Pineapple Upside Down Cake Made with Cake Mix Recipe
This classic Pineapple Upside Down Cake made with a yellow cake mix is an easy and delicious dessert featuring caramelized pineapple slices and maraschino cherries atop a moist, buttery cake. The cake is prepared by layering melted butter, brown sugar, pineapple, and cherries at the bottom of the pan before pouring a pineapple-flavored cake batter over it and baking until golden brown.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 12 servings 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
Topping
- 1/4 cup melted butter
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 can (20 ounces) sliced pineapple
- 18 maraschino cherries
Batter
- 3 eggs
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1 box (15.25 ounces) yellow cake mix
- Pineapple juice from the canned pineapple, supplemented with water to make 1 cup total liquid
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit to ensure it reaches the proper temperature for baking the cake evenly.
- Prepare Topping Layer: Pour the melted butter into a 9×13 inch baking dish and spread it evenly over the bottom. Then sprinkle the brown sugar evenly over the butter.
- Arrange Pineapple and Cherries: Place the pineapple slices neatly over the brown sugar layer and put one maraschino cherry in the center of each pineapple ring to create the classic look and flavor combination.
- Mix Liquid for Batter: Pour the pineapple juice from the can into a measuring cup and add water to the pineapple juice until the total reaches 1 cup of liquid. This liquid will flavor the cake batter.
- Prepare Cake Batter: In a large mixing bowl, combine the pineapple juice mixture with the eggs and vegetable oil. Beat together until well combined. Then gradually stir in the yellow cake mix until the batter is smooth and free of lumps.
- Assemble Cake: Pour the prepared batter over the pineapple and cherries in the baking dish. Gently spread the batter evenly so it covers the fruit layer completely.
- Bake: Place the baking dish in the preheated oven and bake for 45 minutes, or until the cake is golden brown and pulling away slightly from the edges of the pan.
- Invert Cake: Remove the cake from the oven and run a knife around the edges to loosen it. Immediately flip the cake carefully onto a serving tray to reveal the caramelized pineapple topping, making sure to pour any remaining juices from the pan over the cake.
- Cool and Serve: Allow the cake to cool for about 15 minutes before slicing and serving to let the topping set slightly for clean slices and optimal flavor.
Notes
- You can substitute pineapple tidbits for sliced pineapple if preferred for smaller fruit pieces.
- For a richer flavor, try using melted butter instead of vegetable oil in the batter.
- Make sure to handle the pan carefully when flipping to avoid spills or burns from hot caramelized sugar.
- This cake is best served slightly warm to enjoy the gooey pineapple topping and moist cake texture.
Keywords: pineapple upside down cake, easy cake recipe, cake mix dessert, pineapple dessert, classic cake
