Julie Clark
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Pineapple Upside Down Bundt Cake
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Moist, rich and delicious this Pineapple Upside Down Bundt Cake is pretty twist on a classic dessert. This is best served the day after baking.
When it comes to cakes, I think bundt cakes are the most beautiful. Whether they are drizzled with glaze or sprinkled with powdered sugar, they end up being a show stopper.
This tropical Pineapple Upside Down Bundt Cake is stunning with its yellow cake, baked in pineapple rings and maraschino cherries that give a pop of color.
Today I’m sharing all the detail on how to make this pineapple bundt cake and how to ensure it comes out of the pan perfectly.
About this Pineapple Upside Down Bundt Cake Recipe:
- Flavor: This fruity bundt cake has just the right amount of fruity and sweet that pairs together to create a fun and flavorful cake experience. The pineapple and cherries and a sweet & tangy pairing.
- Texture: This cake is moist and dense, just like a pound cake should be.
- Method: This cake bakes in a standard oven in a 12-cup bundt cake pan.
You may also love our piña colada cupcakes and lemon pineapple upside down cake!
What home bakers are saying:
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ Reader Judy says, “This cake is awesome! I decided to make this for the Super Bowl and my family loved it! Very easy to make and moist! I love this!”
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ Reader Nina says, “Second time making the cake l LOVE IT!! I added ½ cup of pineapple juice and a half of cup of heavy whipping cream. Great cake, thank you!!!”
What is pineapple upside down cake?
Upside-down cakes became popular back in the 1900’s and were often called skillet cakes. They would be baked in a cast iron skillet and turned out onto a plate to serve.
Dole popularized the pineapple upside down cake back in the 1920’s. They hosted a pineapple recipe contest and received thousands of entries for this variations on this cake. The cake’s popularity has increased and been a favorite since.
Ingredients
This recipe takes basic ingredients: eggs, brown and white sugar, baking powder, flour and vanilla.
And yes, it takes 1 pound of butter. Pound cakes are known for being rich and dense rather than light and fluffy. 12 ounces of butter (3 sticks) go in the cake and the last 4 ounces is melted and mixed with brown sugar for the bottom of the cake pan.
And just like any other pineapple upside down cake, you’ll need pineapple rings and a jar of maraschino cherries.
How to Make Sure Bundt Cakes Turn Out Perfectly
First things first. If you don’t want your bundt cake to stick, it’s important to grease it properly before adding the batter to the pan. There are three things that we’ve found work for giving you a cake that releases perfectly, every time.
- Cake Release. This is easy to mix up and is our favorite thing to use to grease a pan. It stores for months in the fridge, so you can have it ready for bundt cake pans and regular round cake pans, too.
- Baker’s Joy. If you don’t want to make cake release from scratch, try this spray. It has flour in it so the cakes come out cleanly.
- Shortening + Flour. Grease a pan with shortening, making sure to get in all of the crevices of an intricate cake pan. Then dust the pan with flour. Shortening is the key here, not butter or cooking spray.
How to Make Pineapple Upside Down Bundt Cake
- Prepare. Preheat oven to 325ºF. Grease a 12-cup bundt pan with shortening, then dust it with flour. Or use Baker’s Joy or Cake Release.
- Mix the butter, sugar and eggs. In large bowl using a stand mixer or electric mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 3-4 minutes. Add in the eggs and continue to mix until blended.
- Mix in dry ingredients. Add in the flour, baking powder and baking soda and mix again just until smooth. Do not over mix.
- Add in liquids. Pour in the vanilla extract and pineapple juice and mix to combine.
- Prepare the bottom of the pan. In a small bowl, mix together the brown sugar and melted butter and pour into bottom of prepared pan. Layer the pineapple slices around the bottom of pan and place a cherry in the center of ring and on the outside.
- Bake. Spread the batter evenly in the bundt pan and bake for 70-90 minutes or until center is set. (The internal temperature of the cake should be between 200-210 degrees F. You can also test it with a toothpick inserted into the center. It should come out clean.)
- Invert and cool. Immediately invert pineapple upside down bundt cake out onto serving tray. (If you don’t turn out right away the brown sugar mixture will harden and stick to pan.)
Storage Instructions
- Room temperature: Store this pineapple upside down bundt cake in an airtight container on the counter for up to 24 hours.
- Refrigerator: Store this cake in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Bring to room temperature before eating.
- Freezer: Freeze the cake whole or sliced in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature before eating.
Other Recipes to Love
Pineapple Upside Down Bundt Cake
Moist, rich and delicious this Pineapple Upside Down Bundt Cake is pretty twist on a classic dessert. This is best served the day after baking.
Servings 15
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups salted butter 12 ounces, at room temperature
- 3 cups granulated sugar 600 grams
- 5 large eggs at room temperature
- 3 cups all-purpose flour 390 grams
- 1 teaspoon baking powder 3 grams
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 3 grams
- 2 tablespoons vanilla extract 27 grams
- 3/4 cup pineapple juice 6 ounces
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar 100 grams
- 1/2 cup salted butter 4 ounces, melted
- 6 pineapple rings
- maraschino cherries
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325ºF. Grease a 12-cup bundt pan with shortening, then dust it with flour. (Or use Baker’s Joy or Cake Release. See above article.)
- In large bowl using a stand mixer or electric mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 3-4 minutes. 1 ½ cups salted butter, 3 cups granulated sugar
- Add in the eggs and continue to mix until blended. 5 large eggs
- Add in the flour, baking powder and baking soda and mix again just until smooth. Do not overmix. 3 cups all-purpose flour , 1 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda
- Pour in the vanilla extract and pineapple juice and mix to combine. 2 tablespoons vanilla extract, ¾ cup pineapple juice
- In a small bowl, mix together the brown sugar and melted butter and pour into bottom of prepared pan. ½ cup light brown sugar , ½ cup salted butter
- Layer the pineapple slices around the bottom of pan and place a cherry in the center of ring and on the outside. 6 pineapple rings, maraschino cherries
- Spread the batter evenly in the bundt pan and bake for 70-90 minutes or until center is set. (The internal temperature of the cake should be between 200-210ºF. )
- Immediately invert cake out onto serving tray. (If you don't turn out right away the brown sugar mixture will harden and stick to pan.)
- Allow the cake to cool completely, then store in an airtight container at room temperature.
- This cake has the best flavor if you serve it the day after making it.
Video
Notes
- There is no additional salt in this recipe. If you only have unsalted butter, add ¾ teaspoon of salt to the cake batter.
- Yes, 1 ½ cups of butter (3 sticks) is a lot, but it is traditional for a pound cake. One reader made the cake with 1 cup of butter, then added in ¼ cup spiced rum (or you could do milk) and the cake turned out well.
- Refer to the article above for more tips and tricks.
Nutrition
Calories: 539kcal | Carbohydrates: 72g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 127mg | Sodium: 259mg | Potassium: 141mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 52g | Vitamin A: 858IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 44mg | Iron: 2mg
Why did my cake over flow the pan?
Cooking this now and I forgot the butter and brown sugar over the pineapple and cherries before adding the cake batter! I’m just hoping for the best! Cake batter is delicious…. thank you for the recipe!
Amazing recipe and very easy to follow. I actually made small Bundt cakes instead of one large cake. Having the temperature guide was helpful to know when they were done. The first batch wasn’t as pretty as the second because i was trying to figure out how full the Bundt cavities should be. They turned out beautiful and so tasty! Thank you!
This seems to have a lot of sugar is it very sweet? Thinking of making it for a picky eater who loves poundcake and pineapple but not anything overly sweet
I made this cake for a friend. It is absolutely delicious!!