Pineapple Upside Down Bundt Cake

A Twist On A Classic Cake Recipe

There’s no need to wait for a special celebration to eat cake. This easy pineapple upside-down cake is the perfect dessert recipe for any day of the week.

Unlike a frosted cake, which takes additional time to decorate after baking, pineapple upside-down cakes are decorated while they bake. The brown sugar butter sauce creates a glaze, and the pineapple rings and maraschino cherries provide a decorated cake right out of the oven!

❤️ Why I Love This Recipe

• Super Easy! Most of the ingredients for this cake are already prepared; you just have to put everything together. Open the fruit, mix the cake batter, and layer in the pan.
• So Tasty! On top of being super simple, it is super tasty. The brown sugar and butter glaze provides the perfect sweetness without the heaviness of frosting.
• It's Versatile! I love this pineapple upside-down bundt cake for any occasion. It is a great dessert during the week or even a beautiful addition to a brunch spread.

🥘 Ingredients

• Butter – I typically bake with salted butter, but salted or unsalted butter will work. *Omit the oil from the boxed instructions.
• Light Brown Sugar – Light brown sugar adds a richer flavor to baked goods and helps retain moisture. It's part of the self-saucing wonder that upside-down cakes are known and loved for!
• Pineapple Slices – Canned pineapple comes in many forms: crushed, tidbits, chunks, and slices. Pay close attention to make sure you get the slices.
• Maraschino Cherries – Maraschino cherries are cherries that have been canned and sweetened. These are the same cherries you see in Shirley Temples or mixed cocktails and are commonly used in baking. *One jar should be enough for the recipe.
• Yellow Cake Mix – You can use any yellow cake mix from your grocery store. Betty Crocker, Pillsbury, and Duncan Hines are the most common brands (Jiffy, King Arthur Flour, and Krusteaz also offer yellow cake mix as do several generic brands). All are wonderful!
• Large Eggs – Large eggs are the most common size you purchase in the store.
• Vanilla (optional) - Add a splash of vanilla extract to your cake batter if desired.

🧂 Substitutions

Dark brown sugar – If your store (and pantry) is out of light brown sugar, you can use dark brown sugar instead. Dark brown sugar is made with a bit more molasses, which adds a slightly richer taste.

Pineapple - A pineapple upside-down cake is identified by its use of sliced pineapple rounds. If your store is out of pineapple slices (or you accidentally get home with the wrong can) you can still make this cake, it just won’t have the traditional look of the rounds. If needed, pineapple tidbits are your best substitution.

Cake Mix Options - The best cake mix flavor for any pineapple upside-down cake, in my opinion, is a simple yellow cake mix. You can use the Super Moist or Moist Supreme varieties, or even one that has pudding if you can find it.

Can I Use Fresh Pineapple?

Yes, most definitely! While the sliced rounds are convenient, you can slice fresh pineapple and squeeze some juice to make the cake mix batter.

👩🏻‍🍳 How To Make Pineapple Upside Down Bundt Cake

The pineapple juice that is in the can will be used later to prepare the cake batter, so drain and set aside, do not throw it out! When you get to step 3, use a fork to lift the pineapple slices out of the can and leave the juice in the can until step 4.

This recipe yields one bundt cake, which is typically sliced to make 12-16 servings.

Preheat & Prepare Your Bundt Pan

Step 1: Prep. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C/Gas Mark 4) and coat your bundt pan with butter and flour (photo 1). *Flour offers a second layer between the butter and the cake mix, that helps keep the cake from absorbing the butter as it melts, which helps the butter to do its job and keep the cake from sticking.

Arrange The Topping

Step 2: Melt butter. Pour the first ¼ cup portion of melted butter (½ cup total) into your bundt pan then sprinkle 1 cup of packed light brown sugar over the melted butter (photo 2). Spread evenly over the bottom of the pan.

Step 3: Arrange the fruit. Remove all the pineapple slices from a 20-ounce can and slice them in half. Place the halves in the bottom of your bundt pan nestled into the ridges (photo 3).

Step 4: Add the cherries. Set a maraschino cherry (16-20 cherries, stems removed) between the slices (photo 4). Push gently on the cherries to firmly place them in the brown sugar.

Mix The Cake Batter

Step 5: Mix the cake batter. Combine the reserved pineapple juice with enough water to make 1 total cup of liquid (photo 5). In a large mixing bowl, mix the cake batter as directed on the box using the second ¼ cup of melted butter, the pineapple juice with water, and 3 large eggs (photo 6) plus optional 1-2 teaspoons of vanilla extract. *The cake box may call for oil but replace it with the ¼ cup of melted butter ONLY.

Step 6: Transfer. Pour the mixed batter into your prepared bundt pan gently so that the pineapple slices remain upright (photo 7), do not spread or smooth the cake batter (photo 8).

Bake & Serve

Step 7: Bake. Place in the middle of your oven's center rack and bake at 350°F (175°C/Gas Mark 4) for 30-35 minutes, until an inserted cake tester, toothpick, or butter knife comes out clean. A fully baked cake should spring back to the touch.

Step 8: Remove and cool. Place a heat-safe plate or serving platter over the bottom of the bundt pan and invert the cake. Set aside for 5 minutes to allow the cake to release from the pan. *The pan will still be hot, so use two hot pads to hold the edges of the pan with the plate. Make sure you have a tight hold, then gently invert/flip the bundt pan over.

Step 9: Cool and serve. Remove the bundt pan (photo 9) and continue cooling for 25 minutes, then serve warm or store for later.

If you will be serving this the same day, bake it just before you begin preparing dinner. This way it can cool while you are eating dinner and your pineapple upside down bundt cake will be just right to slice and serve when dinner is done. Enjoy!

💭 Angela's Pro Tips & Recipe Notes

• You don’t have to use a bundt pan. You can use two 8-inch or 9-inch square or round cake pans and bake for 22-27 minutes. As a sheet cake in a 9x13 rectangular pan for 21-26 minutes.
• Modified temp & cooking times. Bake at 325°F (163°C/Gas Mark 3) for dark or non-stick pans.
• Testing to see if the cake is done. Use a cake tester, toothpick, or butter knife check to see if your cake is done. When baking in the bundt pan, insert the tester in the middle of one section. When you pull out the tester, it should be clean (no batter or crumbs on the tester). If it is not cooked all the way through, return to the oven for 3-5 more minutes and test again.
• Avoid opening the oven door while the cake is baking. Opening the oven door while a cake is baking will lead to a drop in oven temperature causing the cake to fall (or sink) in the middle. Additionally, opening the oven door and releasing the heated air can extend the baking time.

🥡 Storing

You can store this cake in the fridge for up to 3 days. It can dry out a bit each day, so it’s best to eat as soon as possible. Make sure to store your bundt cake covered with plastic cling film and then place it into an airtight container.

Remove from the fridge about an hour before serving. Let your pineapple upside down bundt cake sit on the counter to come to room temperature.

🧁 More Easy Desserts

• Bisquick Apple Cobbler
• Peach Dump Cake
• Cherry Chocolate Dump Cake
• Oreo Mug Cake
• Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats

📖 Recipe Card

🤣 Just A Funny Family Story

I use this same cake mix-based recipe to make 2 8 or 9-inch round cakes or a 9x13 cake. I had prepared two rounds when my family and I lived in Tigard, Oregon. This timeframe is when our daughter was a toddler and our middle child, Logan, was about 10 years old.

Logan LOVED sweets and was known for sneaking a taste or swiping frosting off of cakes and cupcakes, thinking (somehow) that I wouldn't notice. In this case, you actually ate a bit off the edge of one of the two pineapple upside down cake rounds. He was lectured and scolded appropriately.

When I walked away again, he did it a second time. I was blown away - but the story goes to show you that it was worth getting into trouble TWICE! 😂