The simple cake batter is flavored with vanilla and lime, giving it a lovely tropical flavor that works so well with the fresh pineapple and brown sugar. I love this pineapple cake so much and cannot wait for you to try it! For more cake recipes with fruit added to the batter, see our fresh strawberry cake or this lemon blueberry cake!
Key Ingredients
Pineapple: For the best flavor, I love using fresh pineapple. It’s lighter and more tart than canned pineapple. If you don’t have any fresh pineapple, canned slices packed in water or light syrup work too! Butter: I use butter in two ways in this recipe. First, I spread it on the cake pan, then sprinkle brown sugar over it before adding the pineapple. This creates a delicious caramel-like topping that’s nice and gooey when you turn the cake upside down for serving. I also use butter in the cake batter to make it rich and flavorful. Sugar: I use brown sugar for the topping and granulated sugar for the cake batter. Eggs: To get the perfect texture, I separate the eggs. The yolks are beaten into the butter and sugar, while the egg whites are gently mixed in at the end. I’ve tried making this cake with whole eggs like in other cake recipes, but the batter rises too much and overflows the pan. By gently stirring in the egg whites (unbeaten), we limit the air in the batter and prevent it from overflowing in the oven. Baking Powder: This helps the cake rise. Flour: I use all-purpose flour, but you can substitute a 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose flour blend if needed. Sour Cream: This helps to make our upside down cake tender and moist. Plain yogurt works well if you don’t have sour cream. Spices: I use a combination of cinnamon, lime zest, vanilla, and salt. The cinnamon isn’t traditional, but it adds a lovely warmth to the cake.
How to Make Pineapple Upside Down Cake
First, you’ll make the brown sugar topping. Grab your cake pan and spread softened butter all over the bottom. Scatter over brown sugar and cinnamon, then place pineapple slices on top. As the cake bakes, the pineapple releases some of its juices and sweetness, which runs out into the brown sugar topping. Once the cake bakes and you turn it upside down onto a plate, you’ll have a delicious, gooey brown sugar topping. I use my hand-held mixer for the cake batter, but a stand mixer works, too. I beat butter, sugar, and lime zest until light and fluffy, then add vanilla and egg yolks (saving the whites for later). I then add the flour, baking powder, and salt. I finish by mixing in the sour cream and (unbeaten) egg whites. From there, I spoon the batter into the cake pan and bake until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. I allow the cake to cool for a few minutes in the pan and then invert it upside down onto a serving platter (watch me do this in our video). The pineapple slices are soft and sweet, the brown sugar gooey topping tastes incredible, and the cake is moist and tender. So good! We ask that you separate the eggs for this upside down cake. You will beat the yolks with the butter and sugar, then gently mix the unbeaten egg whites into the batter at the end. This creates a more tender, moist cake while preventing too much air from being incorporated into the batter, which can cause it to overflow when baking in the oven. 12 tablespoons (170g) unsalted butter, softened (1 ½ sticks), divided 1/2 cup (100g) brown sugar 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar 2 teaspoons lime zest or lemon zest 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 large eggs, separated 1 ½ cups (195g) all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons baking powder 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt 1/2 cup (125g) sour cream or plain yogurt 2Remove the ends and peel from the pineapple. Cut into four long wedges, and then cut away the core. Slice two of the wedges into 1/2-inch thick slices. You will need most of these for the cake. (Watch our video to see how we cut the pineapple.) 3Spread four tablespoons of the butter over the bottom of an 8-inch or 9-inch cake pan that is at least 2 inches tall. (We do not recommend using a springform pan for this recipe as the brown sugar topping tends to leak out of the bottom.) 4Scatter the brown sugar and cinnamon evenly over the butter. 5Arrange the pineapple wedges in one even layer over the butter and sugar. 6In a large bowl, beat the remaining 8 tablespoons of butter, granulated sugar, and zest with an electric mixer on high speed until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. 7Add the egg yolks and vanilla and beat until smooth. 8In another bowl, whisk or sift the flour with the baking powder and salt. 9On low speed, mix half of the flour mixture into the butter and egg yolk mixture until only a few streaks of flour remain, then mix in the remaining flour. 10Add the (unbeaten) egg whites and sour cream. Mix on low speed until blended. 11Spoon the cake batter onto the pineapple in the pan and spread into an even layer. 12Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. 13Cool the cake in the pan for 5 minutes, then run a knife around the edges and invert it onto a plate to cool. If some pineapple slices stick to the pan, use a spatula to transfer them back on top of the cake and spread some gooey brown sugar sauce over them to cover it up. Serve warm or at room temperature.
