Classic Pineapple Upside-Down Cake
A foolproof, stunning retro dessert featuring a buttery brown sugar glaze, sweet pineapple slices, and a perfectly moist, tender crumb infused with coconut and vanilla. This impressive cake requires simple ingredients and delivers guaranteed non-stick results.
Equipment
- 9-inch round cake pan
- Electric hand mixer or stand mixer
- Large mixing bowls
Ingredients
Pineapple Layer
- 1 spray Nonstick cooking spray for the cake pan
- 0.25 cup unsalted butter melted (56 grams)
- 0.5 cup light brown sugar 100 grams
- 6 slices canned pineapple 6 to 7 slices, juice reserved
- 13 cocktail cherries maraschino or Amarena
Cake
- 0.5 cup unsalted butter at room temperature (113 grams)
- 0.5 cup granulated sugar 100 grams
- 0.25 cup light brown sugar 50 grams
- 3 large egg whites
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 0.5 tsp coconut extract
- 0.5 cup sour cream 125 milliliters
- 0.25 cup pineapple juice from the can (60 milliliters)
- 1.75 cups all-purpose flour 227 grams
- 0.5 cup unsweetened toasted coconut 35 grams
- 1.5 tsp cornstarch
- 1.25 tsp baking powder
- 0.5 tsp baking soda
- 0.5 tsp kosher salt
- 1 serving Whipped cream for serving
Instructions
- Prep Pan and Caramel: Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 9-inch cake pan with nonstick spray. Pour 1/4 cup melted butter into the pan, sprinkle evenly with 1/2 cup brown sugar. Arrange pineapple slices and cherries over the sugar.
- Whisk Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, toasted coconut, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: Beat 1/2 cup room-temperature butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy (about 3 minutes).
- Add Wet Ingredients: Beat in the egg whites one at a time. Mix in the vanilla and coconut extracts, followed by the sour cream and reserved pineapple juice.
- Combine and Bake: Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the wet batter until just combined. Spoon batter gently over the fruit layer. Bake 40-45 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Invert the Cake: Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for exactly 15 minutes. Run a knife around the edge, place a plate over the pan, and swiftly invert. Let rest upside down for 1 minute before removing the pan.
Notes
Cooling the cake for exactly 15 minutes before inverting is the key to preventing the fruit from sticking or the caramel from running off the sides.