My easy Pineapple Upside Down Cake recipe has received hundreds of 5-star reviews, and for good reason! Made with a soft, fluffy, and simple vanilla cake base and a beautiful crown of caramelized pineapple and maraschino cherries, this classic recipe is slated to be a staple in your baking repertoire. Includes a how-to video.
The Perfect Easy Pineapple Upside Down Cake
There are a lot of cake recipes on this blog, and a fair share of unique cake recipes as well (zebra cake and my ice cream cake certainly come to mind). However, I’m not sure any is quite as unique and demanding of attention as this pineapple upside down cake.
A true showstopper, it’s a moist and flavorful vanilla cake crowned with golden, caramelized pineapple rings and cherry jewels. It’s also surprisingly simple to make and you don’t have to bother with frosting or decorating the same way you would a classic layer cake.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Easy to make. No fussy techniques, no fancy ingredients, this recipe is a good one for beginners and well-seasoned bakers alike.
- A true classic. This is the classic dessert you might remember from your childhood.
- It’s beautiful! There’s no denying a freshly flipped upside-down cake is a sight to behold; both its beauty and taste make it a showstopper for any dessert table.
- Unique. From the unique way in which it’s baked (upside-down!) to the caramelized crown of tropical fruits, this recipe stands out from your basic cake recipe.
I think you’re going to love this one, so let’s get to it.
What You Need
The cake is made of basic pantry staples, nothing fussy, fancy, or difficult to find, and the beautiful bottom-turned-top is a stunning crown of caramelized fruit. You’ll recognize most of the ingredients, but as you know I like to discuss them a bit before we get to the baking.
- Pineapple Rings. You can use fresh or canned rings. Canned are the traditional and easier choice, and are what I use here.
- Maraschino cherries. Don’t substitute fresh cherries. Maraschino cherries add classic are essential as they’re soaked in a syrup that lends much flavor to the surface of the cake. If you do opt to substitute a fresh cherry, just expect a different flavor.
- Sugar. The topping is made with light brown sugar, which lends a subtle rich flavor to the caramelized topping (thanks to the small amount of molasses in the sugar). The cake uses only granulated sugar.
- Flour. I use all-purpose flour, but you may substitute cake flour. If doing so, how you substitute depends on how you weigh your ingredients. If you use a scale, the weight will be the same for cake flour, but if you are using a measuring cup, you will need a bit more cake flour than the recipe calls for. Here is a helpful resource for substituting cake flour for all-purpose flour.
- Milk. My preference is to use milk in the cake batter. I’ve tried the recipe with pineapple juice (leftover juice from the can of pineapple slices) and did not enjoy the cake as much when made this way. However, a number of readers have written that they’ve substituted all or half of the milk with pineapple juice and enjoyed it that way, so feel free to experiment!
SAM’S TIP: Make sure to blot your pineapple slices well with paper towels before placing them in your pie plate. This will absorb any excess liquid. If you skip this step it could make your cake soggy.
This section is just an overview of the ingredients I used and why (for those of you who are as nerdy about what goes into making a cake as I am!). For the full recipe please scroll down to the bottom of the post!
How to Make the Best Pineapple Upside Down Cake
The steps are simple and straightforward and I don’t think you’ll struggle, but let’s go over them before we begin:
- Prepare your pan. Pour melted butter into the pie plate and make sure you spoon or brush a bit up the sides of the plate as well. Sprinkle brown sugar evenly overtop the butter.
- Layer the fruit. Arrange the pineapple rings and cherries over the pie plate and around the edge, too.
- Make the cake batter. This is a simple but sturdy vanilla cake batter (the same one used for my marble cake) that you’ll make by creaming the sugar and butter, adding eggs and vanilla, then gradually alternating adding the dry ingredients and milk until the batter is combined.
- Bake. To avoid the cake over-browning, you’ll want to check it at the 30 minute mark and loosely tent with foil (I also use this technique in my banana cake).
- Flip & serve. Let the cake cool for just 10-15 minutes before inverting onto a serving platter (more on that below). Don’t let the cake cool too long, or it may stick to the pie plate.
Avoid a too-dense, dry cake: This recipe is a bit denser than your average cake (it must be to not collapse under the weight of the fruit once flipped) but it should not feel too dense or dry. There are two culprits to watch for that could cause your cake to turn out this way: 1) Over-mixing the dry ingredients (just stir until the wet and dry ingredients are combined, don’t overdo it!) and 2) over-baking the cake. Even a few minutes too long in the oven can make your cake dense and dry. Some ovens also run hotter than they say they are, so watch for that too as this can cause your cake to cook too fast and dry out!
How to Flip this Cake
This was a popular question when I first published this cake and I want to address it here (though I also show how to flip the cake in my video). The biggest takeaways should be to make sure you use oven mitts and use a plate that’s larger than your cake so that any juices don’t run off the side!
- Allow your cake to cool for 10-15 minutes before you attempt inversion. If any of the cake has baked into the edge of your pie plate or cake pan, first use a knife to gently loosen the edges and free them from the pan.
- Place your cake platter (or any plate that’s larger than your cake) over the pan — plate surface should be facing your vanilla cake layer.
- Using oven mitts (it will be hot!) carefully and firmly grip both the side of the cake platter and the cake pan on either side.
- Carefully but quickly flip everything over so that the bottom of the cake pan is facing upwards, and then set down your cake platter and carefully remove the cake pan (careful, it will still be hot!)
And that is it! This cake tastes best warm, so while you still want it to cool a bit, I don’t recommend waiting too long to dig in or making it very far in advance of serving!
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Many of my readers have baked their own cakes in 9-10″ cast iron skillets instead of the pie plate. One thing worth noting is that the baking time will likely be shorter, as cast iron will cook much faster. Keep an eye on your cake if baking this way and check it sooner than indicated in the recipe.
The butter and sugar coating should keep the cake from sticking to the pan. However, before flipping the cake I like to take a butter knife and, if any place where I see actual cake (not fruit) making contact with the pie plate, I gently loosen it so that it won’t stick. The fruit should also come out quite easily, but if a ring or tow sticks, no big deal, just gently pry it from the pie plate and place it back on the top of the cake, there should be a clear indent showing you exactly where it belongs. ☺️
When served warm and fresh, the top of the cake will be quite moist, but it should never be described as soggy. If your cake seems downright soggy it may be that the pineapple slices weren’t properly blotted before being placed in the pie plate. That extra moisture can make the cake too moist and soggy. I also find the cake becomes more soggy as it sits, so I recommend serving not long after preparing.
This cake really does taste best warm and it’s one of a few recipes where I personally don’t enjoy the leftovers. If you must store it, keep it covered in the fridge where it will keep for several days, but it is a moist cake and will become a bit soggier as it sits. Such is life!
Enjoy!
Let’s bake together! I’ll be walking you through all the steps in my written recipe and video below! If you try this recipe, be sure to tag me on Instagram, and you can also find me on YouTube and Facebook
Pineapple Upside Down Cake
Ingredients
Topping
- ¼ cup (60 g) salted butter melted
- ½ cup (100 g) brown sugar light or dark (I usually use light) tightly packed
- 10 pineapple slices patted dry (a 20oz can is typically enough)
- maraschino cherries
Vanilla Cake
- ½ cup (115 g) unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs room temperature preferred
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups (195 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup (120 ml) whole milk room temperature preferred
Recommended Equipment
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F (175C)
- Pour melted butter into 9.5-10" pie plate or deep cake pan, make sure it entirely covers the bottom of the pan and use a spoon or spatula to grease the sides of the pan.¼ cup (60 g) salted butter
- Sprinkle brown sugar evenly over butter mixture. Arrange pineapple slices over the bottom of the pan, slice leftover slices in half and arrange up the sides of the pan, as seen in photo.½ cup (100 g) brown sugar, 10 pineapple slices
- Place cherries in center of pineapple rings and as desired in empty spaces. Set aside.maraschino cherries
- To prepare vanilla cake, beat butter and sugar in medium-sized bowl until creamy and well-combined.½ cup (115 g) unsalted butter, ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- Add eggs, beating one at a time until combined.2 large eggs
- Stir in vanilla extract.1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.1 ½ cups (195 g) all-purpose flour, 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder, ¼ teaspoon salt
- Alternate adding flour and milk to the wet ingredients, starting and ending with flour and mixing until just combined after each addition (I prefer to do this part by hand with a spatula to be sure not to overmix).½ cup (120 ml) whole milk
- Pour batter evenly over prepared cake pan over the pineapple/cherry layer.
- Bake on 350F (175C) for 30 minutes. At the 30 minute mark, loosely cover with foil and continue to bake (still on 350F/175C) for another 15 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean with few crumbs (total cook time for cake will be 45 minutes).
- Allow to cool for 10-15 minutes and then carefully invert cake onto serving platter (careful, it will still be very hot!).
- Allow to cool before cutting and enjoying, but don’t wait too long as this cake tastes wonderful (best!) warm from the oven!
Notes
Milk
I use and recommend whole milk, but many readers have substituted lower-fat milk or almond milk with success. Some readers have substituted the milk in this recipe with pineapple juice, I think the difference in taste is negligible and prefer the texture of the cake when made with milk, but it can be done.Gluten Free
Readers have commented that they have successfully made this recipe by using a 1:1 substitution of all-purpose gluten free cup4cup flour.Serving & Storing
Pineapple upside-down cake tastes best fresh and doesn’t keep as well as most layer cakes. However, if you wish to keep it, cover it with foil or plastic wrap or place in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to three days. You may also wrap tightly and freeze for several weeks.Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
I originally shared this recipe in 2017. It has been updated to include more helpful photos, notes, and information and a new video, but the recipe remains the same.
Meg
Hi! I was wondering if you think almond milk would work rather than regular milk?
Sam
Hi Meg! I haven’t tried it, but it could work. The cake may be slightly less moist because you are cutting out some fat here. 🙂
Kat
I just made it with unsweetened almond milk and I think it came out great!
Sam
Thanks for the feedback, Kat! I’m so glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
Emily Riske
I want to make this for a birthday gathering with enough for leftovers. Does the recipe double well to then bake in a rectangular pan? Thanks!
Sam
Hi Emily! I haven’t tried it but that should work just fine. The cake will probably end up being a little bit thicker when you double the recipe. Enjoy! 🙂
Tania
This cake turned out really well.
I don’t do well with dairy, so I replaced the butter with Earth Balance and I used the leftover pineapple juice from the can instead of milk. So yummy! Turned out perfectly. Thanks for the recipe!
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed it so much, Tania! Thank you for your feedback using your substitutions. 🙂
Sybil
This cake brought back memories of the 70’s. It was really easy to make and delicious! My husband had never heard of pineapple upside down cake, but now he too is a big fan. Thank you so much for this recipe. It has been added to my favourites.
Sam
I’m so glad everyone enjoyed it so much, Sybil! 🙂
Z
I had never made a pineapple upside down cake before and this was my first one and it came out perfectly!!!!! I made it for my dads birthday and we all loved it! The cake was light and fluffy and delicious and I think stirring by hand at the end really helped with the batter! Thank you, Sam!
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed it so much! 🙂
Jaz
Hi! I wanna try this recipe to stack a 3 Layer 6″ cake. Would it be strong enough to do that? And will the cake be soft without the pineapple ontop on its own? I want to do a 3 layer cake where the bottom layer is the upside down cake, the middle is a normal layer without the pineapple and the top is the upside down cake but… flipped lol .. as in right side up I guess? The idea is that it appears as a 3 layer cake with 2 layers of filling (the baked pineapples and cherries) if that makes sense. I wanna know do you think the cake will be strong as that AND if I did the middle layer pan without the pineapples will the cake be as fluffy moist and enjoyable since it’s not baking with the pineapples. Or should I made the middle layer another recipe of vanilla cake? Any advice helps!
Sam
Hmmm I would be a little bit worried about the cake not holding up because it is such a moist cake. You could bake the center layer without the pineapple. It sounds really interesting. If you try it I would love to know how it goes. 🙂
leo James Regenold
This was my first time to make a pineapple upside-down cake. Following your user-friendly recipe to the letter, I was so pleased with the result. The cake was moist, very inviting texture and became a perfect treat for a snowy afternoon in Wisconsin.
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed it so much, Leo! There’s nothing better than baking on a cold snowy day. 🙂
Danielle
I was really excited to try this recipe. I was a little disappointed and found the cake to be dry. I think pineapple upside down should have a wetter top and this one did not.
Sam
I’m so sorry this happened Danielle! It sounds like it may have been slightly over-baked. If you test it and the cake isn’t done but the top is starting to brown I do recommend tenting the pie plate with foil. I hope this helps. 🙂
Sally
Same here. I think the 45 minute bake was about 10 minutes too long. The flavor was good, but I was hoping for a gooier top. Oh well, I’ll tweak it the next time.
Lori
Looking forward to making this recipe. Curious if anyone has tried replacing the milk with the pineapple juice from the can?
Lori
I actually made it with the pineapple juice today-needed to add extra cook time. The cake portion was dense, but moist-very tasty. I used light brown sugar, but I think I’d prefer dark brown sugar next time and perhaps use 2/3‐3/4 cup for more caramel goodness on top. Loved how all the pineapple rings fit in the pie plate. Delicious! Thank you for the recipe!
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for your feedback. 🙂
Natasha
I have been looking for a simple but delicious pineapple upside down cake for years. I have finally found it! The cake was moist but not spongy and for the first time ever the cake came out of the pan beautifully (it almost looked like the picture on the website.) I especially like that the recipe did not call for any “exotic” ingredients. Thank you. This is a keeper.
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed it so much, Natasha! 🙂
Kay
This is the best pineapple upside down cake recipe. I’ve made it many times and it turns out perfect each time! Thank you for such an easy, delicious recipe! Everyone who eats it asks for the recipe!
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed it so much, Kay! 🙂
Kay
Hi there
Reading the comments and it’s seems that this recipe is a hit! Want to make it for my husband’s next week. I wanted to use a 10” cake pan and to give the cake a little more height. Can I double the cake recipe? Do you think it will need more baking time or adjust the temperature?
Sam
Hi Kay! I use a 10 inch pie plate for this so this will fit in a 10 inch cake pan as it is. I wouldn’t recommend doubling the recipe because that will make a lot of batter and you definitely do not want to overfill that pan. It may actually take a little less time to bake in the metal pan. The temperature will remain the same. 🙂
Sana
made this today, it was absolutely heavenly! I would definitely make this again. Perfect, sweet topping (the caramel) and a dense sponge that made a beautiful, unbroken upside-down cake.
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed it so much, Sana! 🙂
Lora
So I made a pineapple upside down cake for someone using a recipe from a different website and they told me it was dense. So, then I searched the internet and found your recipe and tried it. THEY LOVED IT. They said it was fluffy, just how they wanted it. Thanks for doing all the hard work of figuring it out!!! Your site will definitely be one of my go-to sites in the future.
Sam
I’m so glad everyone enjoyed it so much, Lora! I hope you’ll love everything you try and I’m very grateful to be trusted for your dessert recipes. 🙂
Melissa
If I make this a day ahead, should it be kept in the fridge overnight or on the counter? Thanks!
Sam
Hi Melissa! I would probably keep it in the refrigerator. 🙂
Joyce M Chang
Thank you for sharing the delicious and easy pineapple upside down cake! I made many of these when I lived in Hawaii, and then, used Bisquick…Goodness, over 35 years ago….So happy I came across your receipe and made it after all these years….Absolutely yummy!
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed it so much, Joyce! 🙂
Patricia Gallagher
I made this cake for my husband’s Birthday & he loved it !! It has great flavor & the cake was moist . it was also easy to make !
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that he enjoyed it, Patricia! I hope that he had a nice birthday too. 🙂
Traci
I made it for my boyfriends Birthday today! I’m not a baker so was a little nervous.. it came out great and he loved it! It was a very easy recipe to follow!
Sugar Spun Run
Happy Birthday to him! I am so glad that he enjoyed it, Traci! Thanks for trying my recipe. 🙂