My mother’s birthday was on Easter this year. Since her birthday was going to be extra special this year, I offered to make her any birthday cake that she wanted. She requested that I make her a Pineapple Upside Down Cake. The only complaint I heard all day was that I should have made two cakes. Most of the cake was gone before the burgers were off the grill. Not only is this recipe THAT good, it is also incredibly easy.
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Kitchen Supplies Needed:
- Oven
- Cake Pan
- Butter Knife or Spatula
- Hand Beater or Wire Whisk (spoon or fork could be used in a pinch)
- Large Bowl
- Paper Towels
- Microwave recommended for melting butter
- Measuring Cups
- Measuring Spoons
- Large Serving Tray
I start by preheating the oven to 350°F. A 9 x 13 inch pan with nice deep sides was selected, and cooking spray was lightly sprayed on the sides to prevent sticking (bottom isn’t really necessary).
I like to buy the pineapple rings in pineapple juice rather than a syrup. Pineapple rings were spread out on paper towels to sop away any excess juice while reserving the rest of the juice in the can for later.
The butter gets melted in the microwave and poured over the bottom of the prepared pan. The brown sugar is generously spread over the melted butter. The pineapple rings that have been blotted dry with paper towels are layered over the brown sugar.
Now, the cake batter gets mixed. I buy a box mix of yellow or vanilla cake and follow the directions on the box with two exceptions: 1) I substitute the reserved pineapple juice for the water (I add a little water if there isn’t enough juice for an even swap), and 2) I add a little coconut extract. I’m not crazy about getting caught in the rain, but I do like the pineapple & coconut flavor combination of a pina colada. If that song is now stuck in your head, I apologize.
The cake batter is evenly poured over the pineapple rings, and the whole thing gets baked for around 45-55 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out crumbly rather than doughy and the center gently bounces back to the touch (rather than retaining the depression). Allow the cake to cool for around 15 minutes. A knife or spatula can be used around the edges to release the cake before flipping the cake upside down onto a serving pan to reveal the glorious pineapple goodness.
Are you ready to make some Pineapple Upside Down Cake? Check out the recipe below!
Pineapple Upside Down Cake #Recipe
Ingredients
- Cooking Spray
- 1 stick (8 TBSP) Butter
- 1 cup Brown Sugar
- 1 can Pineapple Rings (reserve the pineapple juice)
- 1 box Vanilla or Yellow Cake Mix
- 1 cup reserved pineapple juice and/or water (or follow cake mix recommendations for water/amount)
- 3 Eggs (or follow cake mix recommendations)
- 1/3 cup Oil (or follow cake mix recommendations)
- 1 tsp Coconut Extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Spray the sides of your pan with cooking spray (I used a 9 x 13 pan)
- Lay pineapple rings onto paper towels to remove excess moisture
- Melt your butter
- Pour melted butter over the bottom of your prepared pan
- Generously sprinkle all the brown sugar over the melted butter as evenly as possible
- Layer your pineapple rings over the brown sugar
- In a large bowl, add your cake mix, eggs, and oil. I usually follow the box mix recommendations on these.
- Add pineapple juice reserved from the canned pineapple rings or water as recommended on the box mix. If you don't have enough juice, add water to make up the difference.
- Add coconut extract.
- Blend together with a hand beater or wire whisk.
- Pour cake batter over the pineapple rings in the pan.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 45 to 55 minutes or until the cake is completely done.
- Allow to cool for 15 minutes.
- Run knife or spatula around the edge of pan to release the cake.
- Carefully flip your cake upside down onto your serving dish to reveal the beautiful pineapple rings.
- Serve
If you like this recipe, you might also like my Strawberry Lemonade Poke Cake.
I love Pineapple upside down cake my aunt used to make them all the time when I was little.
Awww! I have special memories of my aunts, too.