• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Chef Dennis
  • Home
  • Recipe Index
  • My Recipes
  • On the Road
  • Ask Chef Dennis
  • About
    • Contact
    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclosure Policy
    • Cookie Policy
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • Recipe Index
  • My Recipes
  • On the Road
  • Ask Chef Dennis
  • About
    • Contact
    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclosure Policy
    • Cookie Policy
×
Home » Recipes » Dessert » Cakes » Pineapple Upside Down Cake Recipe

Pineapple Upside Down Cake Recipe

January 5, 2011 by Chef Dennis Littley 102 Comments

This post includes affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
57shares
  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Pin
  • Yummly
Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

How to make Pineapple Upside Down Cake

If you’ve never had a Pineapple Upside Down Cake, you don’t know what you’re missing. And when its good its OMG good!

This is my wife’s favorite cake so you know I make it on a regular basis. It’s really easy to make and using fresh pineapples really kicks it up a notch. Of course, you can use canned pineapples if fresh is not available.

view at an angle of a pineapple upside down cake with a slice missing on a silver platter

This cake is absolutely incredible warm, but even cold out of the refrigerator the next day it was pretty darn good! The density of the cake will just amaze you, along with the subtle flavors of the cake next to the sweetness of the topping and the tart-sweet pineapple…sigh

pineapple upside down cake with a slice missing on a silver platter

This is definitely a classic. A cake that everyone should remember because it’s just that good!

slice of Pineapple upside down cake on a white plate with blueberries

If  you love a good cake recipe you might also like these recipes:

  • Pineapple Butter Cake
  • Italian Cannoli Pound Cake 
  • Chocolate Mousse Cake
  • Meyer Lemon Pistachio Pound Cake

Did you make this? Please RATE THE RECIPE below!

Please SUBSCRIBE and FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, TWITTER, INSTAGRAM and PINTEREST!

Print Recipe Save Saved!
5 from 1 vote

Pineapple Upside Down Cake

When it's time to make an easy and delicious dessert for your family, make sure to check out this recipe for Pineapple Upside Down Cake.  Your family will be glad you did,
Prep Time15 mins
Cook Time45 mins
Total Time1 hr
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: pineapple cake, pineapple upside down cake
Servings: 20
Calories: 432kcal
Author: Chef Dennis Littley

Ingredients

  • 2 cups butter softened
  • 1 1/2 cups  brown sugar packed
  • 1 pineapple cut slices without the core
  • 1/4 cup blueberries or maraschino cherries
  • 2 1/4 cups sugar
  • 3 large eggs
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • 3 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 tbsp baking powder
  • 3/4 tsp baking soda
  • 3/4 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 1/2 cup Greek yogurt
  • 1/4 cup milk
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • In a saucepan melt 1 cup butter and add in the brown sugar and blend well to incorporate all the melted butter.
  • Divide the mixture between two 9' round cake pans, arrange fresh pineapple slices in the pan, you should be able to place 4 slices in the pan, then use sections to fill in the rest of the pan. I used blueberries in the center of the pineapple, you could stay traditional and use maraschino cherries, or even use cranberries.
    (for a twist sprinkle the topping with chopped pecans)
  • In a stand mixer or a large bowl, cream the sugar with the rest of the butter until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time and then the vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in another bowl and blend together well.
  • Mix the Greek yogurt and milk together and alternately add in the flour then the yogurt, 1/3 at a time. mixing well after each addition. Divide between the two pans
  • Bake at 350 degrees for 40-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Immediately invert onto a serving platter, then allow to cool briefly.

Notes

Place a cookie sheet under the cakes, the topping may bubble out over the pan causing a mess in your oven.

Nutrition

Calories: 432kcal | Carbohydrates: 61g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 77mg | Sodium: 320mg | Potassium: 194mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 45g | Vitamin A: 640IU | Vitamin C: 21.8mg | Calcium: 80mg | Iron: 1.3mg

MORE RECIPES YOU'LL LOVE!

  • Pineapple Butter Cake Recipe - Chef Dennis
    Pineapple Butter Cake Recipe - Chef Dennis
  • Grilled Shrimp and Pineapple Skewers Recipe
    Grilled Shrimp and Pineapple Skewers Recipe
  • Blackened Mahi-Mahi with a Pineapple Lobster Sauce
    Blackened Mahi-Mahi with a Pineapple Lobster Sauce
  • Pineapple Shrimp Luau for a Tropical Island Dinner at Home
    Pineapple Shrimp Luau for a Tropical Island Dinner at Home

About Chef Dennis

Picture of Chef Dennis

Chef Dennis is a semi-retired Chef, writer/blogger, photographer, recipe developer and creator of A Culinary Journey with Chef Dennis aka Ask Chef Dennis®. Chef Dennis worked professionally in White Table Cloth Restaurants for 40 years and has been developing easy to make, restaurant-style recipes since 2009. The second phase of his reinvention from chef to blogger has earned him a place at the Worlds Dinner Table. Join him on his Culinary Journey enjoying his easy to make Restaurant Style recipes and travel adventures. For more details, check out his About page.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. PG

    June 22, 2020 at 6:26 am

    Isnt there a more simple recipe? This need a large volume of ingredients!
    The pineapple butter cake recipe is awesome. Made too many times now

    Reply
  2. katherina

    April 30, 2017 at 6:37 am

    Hi! I simply want to offer you a big thumbs up for your great recipe!
    I will be coming back to your website for more soon.

    Reply
  3. cookmarked

    January 23, 2011 at 4:37 pm

    I def agree with using fresh! It's always better that way. 🙂 These pictures are making my stomach talk!

    Reply
  4. Kate

    January 12, 2011 at 2:36 am

    Hi Dennis – Couple of things – First I'm not certain if everyone has a Foodbuzz contract that allows them to directly contact a company and feature them in a giveaway on their blog. It seems to me that I read that Foodbuzz controls that for the newer contracts… So, folks need to check their contracts prior to making any of their own contacts – although I'm pretty certain FB doesn't have the staff to monitor all of the giveaways! Second, the Top 9. I too questioned how they're selected. FB was very vague but basically said it's buzz but people eat with their eyes. I felt like they were saying they choose the top rated posts with great photos. I'm not sure why they can't do a page of the best daily photos a la Tastespotting et al but they don't. I wonder if a lot of others would like to see a page of great photos every day? Thank you so much for providing this forum!! Kate

    Reply
  5. Betty Ray

    January 11, 2011 at 10:08 pm

    Sorry I'm late here – just catching up. My grandmother used to make upside down cake ALL the time and it was so good but I never found her recipe. Yours looks wonderful and I am printing it out to try. Thanks for the lovely memories!

    Reply
  6. FOODESSA

    January 10, 2011 at 10:09 am

    This delightful cake certainly got my attention. Reversed cakes, especially pineapple…was my Nonna's quick put together when she knew we were coming for an afternoon visit and a game of cards…also her favorite ;o)
    I'll have to kepp your recipe in file for when that mood strikes me ;o)

    Ciao for now,
    Claudia

    Reply
  7. whatsfordinneracrossstatelines

    January 10, 2011 at 6:21 am

    My grandmother always made pineapple upside down cake, so I'm a huge fan. Love all your advice as usual. Only thing I noticed about Top 9 is if your photo is on FG or TS, it's on the Top 9. Have a great week!
    -Gina-

    Reply
  8. mangiabella

    January 09, 2011 at 9:36 pm

    haha there is an old saying around here that goes "a happy life is a happy wife" – there is much truth to that 🙂

    Reply
  9. Rosemary

    January 08, 2011 at 7:14 pm

    I have to admit that I'm not the biggesst pineapple upside down cake in the world, but you're tempting me! The Greek yogurt and blueberries are nice additions and I'm sure that fresh pineapple makes a world of difference. I could be convinced!

    You offer such great advice. Thanks much!

    Reply
  10. lostpastremembered

    January 08, 2011 at 6:14 pm

    I love pineapple upside down cake Dennis, I don't know why I don't make it more often… great recipe and the photos are mouthwatering… hope you had a great New Years!!!

    Reply
  11. lisaiscooking

    January 08, 2011 at 3:01 pm

    I love pineapple upside down cake, and this one is a beauty! Sounds great with the Greek yogurt.

    Reply
  12. Stella

    January 07, 2011 at 8:40 pm

    Yum, Dennis! I agree that yogurt really does something special to cakes. It's kind of amazing sometimes actually. Oh, and thanks for all the good advice too;-)

    Reply
  13. Grace

    January 07, 2011 at 2:26 pm

    Just the perfect cake!!!! I've been sick all week and just now getting to reading all this amazing blog posts. I just mentioned how I was sick of winter and this cake is the perfect recipe to make when you're feeling the blues through winter and you want to transport yourself to some place warm. Thank you Dennis!!! Can always count on you for a pick me up.

    Reply
  14. grace

    January 07, 2011 at 10:31 am

    this is my grandpa's favorite cake, and i'll admit that i love it too. the greek yogurt is a great addition!

    Reply
  15. Debbie

    January 07, 2011 at 5:16 am

    Thanks for the idea on Giveaways, I never thought to contact a company directly!

    Reply
  16. Kim - Liv Life

    January 07, 2011 at 5:05 am

    Oohhh, Dennis! You have my all time favorite cake here. I used to ask my mom to make these for my birthday (occasionally we would switch with Apple Pie). With mu love of anything tropical, it's only natural I'd love this one. I haven't made one in years though, just kind of forgot about it. This is going to the top of my list!
    And as for Danno… well.. I admit to a bit of a crush on him! Well, it was a bigger crush until I found out he was only 5'5… that's the same as me, so too short in my book for me. Loving that show though! We don't miss an episode.

    I never thought to ask to host a giveaway, you are right, what it there to lose? I might give that a try!

    Reply
  17. Megan

    January 07, 2011 at 1:10 am

    HI Chef D! I have never made a pineapple upside down cake…. I may just have to head out for a piña and make one. Divine – Love the Chef D tips of the trade – made me smile and cool photos, the one of the cake on the platter is stellar! -megs

    Reply
  18. FOODalogue

    January 07, 2011 at 12:38 am

    Thanks for answering my question about uploading photos to accompany posts on FB. Since my blog is on automatic feed, I have to go in after it's posted in activity and then upload photo via edit. Perhaps I'll look into manual upload.

    P.S. Cake looks wonderful. So moist.

    Reply
  19. Lauren

    January 06, 2011 at 11:18 pm

    This looks so gourmet – your photos really take it to the next level!

    Reply
  20. Kita

    January 06, 2011 at 10:48 pm

    Your pictures are looking better by the post!

    As for photographs – oh you got me with that last statement. I hate when I see a photograph on sites like tastespotting and foodgawker that are not by the persons who is posting, but copied/linked from a professional site. Totally deflates my efforts to take decent pics.

    Reply
  21. gigabiting

    January 06, 2011 at 10:14 pm

    I've been making pineapple upside down cake for ages. It is actually my son's birthday cake of choice, and I have a tried and true recipe (he's 23 now- a lot of cakes are behind us) But the Greek yogurt twist is intriguing.

    Reply
  22. Trish

    January 06, 2011 at 10:07 pm

    Pineapple upside down cake is definitely one of my all-time favorite desserts. I try not to eat too many sweets but when I do, I make it count. This one definitely makes it count. I love how you added fresh pineapple and blueberries…plus the Greek yogurt, yum! Pineapple-upside down cake is my new favorite cocktail too 🙂

    Reply
  23. Joanne

    January 06, 2011 at 8:20 pm

    When life hands you beautiful pineapples – make pineapple cake! Even if you're cookied out.

    This looks so delicious to me. And I am totally cookied out.

    Reply
  24. ravienomnoms

    January 06, 2011 at 6:52 pm

    Oh my goodness that looks really fantastic Dennis! I feel like I just have to make this now. It would be a great cake to have at a summer get together, or any get together really.

    Reply
  25. LaPhemmePhoodie

    January 06, 2011 at 6:01 pm

    I love that you used greek yogurt in this recipe. It is my favorite ingredient to play with right now.

    Reply
  26. Elisabeth

    January 06, 2011 at 5:42 pm

    Hi Dennis-Your fresh pineapple-upside down cake is so pretty, and looks so moist. Love the addition of the Greek yogurt, which adds to the moistness.

    Great advices-Very professionally handled…congratulations for further success!

    Reply
  27. thelonelyradish.com

    January 06, 2011 at 2:01 pm

    Yes to fresh pineapple.

    Reply
« Older Comments

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar


I'm Chef Dennis and Welcome to my Culinary Journey where I share my Restaurant-Style Recipes & Travel Adventures. My goal in sharing my recipes and cooking tips is to make you feel more comfortable in your kitchen, and help you find the joy of cooking! 

More about me →

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

MOST POPULAR POSTS

  • The Best Tiramisu You Will Ever Make
  • How to Dry Brine and Roast a Turkey Perfectly – A Chef’s Secret Recipe
  • Oven Roasted Rack of Pork – Restaurant Style Dinner
  • Pineapple Butter Cake Recipe – Chef Dennis
  • Maryland Jumbo Lump Crab Imperial
  • The Original Pumpkin Crunch Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting – My Holiday Tradition

GET GRILLING

  • Grilled Shrimp and Pineapple Skewers Recipe
  • Grilled Dry Rub Lemon Pepper Chicken Wings
  • Restaurant Style Grilled Mahi-Mahi with Caponata
  • Grilled Alaskan Rockfish with Grilled Shrimp
  • Nicoise Salad with Grilled Shrimp
  • Dry Rub Grilled Baby Back Ribs : Step by Step Process

Footer

↑ back to top

About

  • Privacy Policy
  • Disclosure Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Accessibility Policy

Recipe Index

  • Recipe Index

© 2009-2021 · Ask Chef Dennis · Privacy Policy · Accessibility Statement

Proud Member of:
Mediavine Publisher Network