Tomorrow is Father’s Day, and I just made one of my dad’s favorite cakes: Pineapple Upside Down Cake. This cake has been a favorite for generations. Your mom’s mom probably made this cake, and the recipe just keeps getting passed down. My apologies if this looks like other recipes out there, but this is the way my mom made it growing up and it is the best way I know.
The combination of the pineapple fruit taste with the sweetness of the brown sugar and the buttery moist cake makes this an irresistable dessert. It looks impressive with its festive colors too.
This recipe is super easy, because it uses a boxed cake mix. With this secret shortcut you can have it ready to pop in the oven in less than 15 minutes. Once baked just put a pan on top and flip it over to reveal the gooey pineapple goodness that was hiding underneath.
The traditional cake has cherries in the hole of each pinapple slice, but I always make it without the cherries. It is a matter of preference.
The steps are very simple. Here is how to make pinapple upside down cake:
Ingredients
1/4 cup butter
1 cup packed brown sugar (light or dark)
1 can (20 oz.) pinapple slices in juice (drained, juice reserved)
1 box moist yellow cake mix
vegetable oil and eggs called for on cake mix box
1 jar (6 oz. ) maraschino cherries with no stems, drained (optional)
Instructions
1. Heat oven and prepare pan.
Heat oven to 350 degrees (325 degrees F for dark or nonstick pan). Place butter in a 13 x 9-inch baking dish, and place the dish in the oven. Remove when the butter is melted. Sprinkle the brown sugar evenly over the melted butter in the dish. Arrange pineapple slices on the brown sugar.
Optional: Place a cherry in the center of each pineapple slice, arranging any extra cherries around the slices.
2. Make cake batter.
Add enough water to the reserved pinapple juice to equal 1 cup liquid. Make the cake batter as directed on the box, substituting the pinapple juice mixture for the water. Pour cake batter over the pinapple slices and cherries.
3. Bake the cake then flip it over.
Bake 40 – 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Ovens vary, so keep an eye on it. Immediately run a knife around the side of the pan to loosen the cake. Place a heatproof serving plate or baking pan upside down on the dish. While holding both together tightly, flip the dish and pan over together so that the serving plate is on the bottom. Leave the baking dish over the serving plate a few minutes to make sure the brown sugar topping drips down over the cake. Remove pan carefully. Cool 30 minutes. Serve warm or cool.
Store cake covered in the refrigerator.
Tip: Try serving with a spoonful of Cool Whip or other whipped topping.
Pineapple Upside-Down Cake, Short-Cut Style
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 can (20 oz.) pineapple slices in juice drained, juice reserved
- 1 box moist yellow cake mix
- vegetable oil and eggs called for on cake mix box
- 1 jar (6 oz.) maraschino cherries (optional) without stems, drained
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350 degrees (325 degrees F for dark or nonstick pan). Place butter in a 13 x 9-inch baking dish, and place the dish in the oven. Remove when the butter is melted. Sprinkle the brown sugar evenly over the melted butter in the dish. Arrange pineapple slices on the brown sugar. Optional: Place a cherry in the center of each pineapple slice, arranging any extra cherries around the slices.
- Add enough water to the reserved pinapple juice to equal 1 cup liquid. Make the cake batter as directed on the box, substituting the pinapple juice mixture for the water. Pour cake batter over the pinapple slices and cherries.
- Bake 40 – 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Ovens vary, so keep an eye on it. Immediately run a knife around the side of the pan to loosen the cake. Place a heatproof serving plate or baking pan upside down on the dish. While holding both together tightly, flip the dish and pan over together so that the serving plate is on the bottom. Leave the baking dish over the serving plate a few minutes to make sure the brown sugar topping drips down over the cake. Remove pan carefully. Cool 30 minutes. Serve warm or cool.Store cake covered in the refrigerator.
All I can say is NOM NOM NOM (YUM YUM YUM) 😋😋😋