Easy Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

This recipe guides you through creating a classic pineapple upside-down cake, featuring a golden caramel topping with tender pineapple slices, crowned by a moist, fluffy vanilla cake. It's a delightful dessert that promises a beautiful presentation and a burst of sweet, tropical flavor, perfect for any occasion.

Print Recipe

Total Time 1 10

Course lunch/dinner

Cuisine American

Servings 8 people

Calories 5476 kcal

Equipment

1 9-inch Round Cake Pan
1 Large Mixing Bowl
1 Electric Mixer (handheld or stand)
1 Set of Measuring Cups and Spoons
1 Rubber Spatula

Ingredients

Main

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
2 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature, plus 3 tablespoons (cut into small pieces) for preparing the top
1 cup sugar plus ⅔ cup for preparing the top
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup milk
7 thin rounds cored pineapple

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease and flour a 9-inch round cake pan.
Melt 3 tablespoons of butter. Stir in ⅔ cup of sugar until combined. Pour this mixture evenly into the bottom of the prepared cake pan.
Arrange the cored pineapple rounds neatly over the butter-sugar mixture in a single layer.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt.
In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, cream the remaining 6 tablespoons of room-temperature unsalted butter with 1 cup of sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy.
Beat in the eggs one at a time, ensuring each is fully incorporated before adding the next. Stir in the vanilla extract.
Gradually add the whisked dry ingredients to the wet mixture, alternating with the milk, starting and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined and smooth, taking care not to overmix.
Carefully pour the cake batter evenly over the pineapple layers in the pan, spreading gently with a rubber spatula.
Bake for 35-45 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes. Place a serving plate upside down over the pan, then carefully and confidently invert the cake onto the plate. Remove the pan and serve warm or at room temperature.

Notes

For a richer caramel, consider using dark brown sugar for the topping; it adds depth and moisture. Ensure your butter for the cake batter is truly at room temperature for a smooth, emulsified mixture, preventing a curdled appearance. When arranging the pineapple, blot any excess juice to prevent a soggy cake bottom. The most critical step is inverting the cake: let it cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes – warm but not piping hot – before confidently flipping it onto a serving plate. This allows the caramel to set slightly but remain fluid enough to release cleanly. Overmixing the cake batter will lead to a tough cake; mix until just combined.