Best Pineapple Upside Down Cake
User Reviews
4.4
Best Pineapple Upside Down Cake
Description
Best Pineapple Upside Down Cake features a glossy caramel made from butter and brown sugar poured into a buttered baking pan. Pineapple rings and maraschino cherries arrange neatly on top before the batter is added. The batter is a mix of all-purpose flour, baking powder, softened butter creamed with sugars, eggs, milk, reserved pineapple juice, and a hint of almond extract. Baking in a 9x13-inch pan yields a sweet, moist cake with a sticky fruity topping once inverted.
The caramelized pineapple slices create a golden, syrupy layer with cherries adding bursts of bright color. The cake crumb is tender and enriched by the dairy and almond extract. Cooling briefly before inverting prevents sticking and maintains the structure of the fruit topping.
Serve the cake warm or at room temperature, optionally with whipped coconut cream for a dairy-free complement. The combination of buttery caramel and tropical fruit makes it a dessert that pairs well with simple accompaniments like tea or coffee.
Notes suggest fresh pineapple can be substituted, replacing canned juice with fresh juice. Homemade glacé cherries add authenticity. Adding rum to the caramel brings a tropical twist, and resting the cake 10 minutes before flipping helps avoid breaking.
Ingredients
- ½ cup butter 4 oz/115 g
- 2 cups all-purpose flour 10 oz / 284 g
- 1 ¼ cups dark brown sugar 7½ oz/213 g
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 cans pineapple 12 slices, sliced, in juice, 20 oz/567 g
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 10-13 maraschino cherries (stems removed)
- ½ cup butter softened, 4 oz (115 g
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup dark brown sugar 2 oz/57 g
- 2 egg large, at room temperature
- ½ cup whole milk 4 fl oz/120 ml
- ½ cup pineapple juice from tinned pineapple, 4 fl oz/120 ml
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
Notes
- Fresh pineapple can replace canned; use fresh juice to substitute reserved canned juice in batter.
- Homemade glacé cherries provide a better flavor alternative to store-bought maraschino cherries.
- Let the cake rest for 10 minutes after baking before inverting to prevent sticking or breaking.
- Add 2 tablespoons rum to the caramel mixture for a pineapple rum version of the cake.
- Serve with coconut whipped cream for a dairy-free topping option.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.4
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