How to Make an Upside Down Pineapple Cake

Upside down pineapple cake, or pineapple “tarte tatin” as some of you might know it, is one of those classic cakes that most of us grew up on.

My mom has the most amazing recipe for this cake that I am sharing today. It’s so soft and fruity and tastes splendid!

This cake requires no frosting or glaze at all. That’s because the layer of pineapples and cherries combine with butter and brown sugar to create a delicious caramelized top!

To make this cake, you will need the following ingredients:

Caramelized layer:
1/3 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup brown sugar

Cake:
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/3 cup full fat yogurt
23- 25 maraschino cherries
8 round pineapple slices
1 egg
1/8 tsp salt
2 tbsp light olive oil
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1 tsp orange emulsion oil
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda

These are the instructions:

Step 1:
Place the pineapple slices on a plate lined with a couple of paper towels so as to get rid of excess pineapple juices.

Step 2:
Place the cherries on a plate lined with a few paper towels too so as to get rid of excess syrup and juices.

Step 3:
Melt butter in the microwave and pour it into your 9 inch springform pan.

Step 4:
Use your fingers to spread the butter over the entire pan.

Step 5:
Sprinkle brown sugar on top of the butter.

Step 6:
Arrange the pineapple slices and maraschino cherries on top of the brown sugar, as shown in this picture…

Step 7:
Let’s make the cake batter now…
Add egg, yogurt, buttermilk, olive oil, vanilla extract and orange emulsion oil in a deep bowl.
Mix everything until it’s just combined.

Step 8:
Now, add the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt into the wet mixture.

Tip:
It’s best to sift all the dry ingredients together first and then dump them into the wet mixture. That makes the cake softer and more airy.

Step 9:
Mix everything until it’s just combined.
You might see some lumps. Don’t worry about them and just don’t over-mix!

Step 10: 
Gently, pour this batter on top of your arranged pineapple slices.

Step 11:
Use the back of a spoon or spatula to spread the batter evenly in the pan.
Be very careful not to move the pineapples or cherries.

Step 12:
Bake this cake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
Let this cake cool down and come down to room temperature completely!
Then, remove the springform attachment and flip this cake gently onto your cake stand.
And you are done! Enjoy!

I hope you enjoyed this recipe.

Happy caking everyone! 🙂