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Easy Pineapple Upside-Down Cake
4.5 from 60 votes

Easy Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

Easy Pineapple Upside-Down Cake features pineapple slices and maraschino cherries arranged over a buttery, brown sugar layer, topped with moist cake batter enriched with pudding mix and sour cream. The cake bakes to golden brown with sweet caramelized fruit on top when inverted.

Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
45 mins
Total Time
55 mins
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Cake

Ingredients

  • 4 tablespoons butter salted
  • 1 cup light brown sugar packed
  • 1 can pineapple slices 20 ounces, in juice, undrained
  • 1 jar maraschino cherry 6 ounces, or about 15-20 maraschino cherries, without stems
  • 1 box yellow cake mix 15.25 ounces
  • 1 box vanilla pudding mix 3.4 ounces, instant French
  • ¾ cup sour cream
  • ¾ cup vegetable oil
  • 3 egg large
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract pure

Instructions

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  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Place the butter in a 13x9-inch metal cake pan. Place the pan in the oven for about 5 minutes to melt the butter.
  2. Make sure the melted butter is evenly distributed over the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle the brown sugar evenly over the top.
  3. Drain the pineapple slices, reserving ½ cup of the juice. Arrange the pineapple slices on top of the brown sugar in the pan. Place a cherry in the center of each pineapple slice; arrange the remaining cherries around the edges and between the slices as desired. Set the pan aside.
  4. In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, pudding mix, sour cream, vegetable oil, eggs, vanilla, and reserved pineapple juice. Beat with an electric mixer at low speed for about 30 seconds, then increase speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes.
  5. Pour the batter evenly over the pineapple slices in the pan. Bake for 42-45 minutes, or until the cake is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  6. Remove the cake from the oven. Immediately run a knife around the sides of the pan to loosen the cake. Place a large platter upside-down over the top of the cake; carefully (using oven mitts) grab the platter and the cake pan and invert so the platter is on the bottom and the cake pan is on the top.
  7. Let the cake rest with the pan on top of it for 5 minutes to allow the syrup to drip over the cake. Remove the pan and let the cake cool for 30 minutes.
  8. Serve with whipped cream or Cool Whip.

Notes

  • Store leftover cake covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days to maintain freshness.
  • If you prefer, you may omit the maraschino cherries without changing the cake's texture significantly.
  • This recipe is adapted from Betty Crocker and combines cake mix with pudding mix for a tender crumb.