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Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

You can't go wrong with this gorgeous pineapple upside-down cake, which comes together quickly and easily in a cast iron skillet, and will earn a permanent spot in your recipe box.
Pineapple Upside-Down Cake Ingredients
Butter: This pineapple upside-down cake recipe starts by melting butter in a cast iron skillet.
Brown sugar: Brown sugar is sprinkled over the melted butter in the skillet, resulting in a perfectly caramelized topping.
Fruit: You'll need a can of pineapple slices and jarred maraschino cherries.
Cake mix: A package of cake mix is combined with pineapple juice, oil, and egg whites. Some reviewers suggest using a yellow or lemon cake mix.
How to Make Pineapple Upside-Down Cake
You'll find the full, step-by-step recipe below, but here's a brief overview of what you can expect when you make this top-rated pineapple upside-down cake:
Make the topping: Melt butter in a cast-iron skillet, then remove the skillet from the heat. Sprinkle brown sugar over melted butter and arrange pineapple and cherries in a single layer on the bottom of the skillet.
Make the cake batter: Combine white cake mix with reserved pineapple juice, vegetable oil, and egg whites. Pour cake batter over the fruit.
Bake the cake: Bake the pineapple upside-down cake in a preheated oven, then allow it to cool for 10 minutes before turning the cake out onto a plate.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Additional time 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 12
Course: cake, Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 399
Ingredients Equipment Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 20 ounce can pineapple rings
  • ¼ cup water or as needed
  • ½ cup unsalted butter
  • 1 15.25 ounce package white cake mix (such as Betty Crocker Super Moist)
  • ½ cup vegetable oil
  • 3 large egg whites
  • 1 ½ cups brown sugar
  • 9 maraschino cherries

Equipment

  • Cooling rack
  • Spatula
  • Whisk or hand mixer
  • Mixing bowls
  • 9-inch round cake pan or cast-iron skillet

Method
 

  1. Gather all ingredients. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
  2. Drain canned pineapple into a 1-cup measure. Add water if needed to measure 1 cup. Set aside juice and 9 pineapple rings for the cake. Set any remaining juice and pineapple rings aside for another use.
  3. Melt butter in a 12-inch cast iron skillet over medium-high heat.
  4. While butter is melting, combine cake mix, reserved 1 cup pineapple juice, vegetable oil, and egg whites in a mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed for 2 minutes.
  5. Remove melted butter from the heat and sprinkle brown sugar evenly over top until all the butter is covered. Arrange 8 pineapple rings around the outer edge of the skillet and place the remaining pineapple ring in the center without overlapping. Place a maraschino cherry into the center of each pineapple ring; pour cake batter on top.
  6. Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean, about 40 minutes.
  7. Remove from the oven and let cool in the skillet for 10 minutes; don't let the cake cool too much or it will stick to the pan.
  8. Run an offset spatula around the edges to gently loosen cake. Place a plate over the skillet, then flip and carefully turn the warm cake out onto a plate. Transfer any fruit or glaze that sticks in the skillet back to the cake.

Nutrition

Calories: 399kcalCarbohydrates: 59gProtein: 3gFat: 18gSaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 20mgSodium: 280mgPotassium: 125mgFiber: 1gSugar: 43gVitamin C: 23mgCalcium: 104mgIron: 1mg

Notes

The amount of pineapple rings needed will vary on the pan size you use. This recipe was tested in our test kitchen and made in a 12-inch skillet with 9 pineapple rings. The video uses a 10-inch skillet with 7 pineapple rings.
Nutrition data for this recipe includes the full amount of pineapple rings and juice in a 20 ounce can. The actual amount consumed will vary.

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