This recipe for the best pineapple upside down cake can be made in a regular cake pan, or like I did here, in a cast iron skillet. This is the same recipe I have used for over 30 years but started baking it in a cast iron skillet a decade ago.
It was a total success and the caramel crusty topping that develops from the brown sugar and butter was considerably better than the crust that develops in a standard baking pan.
Pineapple Upside Down Cake in a Cast Iron Skillet
Upside down cakes have been around for a long time, I can remember my grandmother making them and she hers. This type of homemade cake got its name from its preparation. You build the topping first, in the bottom of the pan, then invert it after baking.
This makes two 9-inch round cakes. You can either use two skillets or use one, invert, clean in out, and use it again. Guys. There’s no better way to make a pineapple upside down cake, the cast iron skillet makes a big difference!
Ingredients you will need
I use cake flour, but if you don’t have it, use 2 1/4 cups minus 4 tablespoons of all-purpose flour sifted with 4 tablespoons of cornstarch.
Get all measurements, ingredients, and instructions in the printable version at the end of this post.
How to Make Pineapple Upside Down Cake
These step by step photos and instructions are here to help you visualize how to make this recipe. Please scroll down to simply print out the recipe!
These instructions are for 2 cakes made in cast iron skillets. For instructions using standard cake pans, please see notes at the end. You can easily print these instructions at the end of this post.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and center rack in the oven. I used only one 9 inch cast iron skillet to make both cakes by doing one at a time. Simply wipe out your skillet after removing the cake and start over. If you have 2 skillets, even better, make them both at the same time by staggering the pans in the oven.
- Prepare the topping first by placing 1/4 cup butter in cast iron skillet. Place skillet in the oven until the butter has melted, this only takes a few minutes.
- Remove skillet from the oven and sprinkle 1 cup of brown sugar over the butter. Drain pineapple rings, reserving the juice to store any leftovers.
- Gently place pineapple rings onto the brown sugar in the skillet. Place a cherry in the middle of each of the pineapple rings.
- Combine all batter ingredients in a mixing bowl with a stand or handheld mixer. Mix at low speed for 30 seconds or so to incorporate, then increase speed to medium and mix for 5 minutes, occasionally scraping bowl if needed.
- Separate the batter evenly between two bowls. Do not be concerned if there are some small butter bits still in the batter, it will still bake up beautifully!
- Carefully, but fairly quickly, pour the batter over the pineapples. You want to pour the batter on top, moving around as you go, so that you don’t move any of the pieces of fruit around.
- Bake 30 minutes. The sides should be bubbly and the top will be browned. Cool for 10 minutes on a wire rack.
- Place flat cake plate over the skillet, then using oven mitts, invert the pan onto the plate. If necessary, use an icing spatula to scoop up any topping left in the pie to patch any bare spots on top of the cake.
Baking Tips and Notes:
- The recipe is made from scratch and makes two 9-inch cakes or one 13″x9″ cake. Alternatively, you can use a box of yellow cake mix (for 2 skillets) without a problem, just keep an eye on the baking time, but it should be pretty close.
- This is a no-fuss yellow cake. The beauty of it is that everything goes into one bowl and is mixed as is. There’s no sifting, whisking, creaming, or incorporating required.
REGULAR CAKE PAN INSTRUCTIONS:
The instructions are basically the same using standard 9″ round cake pans or a 13″ x 9″ baking pan. For a 13″ x 9″ baking pan, form pineapple flowers all over the cake, you should be able to fit about 8 or more flowers. Bake the 13″ x 9″ pan for 35-40 minutes. You may need to loosen the cake from the sides of the pan before inverting. For round cake pans, follow baking times for skillet above.
This is a family staple that I make regularly. A loved cake in many families, pineapple upside down cake made in a cast iron skillet is like no other.
More Upside Down Cake Recipes
My original photos from quite a few years ago! You can see that pineapple chunk sizes can vary.
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Pineapple Upside Down Cake
Ingredients
Cake Batter
- 2 1/4 cups cake flour
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup shortening
- 1/2 cup cold unsalted butter cut into thin slices
- 3/4 cup milk
- 3 large eggs
- 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Topping
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter divided
- 2 cups packed light brown sugar divided
- 20 oz can pineapple rings
- maraschino cherries
Things You'll Need
Instructions
Cast Iron Skillet
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and center rack in the oven. I used only one 9-inch skillet to make both cakes by doing one at a time. Simply wipe out your skillet after removing the cake and start over. If you have 2 skillets, even better, make them both at the same time by staggering the pans in the oven.
- Prepare the topping first by placing 1/4 cup butter in cast iron skillet. Place skillet in the oven until the butter has melted, this only takes a few minutes.
- Remove skillet from the oven and sprinkle 1 cup of light brown sugar over the butter. Drain pineapple rings, reserving the juice to store any leftovers.
- Gently place pineapple rings onto the brown sugar in the skillet. Place a cherry in the middle of each of the pineapple rings.
- Prepare the cake batter by combining all batter ingredients in a mixer bowl. Mix at low speed for 30 seconds or so to incorporate, then increase speed to medium and mix for 5 minutes, occasionally scraping bowl if needed.
- Separate the batter evenly between two bowls. Do not be concerned if there are some small butter bits still in the batter, it will still bake up beautifully!
- Carefully, but fairly quickly, pour the batter over the pineapples. You want to pour the batter on top, moving around as you go, so that you don't move any of the pieces of fruit around.
- Bake 30 minutes. The sides should be bubbly and the top will be browned. Cool for 10 minutes on a wire rack.
- Place flat cake plate over the skillet, then using oven mitts, invert the pan onto the plate. If necessary, use an icing spatula to scoop up any topping left in the pie to patch any bare spots on top of the cake.
Regular Cake Pan
- The instructions are basically the same using standard 9" round cake pans or a 13" x 9" baking pan. For a 13" x 9" baking pan, form pineapple flowers all over the cake, you should be able to fit about 8 or more flowers. Bake the 13" x 9" pan for 35-40 minutes. You may need to loosen the cake from the sides of the pan before inverting. For round cake pans, follow baking times for skillet above.
Video
Expert Tips & FAQs
- This recipe makes TWO skillet cakes
- I use cake flour, but if you don’t have it, use 2 1/4 cups minus 4 tablespoons of all-purpose flour sifted with 4 tablespoons of cornstarch.
- The recipe is made from scratch and makes two 9-inch cakes or one 13"x9" cake. Alternatively, you can use a box of yellow cake mix (for 2 skillets) without a problem, just keep an eye on the baking time, but it should be pretty close.
- This is a no fuss yellow cake. The beauty of it is that everything goes into one bowl and is mixed as is. There's no sifting, whisking, creaming or incorporating required.
Nutrition
This recipe was originally published here on May 11, 2010 but has since been updated with tips and new photographs.
Amanda Formaro
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Angela Steinberg says
Can the other half of the batter be frozen for latter use? Or can I bake the second cake and freeze it for later?
Amanda Formaro says
Yes bake the second and freeze for later! :)
Dawn Howe says
I have made Pineapple Upside down cake in Cast Iron Skillet for years. The only thing different I did was to use a boxed yellow cake mix, using the box instructions except for I used the juice from the canned pineapple in place of the liquid the cake mix asked for, and used both crushed pineapple and pineapple rings.
MERLE L STEWART says
Fantastic recipe and easy, easy, easy.!
Jennifer says
Amazing cake!! We used a 12 inch iron cast skillet and made one cake. Added a little more bake time and it is perfect! Thank you for the recipe
Alex says
My GOODNESS. I had to make some adjustments, used tidbits because I didnt have chunks or rings, and frozen cherries. I also only had a giant cast iron, or a cast iron dutch oven, and my mom told me to only used cast iron… so instead of 2 cakes, I filled the dutch oven with about 80% of the cake batter and added an additional 15 mins cooking time. Holy smokes. The cake is moist and perfect, and the pineapple brown sugar top is so good. Definitely a new fave recipe, thank you!!
Amanda Formaro says
That’s fantastic Alex, so glad you enjoyed it! I must ask, what did you do with the other 20% of the batter?