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Pineapple Upside Down Cake Without Brown Sugar

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It is hard to believe how simple yet stunning pineapple cake is. The pineapple upside-down cake has a unique retro charm.

It all starts with a rich butter cake that, once removed from the spring form, reveals caramelized pineapple rings studded with maraschino cherries. Each bite brings amazing flavors.

The best thing about pineapple upside-down cake is that is so easy to make. Although it looks complicated, it is very simple and requires no special baking skills or equipment. 

Reasons Why We Love Pineapple Upside Down Cake

Pineapple upside-down cake traditionally uses canned pineapple rings. This means that you will never have to deal with cleaning and peeling the pineapple and creating perfect rings.

Pineapple upside-down cake is a version of a popular cake where sugar and fruit are cooked in the bottom of a pan with a silky batter on top.

Once the cake is flipped all its beauty is revealed with the pineapple rings being baked and soaked in melted butter and sugar. 

Pineapple upside-down cake has a near universal appeal – the single layer cake that requires minimum of the equipment and is not overly sweet.

In this recipe, I am also using the pineapple juice for the batter. Why waste such a good juice from the can? I mean, the pineapples have been soaking in the juice, so why ditch that extra yumminess?

Tips For Making Pineapple Upside Down Cake

A very important part of pineapple upside-down cake is the first buttery layer. You can make this layer in one of two ways: 

  1. The traditional method is to cream butter and sugar and spread it over the springform bottom. During the baking time, the butter and sugar will caramelize and give a nice flavor and topping for the pineapple.
  2. If you are looking for more intense flavor and golden-brown color on top of your pineapple cake, then you can cook the butter and sugar over the stove until golden and before pouring into the base of the springform. 

Once the pineapple is set in the springform pan, it is time to cover it with the batter. The batter for this cake is thick and it should be added by tablespoon over the pineapple rings.

Once you’ve poured the batter, try to leave it as still as possible as the batter may move the pineapple rings and the final appearance will be ruined. Just pour the batter over the top and leave it as it is. 

After baking, make sure to cool the cake slightly before inverting on a serving plate. This is the hardest part.

Many people are in rush and once they turn the cake while still warm, their sauce just runs out and over the serving plate.

Give your cake at least 5 minutes of cooling down before inverting. This will allow the sauce to settle a bit and stick to the pineapples. 

How To Perfectly Flip Upside Down Cake

For some, flipping the cake can be the issue. The ideal time to flip the cake is after it is cooled down a bit. After the cake is cooled, you will have to find a flat plate or cake stand.

Any plate with twisted or lifted sides is not recommended as it may ruin the cake and even make some trouble when cutting.

Pro tip: Before you flip the cake, run the knife around the cake. This will loosen some of the sticky sauce and ease the removal. Place the flat plate or cake stand on top of the cake and invert the cake.

Let gravity do its thing. Gently remove the springform, and if the pineapple rings are moved a bit, gently place them back.

How To Make Pineapple Upside Down Cake Without Brown Sugar

Step 1

Gather your ingredients. Preheat oven to 350F.

Make the topping. In a mixing bowl, whisk the butter and sugar until fluffy.

Step 2

Spread the butter over a 9-inch spring form. 

Place in the pineapple rings and add cherries in the center of the rings.

Step 3

Make the cake. Beat the butter and sugar in a mixing bowl. 

Add eggs and beat until smooth. Add flour, baking powder, and vanilla.

Stir until smooth. Spoon the batter over the pineapples and smooth the top.

Step 4

Bake the cake in a heated oven for 35 minutes. Remove the cake from the oven and allow it to cool for 5 minutes before inverting on a plate.

Invert the cake on a plate. Place the cake aside to cool down and slice before serving.

Pineapple Upside Down Cake Without Brown Sugar

Pineapple Upside Down Cake Without Brown Sugar

Yield: 1 cake
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes

These easy pineapple upside-down cake without brown sugar is a show stopper!

Ingredients

For the pineapple topping:

  • 2oz. softened butter
  • 2 oz. granulated sugar
  • 7 pineapple rings in syrup, drained (reserve syrup)
  • 7 glace cherries, optional

For the cake:

  • 4oz. softened butter
  • 4oz. granulated sugar
  • 4oz. plain flour
  • 1 ½ tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 eggs

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350F.
  2. Make the topping; in a mixing bowl, whisk the butter and sugar until fluffy.
  3. Spread the butter over a 9-inch springform. 
  4. Place in the pineapple rings and add cherries in the center of the rings.
  5. Make the cake; beat butter and sugar in a mixing bowl. 
  6. Add eggs and beat until smooth. Add flour, baking powder, and vanilla.
  7. Stir until smooth. Spoon the batter over the pineapples and smooth the top.
  8. Bake the cake in a heated oven for 35 minutes. Remove the cake from the oven and allow it to cool for 5 minutes before inverting on a plate.
  9. Invert the cake on a plate. Place the cake aside to cool down and slice before serving.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1 generous slice
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 410Total Fat: 19gSaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 92mgSodium: 254mgCarbohydrates: 60gFiber: 3gSugar: 41gProtein: 4g

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