Pineapple Upside-Down Cake
A golden, buttery sponge topped with caramelised pineapple rings and vibrant glacé cherries. A beloved mid-century Queensland afternoon tea classic.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 45 min
- Total
- 65 min
- Servings
- 8
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 385 kcal
Equipment
- •20 cm round cake tin
- •electric hand beaters
- •mixing bowl
- •paper towels
- •wire cooling rack
- •serving platter
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 385 kcal
- fat
- 18 g
- carbs
- 52 g
- fibre
- 1 g
- protein
- 5 g
- calories
- 385 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced) and grease a deep 20 cm round cake tin.
- 2
Pour the melted butter across the base of the tin and sprinkle the brown sugar evenly on top.
- 3
Arrange one pineapple ring in the centre of the tin, then arrange the remaining six rings around it.
- 4
Place a glacé cherry into the centre hole of each pineapple ring.
- 5
Beat the softened butter and caster sugar in a bowl with electric beaters until pale and creamy.
- 6
Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition along with the vanilla extract.
- 7
Sift the plain flour and baking powder directly into the creamed butter mixture.
- 8
Fold gently while pouring in the milk to form a thick, smooth cake batter.
- 9
Spoon the batter carefully over the pineapple slices and smooth the surface evenly with a spatula.
- 10
Bake for 40 to 45 minutes until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
- 11
Rest the cake in the tin for exactly 10 minutes to allow the caramel to settle.
- 12
Run a thin knife around the edge and invert the cake carefully onto a wide serving platter.
Chef's tips
Let the cake rest for precisely 10 minutes before inverting so the caramel sets slightly without sticking to the pan. Always pat the drained pineapple rings dry with paper towels to prevent excess moisture from making the sponge soggy.
Ingredient substitutions
- canned pineapple rings in juice → fresh peeled and cored pineapple cut into 1 cm thick rounds
- glacé cherries → pitted fresh cherries or raw pecan halves
- milk → strained pineapple juice from the tin for a brighter fruit flavour
Storage
Store leftover cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Reheating
Warm individual slices on a lined tray in a 160°C oven for 6 to 8 minutes or microwave gently for 20 seconds.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Inverting the cake immediately while scorching hot, which causes the caramel topping to run off.
- •Waiting until the cake cools completely before inverting, which makes the caramel cement to the pan.
- •Failing to dry the pineapple slices, causing the batter directly underneath to turn gummy.
Serving suggestions
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