunks, tidbits, and/or crushed pineapple will create a messy topping that could spill over the sides when the cake is inverted. I recommend rings/slices because they are larger.
- Sour Cream & Milk: Full fat sour cream and whole milk are strongly recommended for the best taste and texture. A full fat plain yogurt would work instead of the sour cream, though the cake may not taste as tender. Same goes with a lower fat or nondairy milk.
- Why is everything at room temperature? All refrigerated items should be at room temperature so the batter mixes together easily and evenly. Read more about why room temperature ingredients are important.
Keywords: pineapple upside down cake, cake
perfect. next time I’ll use some of the pineapple juice.
★★★★★
Typo on the flour, 1.5 cups is not 170g 🙂
Just made this recipe! came out great, the batter is delicious.
★★★★
I have a beautiful mini-Bundt tray (think cupcake tray) with six cake openings. Do you think this would work to make individual cakes? The size seems perfect for one pineapple ring on “top”.
Hi Leslee, I don’t see why not! I’m unsure of the bake time your pan will need. The cake is done when a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out mostly clean– a couple moist crumbs are OK. Happy baking!
YUM!!! I definitely underestimated the size of the pineapple rings so I had to improvise a bit to get the rings to sit in the mini bundts properly. ♀️ This recipe is AMAZING!! The cakes were perfect and the batter created such a delicious base. I’m definitely going to use this as a base for other cakes, as well. Tender, moist, and sooooo good. Thanks for sharing!!!
★★★★★
This pineapple upside down cake is the absolute best. I will add a little juice next time for more pineapple flavor. The cake part is perfectionand I will use this cake for trying out new frosting recipes.
Hi Sally,
I’ve used your recipe a few months ago and it was delightful. I up’d the ante and made a sheet cake by doubled the recipe ingredients and layered the shredded coconut on top of the pineapple before adding cake batter. Sally when I tell you, the cake gives you life, its so good.
Thank you for making your recipes so easy to follow. Last week I made the dark chocolate mousse cake, today the pineapple upside down cake, who knows what I will make next week LOL. I stay on my elliptical because I am indulging in the homemade treats.
Best regards,
Helen – friend from Bermuda
★★★★★
Can this be made into individual cakes, in ramekins for example?
Hi Sara, We haven’t tested this recipe that way but I don’t see why not! I’m unsure of the bake time for ramekins (or even cupcakes for individual servings).
hi stephanie, wondering how yours came out. i am in the process of making them tonight…..this way i can share them among a couple different people…
I made this exactly as directed and it was perfect. In fact better the next day! I had a 10 in round cake pan. When I added the cake mix, I thought oh no! But it came out the perfect ratio cake/ fruit.
Hi Sally! How far ahead can I make this cake? Will it stay good covered on the counter for a day before eating it? My son really wants “a pineapple cake” for his bday. I’ve never made one before, but I know I can trust you and your recipes! You haven’t failed me yet!
Hi Cathy, While you can store leftover slices in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, this isn’t the best cake to make ahead of time or freeze because the pineapples will settle down into the cake. See the make ahead directions in the recipe notes for tips on how to prepare it the day before.
Came out perfect!
★★★★★
I tried out cake with the above recipe. The cake was very soft and tasty. Thank you.
★★★★★
I don’t even like cake, but had to make one for a special birthday party. This is BY FAR the best cake I ever had! Every one raved about it and told me how amazing it was. I told them… “all I did was follow the recipe”…. The recipe was clear, easy to follow and absolutely perfect!
Thank you!!!!!
★★★★★
Perfect recipe Thank you!!I use two whole eggs and all purpose flour. I just make sure to batter well the liquids then add em to dry ingredients for a silky texture.
★★★★★
AMAZING! LIHT, FLUFFY, TASTY, DELICATE, MOIST! I took one star off because I would have liked more pineapple flavor in the cake batter. Next time I will add some pineapple extract or I might replace pineapple juice for the milk. Thank you so so much!
★★★★
Never baked in my life, did a lot of research and chose this cake. Followed the recipe meticulously. It came out flawless (As far as i can tell) Im not a cake eater, but the person i made it for loves it. Thank you.
Hi Sally, must say that I tried this recipe after “ Pineapple Upside Down Cake” just somehow came to mind- hadn’t tried that since I was a child. After a couple of days on my mind I just had to bake one! Disappoint ? Nooo! Awesome recipe- great taste! This is a keeper!
★★★★★
I have made this cake a bunch of times, and it is perfection. *chef’s kiss*
Even people in the family who say they don’t like pineapple rave about this cake. The crumb is so tender and shockingly light. I know you said it would be less dense, but I kinda didn’t believe you because this type of cake is always a wet sloppy brick.
Oh.
My.
Gosh.
Thank you for this new addition to my repertoire! It was exactly as advertised!
★★★★★
Can i use a regular 9 inch cake pan for the upside down cake?
Yes, you can use a 9×2 inch pie dish or round cake pan.
I made it .it came really nice . Thank you very much for sharing such a wonderful recipe.
★★★★★
I’ve been making your old recipe for my husbands birthday every year for the last 4 years. I hope this new recipe is just as good if not better! This is the only time I make this for him and the only recipe I use 🙂
I made the “old recipe” version of this (with Splenda instead of sugar as I have diabetics in the family). The family loved it!
★★★★★
Making for a crowd; can I double for 9×13?
Hi Stefanie, I fear there will be way too much cake batter if you doubled the recipe for one 9×13 pan. I would double the recipe, fill the pan only about halfway with the batter and use extra for cupcakes (about 18-20 minutes bake time for the cupcakes). I’m unsure of the bake time for the 9×13 cake.
So I went for it! Doubled the recipe exactly but used 1/4 sheet cake pan. Perfect amount of every thing! It was fantastic! Baked it for 40 minutes at 375 because my oven runs a little on the cold side. Perfection! Even took a picture
★★★★★
Hello Sally! Beautiful cake! I will be making it tomorrow for my dads 72nd birthday it is his favorite! I love to play around with new recipes and stumbled upon this one, I was wondering, I have creme fraiche and buttermilk as opposed to sour cream and milk in my fridge already, could I use those in place of each other, the acidity is slightly different but what are your thoughts? Thank you!
Hi Michelle, thank you! I recommend using buttermilk to replace both the sour cream and whole milk. (2/3 cup total.) No need to use the creme fraiche.
Hi Sally..I liked yr recipe so much, that I decided to make it for the second time, but this time I tried to do cupcakes. However the batter did not rise well and therefore the cupcakes were uncooked at the bottom, even after baking for 40 minutes..I tried putting them back in the oven then the top got burnt. I dont know what went wrong. Pls help with a pineapple upside down cupcake recipe.
★★★★★
Hi Sharon! That’s quite a long time for cupcakes. Did you alter the recipe at all? While I’ve never used this recipe to make cupcakes before, following the instructions in this recipe should work. (Just use the cake batter from here.) https://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/pineapple-upside-down-cupcakes/
Thanks Sally for the quick reply. Yes, I bought fresh pineapple and it was turning brown after I cut it for the cake. Some say, one shd keep the baking tin containing the pineapple topping mix in the refrigerator while u prepare the cake batter.
Btw..I couldn’t locate the baking temperature in your recipe. Can u chk?
★★★★★
Made this and it turned out perfect! Took some to the neighbor and she was wowed!
★★★★★
Can a square pan be used instead of a round one?
This should work in a 9 inch square pan (an 8 inch square is too small).
Made this in an 8×8 Pyrex because I was afraid of overflow and used fresh cherry halves. It turned out soo good! I paired it with homemade vanilla rum ice cream which turned out to be THE BEST flavor combo.
★★★★★
Hi Sally,
When using canned pineapple, do you recommend slices packed in juice or in syrup? I’m worried syrup might make it turn out too sweet and/or weigh down the cake. Thanks!
Hi Meredith, I like them packed in juice. But either way be sure to blot any excess liquid off the fruit as instructed in step two. Enjoy!
Made this for my uncle’s birthday and it was a hit! The cake was tender and delicious, with yummy caramelized topping (I used the dark brown sugar). I told everyone who asked where I found the recipe. Thank you Sally!
★★★★★
I have access to frozen pineapple tidbits through my work. Would you reccomend changing anything in this recipe if I want to use those instead of rings?
Hi Shea, You can try them however pineapple chunks, tidbits, and/or crushed pineapple will create a messy topping that could spill over the sides when the cake is inverted. I recommend rings/slices because they are larger.
Made this last minute while visiting family. Took it right out of the oven and into the car. Reached destination in 45mins n even theN cake came oUt of the tin almost perfectly (A few bits stuck on as it’s winter here and the cake cooled pretty quick!) ! An absolute hit with the family . Incredibly light and delicious.
Love all your recipes Sally. My go to place for baking
★★★★★