This pineapple upside down bundt cake is slightly denser than the classic version as it takes on more of the bundt cake texture while still keeping the fruity, golden crust on top as we all know and love.
1cuppineapple juiceor the amount reserved from the can of pineapples, see instructions below
1cupsour cream
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a standard bundt pan with nonstick baking spray or grease lightly with butter.
Stir the melted butter and brown sugar together and drop in dollops around the inside of the bundt pan. Use a spatula or spoon to spread the mixture so it evenly coats the bottom of the pan.
Place pineapple rings in the bottom of the pan on top of the butter/brown sugar mixture. Place a cherry in the center of each pineapple ring. You can also place a cherry outside each pineapple ring where each pair of rings meet.
Measure the pineapple juice that was reserved from the can of pineapple rings. Add water to the pineapple juice to make 1 cup total liquid.
With a mixer, beat together the cake mix, eggs, oil, pineapple juice, and sour cream until combined.
Spread batter evenly into the bundt pan, taking care to keep the pineapple rings and cherries in their arrangement.
Bake 40-45 minutes or until the cake is cooked through and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out with moist crumbs (but no wet batter).
Allow cake to cool for a few minutes and then invert onto a cake stand or platter. Allow cake to cool the rest of the way.
Slice and serve.
Notes
Substitutions may include using milk or water instead of the pineapple juice, adding cinnamon to the butter/brown sugar mixture, using a homemade vanilla pound cake recipe.
The sour cream makes the pound cake a little denser and adds moisture. You can easily omit the sour cream - begin checking the cake for doneness after 35 minutes if the sour cream has been omitted.
The cake will settle after being removed from the oven as it begins to cool. If it does not settle evenly, or if it is uneven, you may want to trim the higher area before inverting the cake so that it is resting flat on the platter. Because of the caramelized fruit topping, the top of the cake (once inverted) is rather delicate and may split if the base is not even.
Store the cake in an air-tight container kept in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
To freeze, place the cake on a baking sheet and flash freeze for about 45 minutes. Remove from freezer and wrap a few times in plastic wrap followed by a layer of aluminum foil. Return to freezer for up to 3 months. Remove the cake from the freezer and allow it to thaw in the refrigerator overnight the day before you plan on serving it.