Pineapple Upside Down Cake
A delightful dessert featuring juicy pineapple and cherries on a moist cake base, perfect for any occasion.
Ingredients
For the Pineapple Topping
- 565 g canned pineapple slices in juice not in syrup
- 12-18 maraschino cherries
- 60 g unsalted butter melted
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
For the Cake Batter
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda sub with 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/3 cup milk full or low-fat
- 1/4 cup pineapple juice reserved from can
- 1/4 cup sour cream full fat, or substitute with plain yogurt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract or essence
- 115 g unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- 3/4 cup white sugar
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- Any leftover fruit pineapple chopped
Instructions
Preheat Oven
- Preheat oven to 180°C / 350°F (160°C fan).
Pineapple Decorative Top
- Line a tray with paper towels, place pineapple and cherries on top, and pat dry.
- Pour melted butter into a 23cm / 9" cake pan that is at least 5cm / 2" deep. Brush it up the sides.
- Sprinkle brown sugar evenly over the base, spreading it out with a brush.
- Place one pineapple ring in the center and surround it with other rings.
- Add cherries in the middle of the pineapple rings as desired.
- Firmly press the cherries and pineapple down into the pan.
Batter
- Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in one bowl.
- In another bowl, whisk milk, sour cream, pineapple juice, and vanilla.
- In a third bowl, beat softened butter and sugar until fluffy (about 2 minutes).
- Beat in eggs one at a time.
- Alternate between adding the flour mixture and the milk mixture until combined, folding in leftover pineapple.
- Spread the batter over the pineapple layer.
Bake
- Bake for 30 minutes, cover loosely with foil, and then bake for another 15 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.
Turning Out Cake
- Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 20 minutes.
- Carefully flip the cake onto a plate.
- Let the cake cool completely before serving.
Notes
Serve plain or with whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Wrap leftover cake tightly in plastic wrap or foil and store in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. You can also freeze slices for up to two months. Make sure to pat the pineapple and cherries dry to avoid excess moisture in the cake. Use a sturdy cake pan; avoid springform pans as they may leak. Let the cake cool completely before cutting to keep the layers intact. Experiment with different fruit toppings or add nuts for a nice crunch.