Pineapple Upside Down Cake

“Pineapple upside down cake, cares and woes you’ve got ’em. Pineapple upside down cake, your top is on your bottom”. My mom makes this simple dessert so often, and she says that little chant each time. Whenever she makes it, it is the first dessert to go. It got to the point where she had to make two to have enough for everyone! I loved carrying on the tradition this week with her recipe. It’s nothing fancy since it uses boxed cake mix and simple ingredients.

I prepared the pans for the pineapple upside down cake first. 9 inch cake pans were absolutely perfect for the job. I buttered them liberally before I laid out my pineapple slices and cherries in them. It looked pretty already!
Then I filled the spaces around the pineapple slices with brown sugar and chopped walnuts. It created the most amazing layer that eventually became the top. I pressed it in well so that it was packed.
So my mom has a trick to make the pineapple upside down cake more flavorful. She uses yellow cake mix and replaces the water with pineapple juice! Not only does that add more flavor, the acid makes the cake crumb more tender. I just love the science of baking. Once the cake batter was mixed, I just divided it among the two cake pans and let the oven do the rest. When the cakes came out, they were so puffy and golden!

I let them cool for at least half an hour before I turned them out onto plates. The top became the bottom to reveal the pretty brown sugar and pineapple layer! I found myself saying my mom’s little chant as I turned them out for good juju that they turned out ok. The butter did its job though and the cakes slid right out. When I tried a piece I was so happy. It tasted just like my mom’s and looked so pretty. Best of all, it really was no fuss at all! I hope you all love it. xoxo

Pineapple Upside Down Cake
Pineapple Upside Down Cake
5 from 1 vote
Pineapple Upside Down Cake
Pineapple Upside Down Cake
Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
30 mins
Total Time
1 hr
 

This is such a fantastic and super simple version of pineapple upside down cake that my mom always makes. It's perfect for summer! 

Course: Dessert
Keyword: Cake, Pineapple Upside Down Cake
Servings: 2 cakes
Calories: 228 kcal
Author: Jeanie and Lulu's Kitchen
Ingredients
  • 4 tablespoons butter melted and divided
  • 1 can sliced pineapple rings in pineapple juice 20 ounce size, juice reserved. Should have 10 slices.
  • 10 whole maraschino cherries stems removed
  • 1 cup dark brown sugar divided
  • 1/4 cup chopped walnuts divided
  • 1 box yellow cake mix
  • 1/2 cup canola oil
  • 3 whole eggs
Instructions
  1. Pre-heat the oven to 350. Then get out two 9 inch cake pans and pour half of the melted butter into each of them. Brush some of the butter along the sides of the pans as well to grease them thoroughly. Lay 5 pineapple slices in each of the prepared pans with 1 in the center and the other 4 around it. Place a cherry in the center of each of the pineapple slices. Then pack 1/2 a cup of brown sugar in each pan around the pineapple slices to create what will be a gorgeous top layer. Finally, sprinkle 2 tablespoons of the chopped walnuts onto the brown sugar.
  2. For the yellow cake mix, follow the box instructions. It will usually call for adding 1 cup water, 1/2 cup canola oil and three eggs. Instead of the water, replace it with the reserved pineapple juice from the can, which is exactly a cup. Mix it all together well into a smooth batter, then evenly divide it among the two cake pans. Bake the pineapple upside down cakes for about 25 to 30 minutes, until golden and toothpick inserted in the center comes out cleanly. Let them cool for half an hour, then turn them out onto cake plates. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Nutrition Facts
Pineapple Upside Down Cake
Amount Per Serving (1 slice)
Calories 228 Calories from Fat 112
% Daily Value*
Fat 12.4g19%
Saturated Fat 2.6g16%
Cholesterol 31mg10%
Sodium 200mg9%
Potassium 49mg1%
Carbohydrates 27.8g9%
Sugar 0.4g0%
Protein 2.4g5%
Vitamin A 925IU19%
Calcium 40mg4%
Iron 0.5mg3%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Pineapple Upside Down Cake
Pineapple Upside Down Cake

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12 thoughts on “Pineapple Upside Down Cake”

  1. In my house you either love it or hate it. The lovers win out. So nice and moist

  2. This cake is beautiful and I must try your recipe! I will have to remember your mom’s trick for replacing the water with pineapple juice – brilliant!

  3. I have never had pineapple upside down cake, honestly. This post makes me want to make one! Thank you for the details! ❤️

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