PINEAPPLE UPSIDE DOWN CAKE

Pineapple Upside Down Cake - The Southern Lady Cooks

Pineapple upside down cake is an old fashioned classic that has been around as long as I can remember. My mother made this cake for every picnic, potluck or gathering and it was always a hit.  This cake is wonderful served with coffee.  You can always add ice cream or whipped cream but my family likes it just plain.  You might also like to check out our recipe for blueberry crisp.

Pineapple Upside Down Cake Ingredients Needed:

Butter

Brown sugar

1 (20 ounce) can pineapple rings in pineapple juice

All-purpose flour

Baking powder

Salt

White granulated sugar

Eggs

Evaporated milk or regular milk

Vanilla extract

Pineapple juice

Maraschino cherries for decoration

This pineapple upside down cake is made in a 10 inch iron skillet but you could make it in a 9×13 baking dish. My mother always made this cake in an iron skillet and we have definitely kept that tradition going.  A 9X13 dish works fine too! If you have any pineapple juice left over, it is great poured over cake slices when served.

If you feel like your pineapple rings are really wet, then blot them dry with a paper towel before adding them to the skillet or dish. Same with the cherries, it just takes some of the moisture down.

“Okay, every once in a while I try a recipe that, when eating it, I say, “Are you kidding me? Did I actually make this?” Because it tastes like heaven. This is one of those recipes! The texture, flavor, ease of making … It’s the absolutely best! I actually made three more for my neighbors.” -Holly

“Great Recipe, never baked this style of cake before but worked beautifully. I didn’t have any cherries, so I used pecans which were just as good” – Charlotte

Pineapple Upside Down Cake - The Southern Lady Cooks

Tips on evaporated milk:  You can use evaporated milk in lots of recipes instead of regular milk.  You can also blend 1 part evaporated milk to 1 part water in a recipe or use it without blending. It just makes for a creamier consistency. It is great to have on hand when you run out of regular milk. Once opened and refrigerated you should use it within 3 to 5 days. It is good to use in baked goods, macaroni and cheese, mashed potatoes, soups, puddings and makes a great creamer for coffee or tea.

Pineapple Upside Down Cake - The Southern Lady Cooks

Are you reading our digital magazine, Front Porch Life? It’s full of great new recipes, country living, fantastic people, southern charm, cooking tips and so much more. We send it directly to your email so you can start reading, cooking and relaxing immediately! This is our premium content not found on our website. Join 1000’s of others today and start enjoying our magazine! 

Print Recipe
5 from 6 votes

Pineapple Upside Down Cake

This pineapple upside down cake is made in an iron skillet but you could make it in a 9 x 13 baking dish. This cake is wonderful served with coffee.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time45 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Course: Cake
Cuisine: American, southern
Keyword: Pineapple Upside Down Cake
Servings: 1 cake
Author: The Southern Lady Cooks

Ingredients

Topping Ingredients

  • 4 tablespoons butter or 1/4 cup
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1 20 ounce can pineapple rings in pineapple juice, drained (save the juice)

Cake Ingredients

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 8 tablespoons butter or 1/2 cup or 1 stick softened (I use salted butter)
  • 3/4 cup white granulated sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 cup evaporated milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup pineapple juice
  • Maraschino cherries for decoration

Instructions

Topping Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 10 inch iron skillet generously with cooking spray. Add the butter to the skillet and melt in the preheated oven. Remove skillet, sprinkle in brown sugar and arrange pineapple rings on top. Set aside or on top of stove while you make the cake batter.

Cake Intructions

  • Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside. In another bowl using a mixer cream butter, sugar and eggs. Add milk, vanilla and pineapple juice along with creamed butter, sugar and eggs to flour mixture and mix until all ingredients are wet. Spread in skillet over pineapple.
  • Bake in preheated 350 degree oven on middle shelf for 35 to 45 minutes until center tests done. Remove from oven and let cool 10 to 15 minutes. Turn out onto plate or platter. Decorate with cherries. Makes 6 to 8 large servings

Notes

If you have any pineapple juice left over, it is great poured over cake slices when served.

Don’t forget about our Ebooks! Each Ebook is a collection of our most popular recipes. You will have them all at your fingertips and can pull them up at any time. Nice and convenient instead of having to search a database. You can purchase each Ebook individually or buy the bundle.

Click here to follow us on Instagram.

© The Southern Lady Cooks photos and text – All rights reserved. No copying, posting on other sites, or other uses allowed without written permission of the copyright holder.

 

 

 

 

Save

Save

Save

5 Secrets to Old-Fashioned
Southern Cooking

Tips, tricks & recipes to cook Southern food just like Grandma used to!

FREE EMAIL BONUS

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




10 Comments

  1. hi, i am a little confused on when and how to add the milk, vanilla and pineapple juice? i am def. not an amateur in the kitchen, but this part of directions confused me….it specified creaming butter, sugar and eggs, but didn’t offer specifics on afore mentioned items… first time i made this, i added creamed items to flour, then mixed a little, then added the rest…milk, vanilla, pineapple juice, then mixed again. i just KNEW it was overly mixed. sure enough, i gifted a friend with it. she was thrilled, and offered a slice to eat with her. i was APPALLED. as soon as i saw it, just knew it was overmixed. texture was horrible, and it even looked just as bad. trying this recipe again, but this time added milk, pineapple juice and vanilla to dry ingredients, mixed briefly, then added creamed goodies, with caution on mixing briefly. hoping this one comes out better…it is another gift, and i won’t be trying it, so i hope it is better than the first attempt. it seems to make sense to me, to just cream ALL wet ingredients together…anyone here that can clarify? i used to have an AMAZING p.u.c. recipe, but lost it years ago. thanks in advance, people.

    1. The Southern Lady says:

      “Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside. In another bowl using a mixer cream butter, sugar and eggs. Add milk, vanilla and pineapple juice along with creamed butter, sugar and eggs to flour mixture and mix until all ingredients are wet.” I don’t see how this is confusing.

  2. Charlotte Horwell says:

    Great Recipe, never baked this style of cake before but worked beautifully. I didn’t have any cherries, so I used pecans which were just as good5 stars

  3. Denise Briez says:

    This is a good recipe. I HAVE to eat gluten free so I’m trying some tweaks with different flours. Today is my first attempt and the flavor is great. I think the cake is a little denser than I like ideally, but it is really really good still. I used a cup-for-cup gluten free flour based with almond flour (which I’m trying to use up). It is not my favorite flour but worked okay in this recipe and the almond flavor is fantastic with these flavors. The only other thing I did different than the recipe is the cherries… I added them from the start and baked them with the cake. I like the look better that way and the cherries were plenty juicy still.

    Saturday I will try this recipe again with my favorite gluten free flour called Cup4Cup brand. l think this recipe with the Cup4Cup flour will be perfectly fluffy gluten-free alternative!5 stars

  4. Holly Morrison says:

    Okay, every once in a while I try a recipe that, when eating it, I say, “Are you kidding me? Did I actually make this?” Because it tastes like heaven. This is one of those recipes! The texture, flavour, ease of making … It’s the absolutely best! I actually made three more for my neighbours.5 stars

    1. The Southern Lady says:

      We’re so glad it was a hit for you!!

  5. Rainis Underwood says:

    Howdy!Thank You! And I Love your pineapple upside down recipes! And have Bless Holidays! Rainis5 stars

  6. Kim Cunningham says:

    This cake was Mmmmm good.5 stars

  7. Made it on a 9X13 baking dish and subbed evaporated milk for canned coconut milk. One of those deviations made me end up with a flatter cake, but it was delicious nonetheless. The sweetness was a little up there for my taste, though. Might try 1/2 cup of sugar next time. Thank you so much for the recipe!!!5 stars