Best 6 Pineapple Upside Down Sponge Cake Recipes

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Indulge in the heavenly goodness of Pineapple Upside-Down Sponge Cake, a classic dessert that captivates taste buds with its delightful blend of flavors and textures. This iconic cake features a moist and fluffy sponge cake base, studded with juicy pineapple slices and caramelized cherries, all baked to perfection and then flipped upside down to reveal a stunning presentation. The caramelized sugar syrup, infused with butter and spices, creates an irresistible golden crust that adds a touch of sweetness and crunch to each bite. This versatile recipe includes variations for a gluten-free version, an alternative topping made with brown sugar and pecans, and even a boozy twist with the addition of rum or bourbon. Whether you're a seasoned baker or a novice in the kitchen, this Pineapple Upside-Down Sponge Cake is sure to impress with its timeless charm and delicious taste.

Let's cook with our recipes!

PINEAPPLE UPSIDE DOWN CAKE



Pineapple Upside Down Cake image

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.

Provided by Sally

Categories     Dessert

Time 1h30m

Number Of Ingredients 15

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)*
1 and 1/2 cups (177g) cake flour (spoon & 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

Steps:

  • Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C).
  • 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.
  • 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.

PINEAPPLE UPSIDE DOWN SPONGE CAKE



Pineapple Upside Down Sponge Cake image

I found this recipe about 35 yrs ago in a community cookbook. It is absolutely the easiest and best pineapple upside down cake I have ever made or eaten. Enjoy!

Provided by Dee Stillwell

Categories     Cakes

Time 45m

Number Of Ingredients 13

PINEAPPLE TOPPING
1 c brown sugar, firmly packed
3 Tbsp butter
1 - 21 oz sliced pineapple, drain but reserve juice for batter
marachino cherries & chopped walnuts are optional
CAKE BATTER
3 large eggs
1 1/2 c sugar
1 1/2 c all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 c reserved pineapple juice
1 tsp vanilla

Steps:

  • 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Put all sponge cake batter ingredients in an mixing bowl and beat together with a wire whisk, set aside.
  • 2. In a 9 inch cast iron skillet, melt butter and brown sugar together and simmer until it foams. Place pineapple rings on top to form a circle with one in the middle. Place a cherry in each center and sprinkle with chopped walnuts (or any nut u want to use) Pour sponge cake batter over pineapple rings. Bake for 30 minutes or until cake tests done. Let set for 10 minutes, loosen edges and invert on a serving plate. Serve warm or cold, plain or with vanilla ice cream or whip cream. Enjoy!

OLD FASHIONED PINEAPPLE UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE



Old Fashioned Pineapple Upside-Down Cake image

This old-fashioned cake recipe delivers a really good take on the dessert classic: pineapple upside-down cake.

Provided by Cathy

Categories     Desserts     Fruit Dessert Recipes     Pineapple Dessert Recipes

Time 1h

Yield 12

Number Of Ingredients 11

4 eggs
½ cup butter
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 (20 ounce) can sliced pineapple
10 maraschino cherries, halved
1 cup sifted cake flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon butter, melted
1 teaspoon almond extract

Steps:

  • Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
  • In a 10-inch heavy skillet with a heat-resistant handle (I use a cast iron skillet), melt 1/2 cup butter over very low heat. Remove from heat, and sprinkle brown sugar evenly over pan. Arrange pineapple slices to cover bottom of skillet. Distribute cherries around pineapple; set aside.
  • Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt.
  • Separate the eggs into two bowls. In a large bowl, beat egg whites just until soft peaks form. Add granulated sugar gradually, beating well after each addition. Beat until medium-stiff peaks form. In a small bowl, beat egg yolks at high speed until very thick and yellow. With a wire whisk or rubber scraper, using an over-and-under motion, gently fold egg yolks and flour mixture into whites until blended. Fold in 1 tablespoon melted butter or margarine and almond extract. Spread batter evenly over pineapple in skillet.
  • Bake until surface springs back when gently pressed with fingertip and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 30 to 35 minutes. Loosen the edges of the cake with table knife. Cool the cake for 5 minutes before inverting onto serving plate.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 321.1 calories, Carbohydrate 55 g, Cholesterol 84.9 mg, Fat 10.4 g, Fiber 0.7 g, Protein 3.2 g, SaturatedFat 6 g, Sodium 183.1 mg, Sugar 43 g

EASY PINEAPPLE UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE



Easy Pineapple Upside-Down Cake image

Wow your friends and family with this classic pineapple upside-down cake. With tasting notes that boast fruity, gooey, caramelly goodness, it's no wonder why this has been a must-make favorite for generations. In our Easy Pineapple Upside-Down Cake recipe, save yourself some time with a fool-proof shortcut. With a box of Betty Crocker™ Super Moist™ Yellow Cake Mix, you can have this impressive dessert prepped for the oven in just 15 minutes. With step-by-step directions, Betty's with you every step of the way in this incredible upside-down pineapple cake. Now just bake, flip and enjoy!

Provided by Betty Crocker Kitchens

Categories     Dessert

Time 1h50m

Yield 12

Number Of Ingredients 6

1/4 cup butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 can (20 oz) pineapple slices in juice, drained, juice reserved
1 jar (6 oz) maraschino cherries without stems, drained
1 box Betty Crocker™ Super Moist™ Yellow Cake Mix
Vegetable oil and eggs called for on cake mix box

Steps:

  • Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan). In 13x9-inch pan, melt butter in oven. Sprinkle brown sugar evenly over butter. Arrange pineapple slices on brown sugar. Place cherry in center of each pineapple slice, and arrange remaining cherries around slices; press gently into brown sugar.
  • Add enough water to reserved pineapple juice to measure 1 cup. Make cake batter as directed on box, substituting pineapple juice mixture for the water. Pour batter over pineapple and cherries.
  • Bake 42 to 48 minutes (44 to 53 minutes for dark or nonstick pan) or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Immediately run knife around side of pan to loosen cake. Place heatproof serving plate upside down onto pan; turn plate and pan over. Leave pan over cake 5 minutes so brown sugar topping can drizzle over cake; remove pan. Cool 30 minutes. Serve warm or cool. Store covered in refrigerator.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 380, Carbohydrate 57 g, Cholesterol 55 mg, Fat 3, Fiber 0 g, Protein 3 g, SaturatedFat 5 g, ServingSize 1/12 of Cake, Sodium 310 mg, Sugar 41 g, TransFat 0 g

LAYERED PINEAPPLE UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE



Layered Pineapple Upside-Down Cake image

I made this layered pineapple upside-down cake for my dad's birthday. Everyone in my family asked me for the recipe afterwards. It was so good. Enjoy!

Provided by Stevie Bowden

Categories     Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

Time 1h30m

Yield 12

Number Of Ingredients 12

1 cup dark brown sugar
½ cup unsalted butter
1 (20 ounce) can pineapple rings, drained
2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
9 tablespoons cake flour
1 ⅛ teaspoons baking powder
¾ teaspoon salt
2 ½ cups white sugar
1 ½ cups unsalted butter, softened
6 large eggs
1 ⅛ teaspoons vanilla extract
1 ⅛ cups sour cream

Steps:

  • Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease the bottom and sides of two 9-inch round, 1 1/2-inch tall cake pans.
  • Combine brown sugar and butter for topping in a saucepan over medium heat; stir until sugar dissolves and mixture is bubbly, about 3 to 4 minutes.
  • Pour mixture into one of the prepared cake pans. Arrange pineapple rings in a single layer on top.
  • Whisk together both flours, baking powder, and salt for cake in a large mixing bowl. Beat sugar and butter in a separate bowl with an electric mixer until creamy and light. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Add dry ingredients alternately with sour cream in two additions each, beating well after each addition.
  • Pour 1/2 of the cake batter over the caramel and pineapple topping. Pour remaining cake batter into the second cake pan.
  • Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center of each cake comes out clean, 60 to 75 minutes.
  • Remove from the oven and let sit in the pans for 5 minutes. Turn the cake without the topping layer onto a serving platter. Turn the cake with the topping layer on top of that. Serve warm.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 729.6 calories, Carbohydrate 93 g, Cholesterol 183.8 mg, Fat 38 g, Fiber 1.1 g, Protein 7.1 g, SaturatedFat 23.1 g, Sodium 251.4 mg, Sugar 68.2 g

PINEAPPLE UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE



Pineapple upside-down cake image

This retro pineapple upside-down cake makes a fun centrepiece for afternoon tea and brings back many childhood memories

Provided by Sara Buenfeld

Categories     Afternoon tea, Snack, Treat

Time 55m

Number Of Ingredients 10

50g softened butter
50g light soft brown sugar
7 pineapple rings in syrup, drained and syrup reserved
7 glacé cherries
100g softened butter
100g golden caster sugar
100g self-raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs

Steps:

  • Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4.
  • For the topping, beat 50g softened butter and 50g light soft brown sugar together until creamy. Spread over the base and a quarter of the way up the sides of a 20cm round cake tin. Arrange 7 pineapple rings on top (reserving the syrup for later), then place 7 glacé cherries in the centres of the rings.
  • Place 100g softened butter, 100g golden caster sugar, 100g self-raising flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp vanilla extract and 2 eggs in a bowl along with 2 tbsp of the reserved pineapple syrup. Using an electric whisk, beat to a soft consistency.
  • Spoon into the tin on top of the pineapple and smooth it out so it's level. Bake for 35 mins. Leave to stand for 5 mins, then turn out onto a plate. Serve warm with a scoop of ice cream.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 407 calories, Fat 23 grams fat, SaturatedFat 14 grams saturated fat, Carbohydrate 49 grams carbohydrates, Sugar 36 grams sugar, Fiber 1 grams fiber, Protein 5 grams protein, Sodium 0.87 milligram of sodium

Tips:

  • Use fresh pineapple for the best flavor. If using canned pineapple, be sure to drain it well and pat it dry.
  • Brown the butter for a richer flavor. This will add a nutty, caramel-like flavor to the cake.
  • Don't overmix the batter. Overmixing can result in a tough, dense cake.
  • Bake the cake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Do not overbake, or the cake will be dry.
  • Let the cake cool completely before inverting it onto a serving plate. This will help prevent the cake from breaking.
  • Serve the cake with whipped cream, ice cream, or your favorite fruit topping.

Conclusion:

Pineapple upside-down sponge cake is a classic dessert that is perfect for any occasion. It is a moist, flavorful cake with a sweet and tangy pineapple topping. This recipe is easy to follow and can be made with ingredients that you probably already have on hand. So next time you are looking for a delicious and impressive dessert, give this pineapple upside-down sponge cake a try.

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