The Best Pineapple Upside-Down Cake — 🍍🧡😋 So soft, moist, and really is the best! A cheery, happy cake that’s sure to put a smile on anyone’s face! This 100% from-scratch cake is an EASY reader favorite you’re going to love!
Table of Contents
I love this easy scratch cake because it’s fast and easy to make, and it always turn out supremely moist, springy, and fluffy thanks to the buttermilk, sour cream, and oil. That trifecta of moisturizing and tenderizing ingredients makes it impossible to have a dry cake.
Not to mention, the buttery, brown sugary pineapple juice that seeps down into the cake from the slices on top make the cake so soft, moist, and buttery that it just melts in your mouth.
The cake is soft, sweet, with an almost imperceptible tang from the buttermilk that adds another layer of flavor. The pineapple slices add chewiness and texture to the otherwise falling-apart-soft crumb.
There’s no better way to get your Vitamin C than via pineapple baked in it’s own brown sugar-browned butter sauce!
Pineapple Upside Down Cake Ingredients
To make this easy pineapple upside down cake, you’ll need the following ingredients:
- Unsalted butter
- Light brown sugar
- Canned pineapple slices
- Maraschino cherries
- All-purpose flour
- Granulated sugar
- Baking powder
- Egg
- Buttermilk
- Sour cream
- Canola oil
- Vanilla extract
Note: Scroll down to the recipe card section of the post for the ingredients with amounts included and for more complete directions.
Ingredient Swaps
You must use each of these ingredients as they’re listed. Substitutions like whole wheat flour or an alternative sweetener may result in a less than stellar upside down cake.
How to Make Pineapple Upside Down Cake
Making pineapple upside down cake from scratch is so easy! First you’ll arrange the pineapple-cherry topping, then you’ll prepare the cake batter.
- Arrange the pineapple-cherry topping: I used one 20-ounce can pineapple slices. I kept one slice whole for the center of the cake, and then fanned 12 halves around it. I used the remaining 3 slices (6 halves) to line the sides of the pan. Nobody likes bald sides.
- Make the cake batter: After getting the pineapple and cherries in the pan, whisk together the cake batter and turn it out into the pan. I filled my 9-inch round cake pan about 3/4-inch full with batter.
- Let the cake cool before flipping: I made the cake before bed and let it cool overnight in the pan with a sheet of foil over it. There’s no big rush to get it out of the pan. Because of how buttery the topping is, the pan is so well-greased that the cake just plopped right out.
Baking Tip
Although the cake doesn’t rise a ton, it’s still a cake and rises some, so don’t exceed about 3/4-full, the same idea as when filling a muffin tin. Discard the last bit of batter if need be. I mention this because all cake pans, the exact amount of pineapple, cherries, etc will vary slightly.
Baking FAQs
No, regular round cake pans aren’t deep enough. You also can’t use a 9-inch square baking pan for this. You have to use a 9-inch round springform pan, otherwise this homemade pineapple upside down cake recipe won’t turn out right.
I recommend making this easy pineapple upside down cake in this 9-inch springform pan. This is the exact pan I use at home and it works every time! However, readers have told me it’s often out of stock. In that case, I suggest this comparable 9-inch springform pan.
I haven’t tried that before because I just don’t have the patience for it! So unfortunately I can’t tell you if this recipe can be made as cupcakes.
Yes, you just have to be precise with your arrangement of the pineapple upside down cake topping in the bundt pan before you add the cake batter. The bake time may need to be altered slightly, so watch the oven and not the clock.
I’ve only ever used canned pineapple rings so I can’t say for sure whether fresh pineapple would work in place of canned. Most likely yes, but please let me know if you try this and it works out!
If possible, get your hands on real buttermilk. If that’s not possible, you can try making a buttermilk substitute (for every 1 cup of milk, mix in 1 tablespoon lemon juice or white vinegar). If you have to make a buttermilk substitute, you should use 2% or whole milk for the best results.
Time! The cake needs time to cool in the pan (at LEAST 30 minutes, but preferably overnight) before it’s safe to invert it onto a plate. As the cake cools, the pineapple on the bottom (soon to be the top!) firms up, the sugars set to create a caramel-y sauce, and the cake itself sets.
If your cake turned out mushy, you likely didn’t drain the pineapple and cherries well enough.
Absolutely! In fact, making it a day in advance means the cake will pop out of the cake pan so much easier when you’re ready to invert it.
Melted butter! The butter gets added to the bottom of the pan before all of the toppings are arranged. The sugar and butter caramelize in the oven, but there’s enough butter that the cake should pop right out of the pan once cool.
Storage Instructions
Room temp: You can store the cake at room temperature for up to five days. Cover the pan with foil. The cake will stay super moist thanks to the juicy topping.
In the freezer: Since this is such a moist cake that’s loaded with fruit, I do not recommend freezing it.
Thank you for this recipe! I’ve made it about 5 times and follow the recipe exactly and every time it turns out perfectly. Everyone enjoys it and now requests it. Excellent cake!
Jamie
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The Best Pineapple Upside Down Cake
Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- ¾ cup light brown sugar, packed
- one 20-ounce can pineapple slices
- about 12 maraschino cherries
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- pinch salt, optional and to taste
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup buttermilk, or Powdered Buttermilk, use 2 tablespoons with the dry ingredients + 1/2 cup water added with the wet
- ⅓ cup sour cream, lite is okay (plain Greek yogurt may be substituted)
- 3 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- In a small, microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter, about 1 minute on high power.
- Pour the butter into a 9-inch springform cake pan. Use your finger to run a bit of butter around the side of the pan so it’s well-greased.
- Evenly sprinkle the brown sugar over the butter.
- Add 1 whole pineapple slice to the center of the pan.
- Halve the remaining slices vertically. Stagger them in a fan-like fashion going around the cake. I used 12 slices.
- Place the remaining slices around the sides of the cake pan with the curved side pointing down toward the bottom of the pan (see photos for reference). There will likely be bare side patches with no pineapple coverage, that’s okay.
- Place 1 cherry in the center of the whole pineapple slice in the middle of the pan.
- Place 1 cherry in the center cutout of all the fanned pineapple slices; set pan aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, optional salt; set aside.
- In a separate small bowl, whisk together the next 5 wet ingredients (through vanilla).
- Add the wet mixture to the dry, mixing lightly with a spoon or folding with a spatula until just combined. Small lumps will be present, don’t overmix or try to stir them smooth.
- Gently turn batter out into prepared pan, being careful to not disturb the pineapple slices on the sides or bottom. Fill pan only to about 3/4-full. If you have a little extra batter, discard it rather than overfilling your pan.
- Place pan on a cookie sheet (to catch anything that does overflow) and bake for about 40 minutes, or until center is set and not jiggly, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs, but no batter. Only go down about 1-inch with the toothpick, not all the way to the bottom where you’ll hit gooey pineapple juice.
- Place pan on a wire rack and allow cake to cool for at least 30 minutes before inverting, slicing, and serving. I allowed cake to cool overnight, covered with a sheet of foil, before inverting.
Video
Notes
- Cake will keep airtight at room temperature for up to 5 days.
- Cake base adapted from Blueberry Muffin and Buttermilk Pancakes Cake.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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More Easy Pineapple Desserts:
Layered Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting – A tender and moist classic two-layer carrot cake with tangy-sweet cream cheese frosting!
Pineapple Coconut Oil Banana Bread — Banana bread spiked with pineapple and coconut oil that’s so good!
Hummingbird Cake — A super SOFT and moist cake with bananas, pineapple, coconut, cream cheese frosting, and pecans!! Makes a huge cake that’ll feed a crowd!
Pineapple Poke Cake With Pineapple Glaze — A pineapple version of a poke cake with a pineapple glaze that you’ll adore!
Tropical Escape Pineapple Crumble Bars — Soft, tender bars that have a great crumble topping that will remind you of the tropics!
Angel Pineapple Lush Parfaits — This is a 4-ingredient, no-bake dessert that’s ridiculously easy, you don’t need a mixer, and you don’t have to turn your oven on.
Pineapple Coconut Bars — Eat your piña colada rather than drinking one with these fast, EASY, no-mixer bars that taste TROPICAL!! Pineapple, coconut, white chocolate, and cherries!!
Recipe originally from March 2014 and reprinted in May 2018
I just made this cake for our church bake sale. I followed the instructions exactly. I let it sit overnight covered with foil. I got up this morning to invert it as I read that’s what you did. I noticed that some of the topping had seeped out of the bottom. Once I inverted it, the center pineapple stuck to the pan and the pineapple on the side fell over. I also had to wipe up some of the topping as it had run over some. My cake sure doesn’t look like your photo. I just hope it tastes good. Not sure if I’ll try this again. Typically I don’t try a new recipe on anyone for this reason.
Upside down cakes are not always easy but it’s good you gave the recipe a try. Even if it looks a little messy, I’m sure it will taste great!
I wish I would’ve trusted my baking instinct when I saw “melted butter” and “springform pan.” I ended up with butter everywhere in my oven. I really liked the cake though. Thought it was great. But a little small for my taste. Maybe a double batter for the cake and use extra banter for muffins or something.
I also made the Pineapple Upside Cake for Easter. It was a hit!! So rich and wonderful. Thank you so much. I will be back to try more of your recipes.
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you and that it was a hit at Easter! If you make other recipes, Sharon, please LMK how they go! Love the pics you sent too :)
Not a success for me. First, there is nothing wrong with my springform pan. Leaked everywhere. I am personal chef and caterer. I bake everyday. I have not had success with a few of your recipes. Dont know why. Your pics are beautiful. The raspberry buns were not a good one for me as well. I will keep trying
I don’t believe I have a raspberry buns recipe on my site. I have lots of other fruit-filled rolls but that one doesn’t ring a bell. Maybe you are thinking of another blog, as lots of bloggers do have raspberry roll recipes.
As for the pineapple cake, sorry that your springform pan leaked! With all due respect, if there’s nothing wrong with your springform pan as you said, then it shouldn’t have leaked. Sometimes when I bake with mine, it leaks. Other times it doesn’t. It’s a Caphalon and I’ve tried many brands but for me, it’s the best of the bunch and sometimes I think I just re-assemble it slightly so ‘off’ and it can then leak. Maybe that’s what happened to you? Not sure. I hope the cake tasted okay if you tried it; other than the fact that your pan leaked.
Thanks for trying the recipe and for the compliments on my photos.
Made this cake for Easter and my family loved it. The cake was moist and would taste good just by itself. Thanks for the recipe! I will definitely make this again. I made 1 cupcake with some of the extra batter and pineapple and it was really adorable, maybe I will make a batch of those next time.
Thanks for trying the recipe and so glad it was a success for you on Easter and I’m sure you impressed your family :) Glad you even had extra batter to make a cupcake!
Something is wrong with this recipe. The batter only fills the very bottom of a 9″ round spring pan not 3/4 of the way up. I know something was wrong when it called for only 1 cup of flour. I’m very disappointed and have to start over with a different recipe.
Many, many people (read the glowing comments) have made this recipe with great success and I’ve made this cake oodles of times, as well as adapted this batter for a banana upside down cake and many other cakes. There is nothing wrong with the recipe. If your pineapple is stacked correctly and you measured correctly and are really using a 9 inch spring form, then 1 cup of flour is not too little when you account for how much ‘room’ the pineapple takes up in the pan at the base and sides. Thanks for trying the recipe.
I made his cake for my hubby. Pineapple upside down is his favorite. He and my 19 year old devoured it. Moist and delicious. I substituted coconut oil for the canola, because that is kinda what I do know. It gave it a tropical flavor. I am sure the canola would be delicious as well..Thank you for a delicious recipe. (as a side note, I am glad I have a self cleaning oven, I placed my pan on a cookie sheet as directed, but I still had a lot of juices on the oven floor – just an observation….it was sooo worth it)
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you! I love baking with coconut oil too and have made this cake with it and it’s lovely and more tropical-ey! And some springform pans are leakers. And I have one that sometimes it is perfect and never leaks and other recipes, it leaks horribly. They can be so temperamental! Good luck finding a new springform pan and at least your oven is self-cleaning :)
If we wanted to make this in a 9×13 pan, would we have to double the batter? Thanks.
Hard to say since I’ve never baked this round cake as a rectangular cake. I would say yes….but with reservations since I haven’t tried it, and round cakes and rectangular cakes cook differently and you can’t always just interchange them.
I just made this last night in a mini pineapple upside down tin I purchased from williamsonoma. They come out looking like mini pineapples….this was the best cake I ever had. I’ve never been a fan of the pineapple upside down cake, but I still decided to give it one more try and I’m so glad I did. This isn’t just the best upside down cake, but the best cake! Thanks for sharing! My family loved it!
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you and that not only was it the best pineapple upside down cake, but the BEST CAKE you’ve ever had!! Wow, that’s such huge praise and I really appreciate it! Your little W-S tins sound adorable, too!!
OMG!!!!! I called myself making this for my boyfriend because he had never had one. The kicker is I haven’t had one either UNTIL NOW…poor boyfriend and cake LOL
I hope you and your boyfriend enjoy it!
I’ve never been a huge fan of pineapple upsidedown cake (& never have baked one as a result) but I think I’ve only had ones made with a mix rather than totally from scratch. Well, tomorrow’s Hubby’s birthday and guess what he requested? Your recipe looks like just the thing for this first timer! Love the way the slices fan out! My pan is a 10 inch though so maybe I won’t have to toss any excess batter? Thank you for posting and fingers crossed mine looks and tastes as yummy as yours!!
I think a 10-inch should work great. Enjoy!
I, too, have never made a cake from scratch and only one boxed cake. I was going to make this today until I read that I need a springform pan. I’ll have to wait until I get one. Then, you mentioned most all of them leak so now I’m afraid. What brand should I search for? I really want to make this cake and others you have mentioned.
I would go shopping and see and feel the pans at your local store. You will be able to tell what you think looks like a winner and not. Just feeling them you will see the ‘clasp’ not as solid on some vs. others.
i was looking for something different in a pineapple up side down cake and this is it! I just made it,its in the oven now.the recipe was easy to follow and now just waiting for the taste test!!! Sounds so good!!!! And i love using butter milk so i am excited. Thank you!!
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it was easy for you and hope you’re loving the finished product!
Made this yesterday for Valentine’s Day and it was delicious! It’s rare for me to bake something perfectly the first time around – a definite credit to your recipe. I also used a regular round 9-inch pan and it came right out. I’m looking forward to trying more of your recipes!
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you! And on the first try, too! Keep me posted what else you try!
I just made the cake and it looks beautiful and the taste is amazing! Loved not have to get out my mixer and also loved the way you fanned the pineapples on top – it looks so nice!!! My mind is now thinking about other upside down cake possibilities like peach upside down cake in the summer… Thank you! I will make this recipe again soon!
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you! I made this cake with bananas because I truly love the ‘fanning’ look as well! And it would be great with peaches, nectarines, plums…some of those fruits are a little ‘slippery’ to handle but with patience, totally do-able! https://www.averiecooks.com/caramelized-banana-upside-down-cake/
There’s one big mistake in recipe of yours.Cake will keep airtight at room temperature for up to 5 days – yeah,right, gone in 1 hour !Best pineapple cake ever
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you and that it disappeared fast!! Wonderful to hear it’s the best pineapple cake ever!