Pineapple Upside Down Cake
, Updated Jul 23, 2025
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Simply the BEST Pineapple Upside Down Cake recipe! Picture a fluffy buttery sponge with a luscious topping of caramelized pineapple and cherries. This classic cake is SO SIMPLE to make even if you have never baked before.
Love pineapple? Try my mini Hummingbird Cakes and old-fashioned Do Nothing Cake { Tornado Cake }
Pineapple Upside-Down Cake has been around for ages! It really took off in the 1920s when canned pineapple became a widely available. By the 1960s, it was super popular, and home bakers were still loving it all the way into the 1980s.
“Upside Down” is all about how this cake is made. Just like a French tarte tatin, you start with the fruit at the bottom and pour the batter on top. When it’s done baking, you flip it over, and voilà! You’ve got that shiny, caramel-covered fruit on top and the cake underneath – it’s an Upside Down Cake!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Whether you grew up with this cake or are making it for the first time, this pineapple upside down cake recipe is a winner!!
- A eye-catching showstopper: The glossy caramelized pineapple rings make this cake a real looker!
- A slice of nostalgia: This retro dessert that brings back memories, yet feels just as relevant today.
- Foolproof method: Easy to follow with no special equipment or techniques required – perfect for beginner bakers!
- Perfect texture: Moist, buttry, tender crumb that will have you coming back for seconds 🙂
- Versatile: Great for holidays, tea time, or make-ahead entertaining.
Here’s what you will need
Upside down Cakes are usually made in a round cake pans. I have used a 9×13 quarter sheet cake pan as I find it easier to slice and share . I kinda love how graphic and beautiful this pineapple upside-down traybake is!
- Light brown sugar and butter for that shiny caramel topping.
- Pineapple rings – you can use fresh or canned pineapple for this recipe. I prefer to use Dole Pineapple rings from a can as they are all the same size – much easier than using fresh pineapple. If you want to go the fresh route, get your hands on a pineapple peeler, corer, slicer and wedger.
- Maraschino cherries (the type used in cocktails) – these vivid red cherries create the classic look. You can substitute with glacé cherries (used for baking like in this light fruit cake).
- Cake layer: The usual suspects are softened butter, sugar, flour, milk, eggs, baking powder, baking soda and eggs. Make sure you use room temperature eggs to prevent the batter from splitting.
- Apricot jam and pineapple juice (or lime juice) for the glaze.
How to Make Pineapple Upside Down Cake
Prepare the topping
- Heat the butter and sugar in a saucepan, stirring until sugar dissolves (but not after). Bring to a gentle simmer and take off the heat.
- Spread the caramel over a lined 9×13 inch cake pan. Arrange the pineapple slices over the caramel in a single layer, slicing in half if needed, to fit the pan.
Make the cake
- Place the flour, sugar and raising agents in a mixing bowl and mix together to combine. Add with the softened butter, lemon zest, vanilla extract, milk and eggs.
- Beat all the ingredients together using a hand or stand mixer, stopping to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl halfway through.
- Carefully spread the batter over the pineapple and level. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until the cake is golden and springy to the touch and a tester comes out clean.
Finishing Touches
- Cool the cake in the tin for 20 minutes. Lift out of the tray using overhanging paper and put on a wire rack to cool further. Carefully invert, peel lining off and transfer onto a platter (see tips below).
- Brush warm apricot jam over the cake to cover. The glaze will protect the cake, add a lovely shiny glaze and add lots of flavor of course!
- Place the cherries in the center of each pineapple ring. Slice and serve warm with custard or ice cream. Store the cake in the fridge in an airtight container – it will keep for up to four days.
How to Flip An Upside Down Pineapple Cake
The slightly tricky part to this otherwise easy-peasy recipe is flipping the cake over to reveal the pineapple topping. Follow my tips for flipping success!
- Leave your pineapple upside-down cake to COOL DOWN. If you attempt to flip it while still warm, it will very likely fall apart.
- Lift the cake out of the pan using the overhanging liner – I use these reusable cake liners which are sturdy and allow you to lift a large cake in one piece.
- Place cake on a wire rack and position a second wire rack over the top of the cake (sponge side). Hold the wire racks securely and quickly flip the cake over. Peel off the liner to reveal the glorious pineapple topping underneath!
- Transfer to a cake platter using a cake lifter (as it is a rather large cake).
Recipe Tips & Troubleshooting
- Help, my cake is sinking in the middle! This could be due to unevenly mixed batter, too much baking powder or over-beating the batter. You shouldn’t have this problem with my recipe which uses a very simple all-in-one method.
- How do I know my pineapple upside-down cake is done? Your cake should be golden, well risen and springy to the touch. A toothpick inserted in the middle should come out clean. If it comes out with wet batter on it, check again after 5 minutes.
- My cake is browning too much! This is usually due to the oven being too hot or heat being uneven. Many ovens run slightly too hot (or not hot enough). If your cake looks like it is browning too quickly then tent with foil – but don’t allow the foil to be in contact with the cake.
- Can I use self-rising flour? I haven’t tested this recipe with self raising flour but you should have absolutely no problems using it provided it is FRESH. If your flour has been gathering dust in the pantry for several years it will have lost its oomph! See recipe notes.
- Can I replace the pineapple with another fruit? You can use bananas or mango in the same way using this recipe.
POPULAR TRAY BAKES
- Retro Sprinkle Cake (a.k.a School Dinner Cake)
- Rhubarb and Custard Traybake
- Old fashioned Tottenham Cake
- Apple sponge cake (a.k.a Eve’s pudding)
- Best Chocolate Cake Traybake EVER!
HAVE YOU MADE MY PINEAPPLE UPSIDE DOWN CAKE RECIPE? Post a photo on my Facebook page, share it on Instagram, or save it to Pinterest with the tag #supergoldenbakes and make my day!
Pineapple Upside Down Cake
Simply the BEST Pineapple Upside Down Cake recipe! Picture a fluffy buttery vanilla sponge with a luscious topping of caramelised pineapple and cherries. This classic cake is SO SIMPLE to make even if you have never baked before.
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
Topping
- ½ cup (115g) unsalted butter cubed
- 1 cup (200g) light brown sugar
- 12-14 pineapple rings from a can, reserve the juice
For the Cake
- 2 ¾ cups (330g) flour all- purpose / plain
- 1 ⅔ cups (330) sugar
- 1 level tbsp baking powder
- ½ level tbsp baking soda bicarbonate
- ⅞ cup (200g) unsalted butter softened
- 4 large eggs room temperature
- ½ cup (120ml) milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
- 1 lemon zest only
For the icing & decoration
- 3 tbsp smooth apricot jam
- 2 tbsp pineapple or lime juice
- maraschino cherries or or glacé cherries
Instructions
Make the topping
- Heat butter and sugar in a saucepan over medium low heat. Stir until butter melts and sugar dissolves. Turn off heat when the caramel comes to a simmer.½ cup (115g) unsalted butter, 1 cup (200g) light brown sugar
- Drain the pineapple rings and reserve the juice to use later. Pat them dry with kitchen paper.12-14 pineapple rings
- Spread the caramel over the bottom of the tin, edge to edge, and top with the pineapple slices, cutting them in half to fit if needed.
Make the sponge
- Preheat the oven to 170C (340F). Line a 9x13inch rectangular cake pan with baking paper or a reusable cake liner, letting the edges overhang for easy lifting.
- Put the flour, sugar, baking powder and soda in a large mixing bowl and mix together to combine.2 ¾ cups (330g) flour, 1 ⅔ cups (330) sugar, 1 level tbsp baking powder, ½ level tbsp baking soda
- Add the softened butter, eggs, milk, vanilla and lemon zest.⅞ cup (200g) unsalted butter, 4 large eggs, ½ cup (120ml) milk, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 1 lemon
- Start beating at lowest speed setting until ingredients come together. Increase the speed to maximum and beat until the batter is completely smooth – about 30 seconds to one minute. Stop the mixer and scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl halfway through.
- Gently spread batter over the pineapple rings and level using a spatula.
- Bake for 45-50 minutes or until the cake is golden and feels springy to the touch. A skewer or knife inserted in the centre should come out clean – if not cook for a further 5 minutes.
- Leave cake to cool in tin for 20 minutes. Lift the cake out of the tin using the overhanging paper and transfer to a wire rack to cool.
Decorate
- Heat the jam and juice in a saucepan until bubbles appear. If the jam is not smooth then pass it through a sieve.3 tbsp smooth apricot jam, 2 tbsp pineapple
- Brush the cake with the warm jam to cover. Add the cherries if using, slice and serve.maraschino cherries
Notes
- If you are using self-rising then add only 1 tsp baking powder (no baking soda).
- Unless specified otherwise all your ingredients including butter eggs and milk should be at room temperature in order to achieve a smooth batter. If one or more of the ingredients are cold they will cause your batter to split or look curdled.
- If your milk is cold from the fridge then heat briefly in the microwave or saucepan until just tepid. Make sure the milk is body temperature – not too hot!
- Place cold eggs into warm water for five minutes to bring them back to room temperature.
- Cut cold butter into cubes and leave for an hour on your counter to warm up or use margarine.
- Leave your pineapple upside-down cake to COOL DOWN. If you attempt to flip it while still warm, it will very likely fall apart.
- Lift the cake out of the tin using the overhanging liner – I use these reusable cake liners which are sturdy and allow you to lift a large cake in one piece.
- Place cake on a wire rack and position a second wire rack over the top of the cake (sponge side). Hold the wire racks securely and quickly flip the cake over. Peel off the liner to reveal the glorious pineapple topping underneath!
Nutrition
Calories: 321kcal | Carbohydrates: 56g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 55mg | Sodium: 171mg | Potassium: 128mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 41g | Vitamin A: 307IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 47mg | Iron: 1mg
Nutritional information is always approximate, and will depend on quality of ingredients and serving sizes.
The recipe says to save the pineapple juice from the can. However your recipe doesn’t save when to put it into the cake batter or how much juice. Please reply as soon as possible. You also mentioned lemon zest and 1 lemon. At what point is that added and is it supposed to be the juice of one lemon. Also is that optional.
The pineapple juice is used in the syrup (in the “Decorate” section of the recipe). Heat the 3 tbsp smooth apricot jam and 2 tbsp pineapple juice in a saucepan until bubbles appear. Then brush the cake with the warm jam to cover.
The lemon zest is optional (lemon juice is not required). If you choose to use it, this is added in step three of the “Make the sponge” instructions: Add the softened butter, eggs, milk, vanilla and lemon zest.