This Pineapple Upside-Down Cake recipe is completely from scratch, with a tender, lightly spiced cake + brown sugar caramelized pineapple. It’s ridiculously delicious!
Ingredients
for the topping & pineapple layers:
¾cuplightly packed brown sugar
6tablespoonsunsalted buttervery soft but not melted
⅛teaspoonkosher salt
3tablespoonsrum
3whole star aniseoptional
One 20-ounce can pineapple rings or chunks in 100% juicewell drained - reserve the juice
½cupchopped pecansoptional
for the cake layer:
1cupplus 1 tablespoon cake flour
⅓cupcornmeal
¾teaspoonbaking powder
¾teaspoonground cinnamon
¼teaspoonground nutmeg
¼teaspoonkosher salt
8tablespoonsunsalted butterat room temperature
1.75cupsconfectioners’ sugar
2teaspoonspure vanilla extract
2large eggsat room temperature
¼cupheavy whipping creamat room temperature
¼cupcanned pineapple juice
2tablespoonsrum
Instructions
prep: If you have a baking stone, place it in the oven. Then place a rimmed baking sheet on the stone. Preheat oven to 375°F. Generously grease an 8" round cake pan. (If using a springform pan, line it with a 9-inch piece of greased parchment paper to prevent leaking.)
for the topping layer: In a medium bowl, combine the brown sugar, butter, and salt until evenly mixed. Add the rum and stir until smooth. Spread the mixture into the prepared pan and top with the star anise (if using).
for the pineapple layer: Arrange the pineapple rings over the mixture. Sprinkle with the pecans (if using). Set aside.
for the cake layer: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Set aside.
In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter on medium-high speed until creamy and smooth, about 1 minute.
Turn mixer speed to low, add the confectioners’ sugar and vanilla to the butter, and mix until incorporated. Then turn the speed to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Scrape the bowl regularly for even incorporation.
Turn mixer speed to medium-low and add the eggs, one at a time, beating just until combined. Scrape the bowl after each addition.
In a measuring cup, stir together the cream, pineapple juice, and rum.
Add one-third of the flour mixture to the butter mixture, mixing on low speed, just until combined. Add half of the pineapple juice mixture and mix to incorporate. Repeat with another one-third flour, the remaining liquid, and then finish with the final one-third flour, scraping the bowl and paddle after each addition.
Scrape the batter into the prepared pan, covering the pineapple. Smooth the top with a spatula and tap the pan on the counter several times to release excess air bubbles.
Set the pan on the preheated rimmed baking sheet. Bake until the cake is firm and golden, and a tester comes out clean - about 40 minutes or so.
Remove cake from oven and immediately run a knife around the edge of the pan and invert the cake onto a serving platter. Let cool for about 20 minutes. Serve the cake warm or at room temperature. But I highly recommend enjoying it while it's still warm!
Notes
If using pineapple rings, overlap them around the edge of the batter and then place one in the center. This will use up all the rings and give you pineapple in every bite.
And if you were wondering, don’t try substituting canned pineapple with fresh pineapple. The canned pineapple is juicier and makes for a better cake.
Always place the cake pan on a rimmed baking sheet before baking. Because of the wet bottom layer, which is actually the top, the cake bakes longer than a typical cake. And the juices will bubble up the sides of the pan to create caramelized edges. While this is definitely a good thing, it can create a mess in your oven if you don’t use a pan to catch those juices. I would even recommend lining the rimmed baking sheet with foil, for even easier clean-up!
If you have a baking stone, place it in the oven with the rimmed baking sheet on top. And then preheat the oven. This creates a “hot bottom” and helps the pineapple topping cook evenly. If you don’t have a stone, just preheat the rimmed baking sheet.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated by Spoonacular. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee accuracy. If your health depends on nutrition information, please calculate again with your own favorite calculator.