Pineapple upside-down cake is so easy, so retro
It is hard to overstate how simple yet stunning pineapple upside-down cake is. This cake has retro charm, but it’s a classic whose appeal hasn’t waned since it first appeared on the home baking scene.
It starts with a rich butter cake that, once removed from the pan, reveals a design of caramelized pineapple rings studded with maraschino cherries. Each bite is little treasure chest of flavor: tender cake, mingled with the sweet and slightly tangy notes of pineapple and cherry.
The thing about pineapple cake that makes it so beloved is that it is dead simple to make at home. The fruit for pineapple upside-down cake is canned, meaning you never have to worry about it being in season, and you don’t need to know any special baking techniques.
We’re also putting some pineapple in the batter by using the pineapple juice in the cake batter! Because, hello, the juice around those pineapple rings is sweet and full of flavor, so why waste it? You’ll need ½ cup to blend into the batter, which will leave you with just a few ounces for a cocktail or smoothie.
Key steps for pineapple upside-down cake
Cook and cool the brown sugar topping before making the cake batter. Butter and light brown sugar make up the glaze that bakes at the bottom of this cake. It holds the pineapple and maraschino cherries in place once the cake has cooled. Do this step first before arranging the pineapple and cherries on top of the glaze.
Dollop, don’t pour the batter. The batter for this cake is quite thick! Avoid knocking the pineapple and topping around by scooping the batter into big dollops on top of the fruit and then gently spreading it out with a spatula.
Cool the cake slightly before removing from the pan. The hardest part of making pineapple upsidedown cake is the maneuver that turns the bottom of the cake pan into the top of the cake. Cooling the baked cake slightly before flipping it allows the topping to cool and stick to the cake before turning out.
Doing the perfect flip
Once your pineapple upside-down cake is baked and slightly cooled, you’ll need to flip the cake out onto a serving plate.
First, pick a low plate or cake stand. Then run an off-set spatula or thin butter knife between the cake and the pan. Set the serving plate over the cake pan and flip the two together.
Now let gravity slowly drop the pineapple cake out of the pan; banging or thrusting the pan may break the cake, so have a little patience here! Finally, if any pineapples or cherries have slipped out of place, gently nudge them back where they belong.
Arrange a rack in middle of oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Coat a 9-inch round cake pan with vegetable oil spray.
Melt butter and sugar in a small skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently. The mixture is done when the sugar is bubbly and slightly browner.
Pour sugar mixture into the prepared cake pan, and spread into an even layer to cool slightly.
Remove pineapple rings from can and reserve ½ cup of the juice. Set a single ring in center of pan, then arrange 6 to 7 rings around the center ring. Place a maraschino cherry in center of each ring and set pan aside.
Whisk flour, baking powder and salt together in a medium bowl.
Place sugar and butter in a large mixing bowl. Using an electric hand mixer, beat on medium speed until lightened and creamy, about 5 minutes. Add eggs and beat until smooth, about 1 minute more.
Add flour mixture and pineapple juice in alternating batches. With the hand mixer on low speed, add flour mixture in three batches, alternating with the reserved ½ cup pineapple juice, in this order: Add one-third of the flour mixture and mix until incorporated, about 30 seconds. Add half the pineapple juice, mixing until smooth, about 30 seconds. Add another half of the remaining flour and mix again about 30 seconds, followed by the remaining pineapple juice and 30 seconds of mixing. Finally, add remaining flour mixture and mix until completely smooth, about 1 minute total.
The batter will be thick, so use a large spoon to dollop large spoonfuls of batter evenly over fruit in pan. Smooth the batter with an offset spatula, then tap the cake pan lightly on the counter to settle the batter.
Bake cake in preheated oven until dark golden-brown and a cake tester comes out clean, about 45 minutes.
Remove warm cake from oven to a cooling rack and cool 10 minutes. Invert a plate over the cake pan and, using kitchen towels or oven mitts to grasp onto both the plate and cake pan, flip both pan and plate over so the pan now sits on top of the plate. Slowly lift cake pan away. Serve cake warm or cool before serving and storing.
Note: Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to three days.