Description
This Perfect Pineapple Upside Down Cake features a rich caramelized brown sugar and butter topping adorned with juicy pineapple slices and maraschino cherries. The moist buttery cake is infused with pineapple juice and sour cream for a tender crumb and delightful tropical flavor, baked to a golden brown and served inverted for a stunning presentation.
Ingredients
Scale
Topping
- ½ cup brown sugar, packed
- ¼ cup salted butter, melted
Cake Ingredients
- 1 (20-ounce can) sliced pineapple, drained and juice reserved
- 12 maraschino cherries
- 1 ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup brown sugar, packed
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- ¼ cup sour cream
- ¼ cup milk
- ¼ cup pineapple juice, from reserved pineapple juice
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and spray a 9-inch cake pan with pan spray to prevent sticking.
- Make the Topping: Mix ½ cup brown sugar with ¼ cup melted salted butter until combined, then spread this evenly on the bottom of the prepared cake pan.
- Arrange Pineapple and Cherries: Pat the drained pineapple slices dry using paper towels to remove excess moisture, then arrange the slices evenly in the bottom and along the sides of the cake pan. Place the 12 maraschino cherries in the centers of the pineapple rings and in between them for an attractive finish.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a small bowl, whisk together 1 ⅓ cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, and ½ teaspoon salt. Set aside.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: In a large mixing bowl, beat ¼ cup softened unsalted butter, ½ cup granulated sugar, and ¼ cup brown sugar together for 2-3 minutes until light and well combined.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Beat in 1 large egg, ¼ cup sour cream, ¼ cup milk, and ¼ cup pineapple juice until just combined and smooth.
- Combine Wet and Dry: Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined; avoid overmixing to keep the cake tender.
- Bake the Cake: Pour and spread the batter evenly over the pineapple and cherry arrangement in the pan. Bake for 50 minutes or until the cake is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool and Invert: Allow the cake to cool for 15 minutes in the pan. Then carefully invert the cake onto a serving plate or cake stand to reveal the caramelized pineapple topping.
Notes
- Be sure to pat pineapple slices dry to prevent soggy cake.
- Use room temperature ingredients for better batter mixing and texture.
- Let the cake cool before inverting to avoid breaking the topping.
- You can substitute unsalted butter in the topping if preferred; adjust added salt accordingly.
- If you do not have sour cream, you can substitute with Greek yogurt for a similar texture.
- For an extra caramel flavor, you can lightly brown the butter before mixing with brown sugar.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 35 g
- Sodium: 180 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 48 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 55 mg
