Pineapple Upside Down Cake
This pineapple upside-down cake recipe features sliced pineapple rings, maraschino cherries, brown sugar, and butter atop fresh and moist cake mix. The impressive dessert is easy to make and will become a classic favorite.
A Classic Cake
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Additional Cooling Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 24 pieces
Preparation Level: Beginner +
The cake recipe has been around for generations and can be made in a variety of ways. You can start off with fresh pineapple or use canned. The cake doesn’t rise very much, and it’s a bit of a messy cake, but it turns out so delicious. And it leaves your house smelling incredibly amazing. My kids ran out of their rooms wondering what smelled so good.
Ingredients
Pineapple Layer
- 8 slices pineapple (20-ounce can with juice)
- 10 Maraschino cherries (6-ounce bottle)
- 1 cup packed brown sugar (light)
- 1/4 cup melted butter
Cake Mix
- 15.25-ounce cake mix (Betty Crocker Delights Super Moist French Vanilla Mix)
- 3 eggs
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup pineapple juice (OR water)
Full printable recipe with measurements and instructions listed at the bottom of the post in the recipe card.
My husband loves to grow pineapples, so we have quite a few in our backyard. For this recipe, we used the bigger pineapple because you will need about seven or eight pineapple rings. If you are interested in learning more about growing pineapples, he has a video over on YouTube about it.
We bought a pineapple slicer that cuts the rings while it cuts through the pineapple.
The cutter leaves the center, but you can see the rings.
Whether you use a real pineapple or buy canned pineapple, be sure to reserve the juice. You will need one cup of juice for the recipe. My husband had to squeeze the outer layer to get more juice out. There’s a lot of excess liquid in the skin. Once you have the juice, set it to the side for a later step.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Grab a 9-inch by 13-inch baking pan and coat it with some non-stick cooking spray. Melt the butter and pour it into the bottom of the pan.
Next, sprinkle the light brown sugar into the bottom of the pan and spread it out.
Arrange pineapple slices in the pan.
Place the maraschino cherries in the center of each pineapple slice and in a few places around the pan to add some color.
Add the cake mix to a large mixing bowl. For this recipe, I used Betty Crocker Delights Super Moist French Vanilla Cake Mix in the 15.25-ounce box.
Pour the reserved pineapple juice into the bowl. You can substitute it with water if you don’t have enough pineapple juice.
Next, pour the vegetable oil into the bowl and combine the ingredients.
Gently pour batter over the pineapple slices. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.
Let the cake cool for about five minutes. Run a knife along the edges of the pan to loosen the cake. Then, place a large wooden cutting board or a cookie sheet over the cake and turn the cake upside down. It will be HOT, so be sure to use oven mitts.
The cake will end up on the cutting board. Let the cake pan sit on top of the cake for a few minutes to make sure most of the brown sugar drips off onto the cake. Then, lift the cake pan off and serve.
Storage
Store the cake in an airtight container or cover it with plastic wrap and keep it in the refrigerator.
More Favorite Desserts
- Hello Dolly Bars
- Easy banana brownies
- Red velvet swirl cheesecake brownies
- Gluten free Christmas cookies
- Pineapple Sunshine Cake from Belle of the Kitchen
Pineapple Upside Down Cake With Cake Mix
Ingredients
Pineapple Layer
- 8 slices pineapple 20 ounce can with juice
- 10 Maraschino cherries 6 ounce bottle
- 1 cup packed brown sugar light
- 1/4 cup melted butter
Cake Mix
- 15.25 ounce cake mix Betty Crocker Delights Super Moist French Vanilla Mix
- 3 eggs
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup pineapple juice OR water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray a 9-inch by 13-inch baking dish with non stick cooking spray.
- Melt butter and pour into baking dish.
- Sprinkle brown sugar over the butter and spread out.
- Place pineapple slices in the bottom of the pan on top of the brown sugar.
- Next, place cherries in the center of the pineapple rings and around them.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the cake mix, eggs, vegetable oil, reserved pineapple juice (OR water) and mix on low speed.
- Gently pour batter over the pineapples and bake the cake for 40-45 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.
- Gently run a knife along the edges of the pan to make sure the cake doesn't stick when you flip it.
- Allow the cake to cool for five minutes. Place a wooden cutting board or cookie sheet over the cake and invert cake. (Be careful as it will be HOT. You will need oven mitts).
- Let the cake pan sit on top for a few minutes while the brown sugar mixture drips off.
- Remove the pan and serve the classic pineapple upside down cake.
