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Perfect Pineapple Upside-Down Cake is a moist and fruity pineapple cake topped with caramelized pineapple rings and sweet maraschino cherries. It’s no wonder this classic dessert has been a tried and true favorite for years!
We love pineapple at our house, especially in desserts! Make this pudding salad or my homemade version of pineapple dole whip next. And for a sweet pineapple side dish, try our favorite brown sugar grilled pineapple!
Reasons to Make This Cake
- A Classic Dessert: This classic American dessert made popular in the 1950s is still a well-loved decadent cake!
- Beautiful to Serve: The presentation of this cake is beautiful and so impressive with caramelized pineapple topping and the pop of color from the red maraschino!
- Fun to Make: Grab the kids because this is such a fun cake to make and even more fun to flip!
Perfect Pineapple Upside Down Cake
Family favorite pineapple upside-down cake is a soft and moist cake with a sticky-sweet fruit layer. It is a great recipe for bakers who are looking for an easy but unique cake to make from scratch at home. The colorful fruit topping is simple but impressive to serve, and it is a classic dessert that you will not be able to get enough of!
The cake layer is moist and rich and the pineapple flavor explodes in every bite! Once flipped over, the brown sugar and butter topping drips down and coats the fruit. Then, the caramelized fruit soaks into the cake and creates the most moist cake ever! It is a great recipe that you will make again and again because it is not only easy but also delicious in every way! For more upside-down cakes, try my blueberry, apple, and peach versions.
Ingredients Needed
Canned pineapple and maraschino cherries are some of the no-fuss ingredients to make this impressive, decadent dessert. These and a short list of other basic ingredients come together effortlessly to make a delicious cake your family and friends will go crazy over!
Topping
- Brown Sugar: Combine with melted butter and spread on the bottom of the baking dish.
- Butter: Melted to easily spread along the bottom of the pan.
Cake
- Pineapple: Sliced canned pineapple rings work great!
- Maraschino Cherries: The bright red color adds more sweetness and great color!
- All-Purpose Flour: Part of the cake batter that will give it a good structure that will hold up to the fruit layer.
- Baking Powder: Helps the batter rise.
- Salt: Added to cake batter to balance all of the sweetness.
- Butter: Softened to mix into the cake batter.
- Sugar: Part of any great dessert!
- Brown Sugar: Measure it packed to get a rich sweet molasses flavor in the cake.
- Egg: Adds moisture and stability to the batter.
- Sour Cream: Even more moisture!
- Milk: Adding milk to the batter makes the cake moist and soft.
- Pineapple Juice: Great pineapple flavor throughout every bite.
Let’s Make Pineapple Upside-Down Cake!
This buttery-rich homemade cake is topped with a baked fruit layer. It is incredibly delicious and easier than you think to make! The pineapple flavor is bursting throughout every single bite. A made-from-scratch cake has never been so easy!!
Topping
- Preheat/ Prepare Pan: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and spray a 9-inch cake pan with pan spray.
- Make the Topping: Mix the brown sugar and the butter then spread evenly in the bottom of the cake pan.
- Arrange Pineapple and Cherries: Press the pineapple slices between a few layers of paper towels to remove any excess moisture from them. Arrange the pineapple slices in the bottom of the cake pan and along the sides. Place the cherries in the center of the pineapples and between them.
Cake
- Make the Cake Batter: Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a small bowl. In a large bowl, beat the butter with both sugars for 2-3 minutes, until well combined. Add the egg, sour cream, milk, and pineapple juice and beat until just combined. Add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
- Pour the Batter on the Fruit and Bake: Spread the cake batter evenly on top of the pineapple slices. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean from the center.
- Cool and Invert: Let the cake cool for 10-15 minutes before inverting it on a plate or cake stand.
Pineapple Upside-Down Cake Tips
Classic recipes don’t have to be outdated. This recipe that has been around for generations is still as current and tasty as ever! A few pro tips will teach you how to finish off and store this unbelievably good dessert!
- Room Temperature Ingredients: Allow all ingredients to come to room temperature before combining them to get the best mixture.
- Dry the Fruit: Pat the pineapple and cherry dry before pouring the batter over it. This is already a very moist cake and any extra moisture from the fruit will make it overly wet.
- Flipping Tips: Wait 10-15 minutes before flipping your cake over. Allowing it to cool first will make sure your cake stays together and does not fall apart when you flip it over. Place your serving plate or cake stand with the top of the plate touching the cake pan. In one quick movement, flip the pan over so the cake drops onto the serving dish. Don’t wait too long to do this! If the cake cools too long in the pan, the caramel will solidify and make the cake stick to the pan.
Do You Eat Pineapple Upside Down Cake Warm?
This soft, simple dessert can be served warm or cold. Either way, the pineapple flavor will be light and tasty. If you serve it warm, top it with vanilla ice cream for an amazing combination. To reheat a frozen or refrigerated cake, simply cover it with aluminum foil and place it in the oven until it is warm throughout. Or, enjoy pineapple upside-down cake as a cool and refreshing treat, and serve it right out of the refrigerator!
Storing Leftover Cake
Pineapple upside-down cake is best served fresh. Storing can cause the cake to get too mushy due to the moisture from the fruit. If there’s leftovers, here’s how to keep it fresh:
- In the Refrigerator: For best results when storing, let the cake cool completely, then wrap it tightly in saran wrap or in an airtight container. Refrigerate for 2-3 days.
- Reheating: To reheat in the oven, cover it with foil and place it in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 5 minutes or until heated throughout.
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Perfect Pineapple Upside Down Cake
Ingredients
Topping
- ½ cup brown sugar, packed
- ¼ cup salted butter, melted
Cake Ingredients
- 1 20-ounce can sliced pineapple, drained and juice reserved
- 12 maraschino cherries
- 1 ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup brown sugar, packed
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- ¼ cup sour cream
- ¼ cup milk
- ¼ cup pineapple juice, from reserved pineapple juice
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and spray a 9-inch cake pan with pan spray.
- Prepare the topping by mixing the brown sugar with the butter and spread evenly in the bottom of the cake pan.
- Press the pineapple slices between a few layers of paper towels to remove any excess moisture from them. Arrange the pineapple slices in the bottom of the cake pan and along the sides. Place the cherries in the center of the pineapples and between them.
- Prepare the cake batter by whisking the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a small bowl. In a large bowl, beat the butter with both sugars for 2-3 minutes, until well combined.
- Add the egg, sour cream, milk, and pineapple juice and beat until just combined. Add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
- Spread the cake batter evenly on top of the pineapple slices. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean from the center.
- Let the cake cool for 10-15 minutes before inverting it on a plate or cake stand.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Do you think I could double the recipe and stack the layers? And if I make ahead of time, storing in the fridge, should I wait to stack them until before serving? Thanks!
Yes! You can stack the layers. I would wait to stack them until you’re ready to serve the cake.
I baked mine for 40 minutes, the toothpick came out clean, and it still ended up being raw in the middle. The flavor was amazing but the texture was not.
My experience was the same. Texture is odd too — like a flan/cake. A little rubbery.
I made this and it was really good. I’m not giving a full 5 star because I like it a little sweeter so I added a little extra sugar
Do you think this would work with fresh pineapple if I cut it in rings?
Yes! Let me know how it turns out!
I would double the batter to make for a thicker cake. Everything else is great
This pineapple up-side down cake is a traditional birthday cake that our mom was baking for us! Now that she is no longer with us, I want to continue her tradition by baking this kind of cake to my sisters and brother. I started it last January, first time to bake this cake for my sister’s birthday. She was so happy when she saw the cake! We miss our dear mom everyday! She was a great mom!
Thank you for sharing the recipe! Appreciate it! All the best!
What a wonderful cake and easy to follow. Only thing i had to change was using almond milk. This is a keeper. Thanks for sharing , im always delighted to try your recipes.
Awesome cake!
If I want to make it the day before , can I store the cake pan in the fridge overnight and just flip it when ready to serve it the next day?
Yes, that should work great!
Simple, classic and delicious! Love your recipes❤️
Great n easy recipes🍁🍂💛
Does cake have to cool completely before you remove from pan?
Carole Pucci
Yes, that is the best practice when baking cakes.
No, the cake does not have to cool completely. After baking the cake, allow the cake to cool for at least 10 minutes.
I agree with Sean. I always dump it out after 10 minutes, it’s best to eat it warm and fresh. And every other recipe out there says the same. After 10 minutes, you can flip it.
You have kept me alive since the 15th of March. I love your food.
The family is so excited when they see me on your site!!