Mini Pineapple Upside Down Cakes

4.94 from 29 votes

Mini Pineapple Upside Down Cakes

These mini pineapple upside down cakes are super easy to make using a boxed cake mix, canned pineapple rings, and maraschino cherries. They're just like the classic but in handheld portions, and still feature that enticing caramel-like crust that everyone loves.

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time30 mins

Cool and Set Time15 mins

Total Time55 mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: mini cakes

Calories: 512cal

Author: Amanda Formaro

Equipment

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter
1/3 cup dark brown sugar
20 oz pineapple rings canned, with 1/3 of the juice reserved
6 maraschino cherries
15.25 oz yellow cake mix or white, plus ingredients on back of box substituting water with the reserved pineapple juice

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350F and spray the jumbo muffin pan with non-stick spray.
In a small pot on the stovetop, melt 1/2 cup of butter. Once melted, add the brown sugar stirring constantly for about 3 minutes. Add 2 Tablespoons of this brown sugar mixture to each of the cavities in the jumbo muffin pan.
Add one pineapple ring to each muffin section. Place a cherry in the center.
In a medium mixing bowl, add the dry cake mix plus the ingredients listed on the back of your cake mix box (MINUS the water) and 1/3 cup of juice reserved from the canned pineapple rings. Use a hand mixer to combine thoroughly.
Divide evenly between the muffin cups.
Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to set for another 10 minutes.
Use a butter knife to loosen the cakes inside the pan. Place a cooling rack on the top of the muffin pan, upside down, and in one motion flip both the rack and pan upside down onto a large baking sheet to catch any drippings.
Wait for another 5 minutes. Lift the pan slowly and the cakes will come out.

Notes

If you don't have a jumbo muffin tin, you can use a regular sized muffin tin instead. But if you plan on using pineapple rings, know that you'll have to cut them to size in order to fit inside a regular muffin pan. Use a knife to slice around the edges to make them smaller. Or, you can use crushed pineapple or pineapple tidbits instead of rings to make it easier on yourself.
To freeze these mini upside down cakes, line a plate or baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the individual cakes onto the parchment, making sure the cakes are not touching each other. Freeze for 3 hours. Remove from the freezer and wrap each one in plastic wrap. Then you can toss the individually wrapped cakes into a freezer bag or container. To thaw, remove plastic wrap while cake is still frozen and place on a plate at room temperature to thaw.

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