Fresh Pineapple Upside Down Cake
- PREP 25min
- COOK 40min
- TOTAL 1hrs 5min
We love this easy pineapple upside-down cake! For the best results, use fresh pineapple. If you can only access canned pineapple, use pineapple in the lightest syrup you can find.
Why separate the eggs? We ask that you separate the eggs for this upside-down cake. The yolks are added during a different step than the whites. In fact, we gently beat the (unbeaten) egg whites at the end. We do this to achieve the best cake texture. This cake is moist, light, and airy.
You Will Need
8 ounces (225 grams) fresh pineapple, about 1/4 pineapple
12 tablespoons (170 grams) unsalted butter, softened (1 ½ sticks), divided
1/2 cup (100 grams) lightly packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar
2 teaspoons lime zest or lemon zest
2 large eggs, separated
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 ½ cups (195 grams) all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (125 grams) sour cream or plain yogurt
Directions
Make Batter
Position an oven rack in the lower third of the oven and heat the oven to 350° Fahrenheit.
Remove the ends and peel from the pineapple. Cut into four long wedges, and then cut away the core. Slice two of the wedges into 1/2-inch thick slices. You will need most of these for the cake. (Watch our video to see how we cut the pineapple.)
Spread four tablespoons of the butter over the bottom of an 8-inch or 9-inch cake pan (2-inches tall). Scatter the brown sugar and cinnamon evenly over the butter. Arrange the pineapple wedges in one even layer over the butter and sugar.
In a large bowl, beat the remaining eight tablespoons of butter, granulated sugar, and zest with an electric mixer on high speed until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the egg yolks and vanilla and beat until smooth.
In another bowl, whisk or sift the flour with the baking powder and salt.
On low speed, mix half of the flour mixture into the butter and egg yolk mixture until only a few streaks of flour remain, then mix in the remaining flour.
Add the (unbeaten) egg whites and sour cream. Mix on low speed until blended.
To Finish
Spoon cake batter onto the pineapple in the pan and spread into an even layer. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
Cool the cake in the pan for 5 minutes, then run a knife around the edges and invert it onto a plate to cool. If some pineapple slices stick to the pan, use a spatula to transfer them back on top of the cake and spread some gooey brown sugar sauce over them to cover it up.
Serve warm or at room temperature. Refrigerate the leftover cake for up to 3 days. You can also rewarm slices in the microwave for about 10 seconds.
Adam and Joanne's Tips
- Leftover Pineapple: Beyond enjoying juicy pineapple in fruit salads or alone, you can also broil slices or sear slices in a pan with some butter. Serve warm with a little whipped cream or ice cream.
- Recipe adapted and inspired from Alice Medrich’s “Sinfully Easy Delicious Desserts”
- Nutrition facts: The nutrition facts provided below are estimates. We have used the USDA database to calculate approximate values.
If you make this recipe, snap a photo and hashtag it #inspiredtaste — We love to see your creations on Instagram and Facebook! Find us: @inspiredtaste