Easy pineapple upside down cake with crushed pineapple

Q: Does pineapple upside down cake need to be refrigerated overnight?

Pineapple upside-down cake needs to be refrigerated if youre not planning to consume it within 48 hours. Remember – this type of cake contains fruit, which means it will spoil quickly if not chilled. If your kitchen is hotter than 70F, pineapple upside-down cake will need to be refrigerated immediately.

Grease a 9x13 inch pan and preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Table of Contents Show
Drain crushed pineapple and reserve juice. Combine margarine, brown sugar, pineapple and 2 tablespoons pineapple juice. Spread onto the bottom of a 9x13 inch pan. Add enough water to remaining juice to make 1 1/3 cup of liquid. Set aside.
Combine flour and baking powder. Set aside.
Cream shortening and white sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla, and beat for 1 minute. Add flour mixture alternately with juice, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients.
Pour over pineapple mixture in pan. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 5 minutes and then turn out.

Wow your friends and family with this classic pineapple upside-down cake. With tasting notes that boast fruity, gooey, caramelly goodness, it's no wonder why this has been a must-make favorite for generations. In our Easy Pineapple Upside-Down Cake recipe, save yourself some time with a fool-proof shortcut. With a box of Betty Crocker™ Super Moist™ Yellow Cake Mix, you can have this impressive dessert prepped for the oven in just 15 minutes. With step-by-step directions, Betty's with you every step of the way in this incredible upside-down pineapple cake. Now just bake, flip and enjoy!

Ingredients

1/4 cup butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 can (20 oz) pineapple slices in juice, drained, juice reserved
1 jar (6 oz) maraschino cherries without stems, drained
1 box Betty Crocker™ Super Moist™ Yellow Cake Mix
Vegetable oil and eggs called for on cake mix box

Steps

1

Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan). In 13x9-inch pan, melt butter in oven. Sprinkle brown sugar evenly over butter. Arrange pineapple slices on brown sugar. Place cherry in center of each pineapple slice, and arrange remaining cherries around slices; press gently into brown sugar.
2
Add enough water to reserved pineapple juice to measure 1 cup. Make cake batter as directed on box, substituting pineapple juice mixture for the water. Pour batter over pineapple and cherries.
3
Bake 42 to 48 minutes (44 to 53 minutes for dark or nonstick pan) or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Immediately run knife around side of pan to loosen cake. Place heatproof serving plate upside down onto pan; turn plate and pan over. Leave pan over cake 5 minutes so brown sugar topping can drizzle over cake; remove pan. Cool 30 minutes. Serve warm or cool. Store covered in refrigerator.

Tips from the Betty Crocker Kitchens

tip 1
Serve pineapple upside-down cake with sweetened whipped cream or an 8-oz container of frozen (thawed) whipped topping (3 cups), if desired. For 3 cups of sweetened whipped cream, in chilled medium bowl, beat 1 1/2 cups whipping cream and 2 tablespoons granulated sugar with electric mixer on high speed until soft peaks form.
tip 2
Worried about inverting the upside-down pineapple cake? You can do it! After placing serving plate upside-down over pan, grasp firmly and flip in one quick motion. Confidence makes all the difference.
tip 3
Try adding dried spices to the brown sugar and butter mixture for a new flavor twist.
tip 4
Cooking Vegetarian? Always read labels to make sure each recipe ingredient is vegetarian. Products and ingredient sources can change.

Nutrition

380 Calories, 16g Total Fat, 3g Protein, 57g Total Carbohydrate, 41g Sugars

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: 1/12 of Cake

Calories380Calories from Fat140

Total Fat16g24%

Saturated Fat5g25%Trans Fat0g

Cholesterol55mg19% Sodium310mg13%Potassium80mg2%Total Carbohydrate57g19%

Dietary Fiber0g0%Sugars41g

Protein3g

Vitamin A4%4%Vitamin C2%2%Calcium10%10%Iron6% 6%

Exchanges:

1 Starch; 0 Fruit; 3 Other Carbohydrate; 0 Skim Milk; 0 Low-Fat Milk; 0 Milk; 0 Vegetable; 0 Very Lean Meat; 0 Lean Meat; 0 High-Fat Meat; 3 Fat;

Carbohydrate Choice

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

More About This Recipe

Forget the idea that baking a pineapple upside down cake is time-consuming. This classic favorite has made a comeback, and it's easier than ever to make it when you’re using the cake mix you can always count on, Betty Crocker™ Super Moist™. This recipe stars a tender cake that gets baked on top of a layer of pineapple slices and cherries in a brown sugar-butter mixture, and when it gets flipped over after baking (it’s easier than you think!), the sweet syrup infuses the pineapple upside-down cake with extra flavor. We love this cake so much that we’ve developed a complete collection of pineapple upside-down cake recipes. If making this easy pineapple upside-down cake has you interested in learning more about making everyone's favorite dessert, check out Betty’s Guide to Cake-Making 101.

Try These Next

Pineapple Upside-Down Cupcakes
Pineapple Upside-Down Skillet Cake
Skinny Pineapple Upside-Down Cake
Pineapple Upside-Down Layer Cake
Pineapple Upside-Down Mini-Cakes
Slow-Cooker Pineapple Upside Down Cake

How do you get pineapple upside down cake to not stick to the pan?

Pour ½ of melted butter into cast iron skillet or round cake pan. Swirl the pan until the bottom and sides are well-coated with butter to prevent the cake from sticking.

Can I use pineapple juice instead of water in a cake mix?

Use pineapple juice to make a cake from a boxed mix. Simply replace the oil, milk, or water called for in the recipe with pineapple juice in equal proportions. A yellow or white cake works best, since the pineapple flavor could clash or get lost if you use chocolate or another flavor.

Can you make pineapple upside down cake the day before?

Like most cakes, pineapple upside-down cakes can be made in advance. Warm the cake slightly after it's been refrigerated or frozen and it will taste like it was made the same day!

Does pineapple upside down cake need to be refrigerated overnight?

Pineapple upside-down cake needs to be refrigerated if you're not planning to consume it within 48 hours. Remember – this type of cake contains fruit, which means it will spoil quickly if not chilled. If your kitchen is hotter than 70F, pineapple upside-down cake will need to be refrigerated immediately.