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March 8, 2008

Pineapple Upside Down Cake

Channeling Summer!

My parents were in Maui for a month! (lucky…..)  While they were away, I talked to my mom on the phone and she told me about the most wonderful Pineapple Upside Down Cake her friend made her.   I had to try it!

The recipe comes from one of our favorite restaurants in Maui- The Hali’imaile General Store.

mmmm pineapple.

I made this cake for the second-to-last Project Runway night at my house.  It was pretty simple to whip up and sooo scrumptious!  I had to give  away leftovers because I was too afraid to have that caramel beauty resting innocently on my kitchen counter.  You’ll see what I mean if you make it….

Pineapple Upside Down Cake (Beverly Gannon’s Recipe)

For the Cake:

  • 2 cups cake flour
  • 1 1/4 cup sugar  (original recipe called for 2 cups which made it way too sweet my mom said)
  • 5 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 8 egg yolks
  • 1 1/2 cup milk
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla
  • 2 sticks unsalted butter at room temperature

Caramel Pineapple Topping:

  • 2 sticks unsalted butter
  • 2 cups brown sugar
  • 1 fresh pineapple cored and sliced (or 12 slices of canned pineapple rings)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

To prepare cake batter: Sift all dry ingredients together.  Combine milk, egg yolks and vanilla.  Soften butter to room temperature.  In a mixer, add butter to dry ingredients and mix slightly.  Scrap the sides of the bowl and continue to mix.  Gradually add the egg yolk mixture.  Mix until smooth.

To prepare the caramel: Melt butter to boiling.  Add sugar.  Mix until smooth and mixture is a light brown color.

Cut 12 slices of pineapple (or use canned slices like I did).  Pour the caramel mixture in an ungreased 12″x3″ round metal pan.  Layer the slices of pineapple on top of the caramel.  Next, pour the cake batter on top of the caramel and pineapple slices.  Leave about 1″ of room at the top of the pan to allow the cake to rise.  Bake for 35 minutes. Rotate and continue to bake for an additional 15 minutes or until center is cooked. Let rest in the pan for 15 minutes.  Invert slowly on the plate you intend to serve in on.  DIG IN!

pineapple upside down cake

This recipe makes one cake.  I didn’t have a 12″x 3″ pan, so I used a 9″x 3.”  I used about 3/4 of the caramel and 3/4 of the cake batter and it seemed to work fine.  You will also notice that I only used 7 of the pineapple slices.  I think the next time I make this (which is soon) I will try using a rectangular pan or a square pan.  The slices might look even better if they are perfect little squares.

I topped each slice with a little dose of Haagen-Dazs vanilla bean ice cream. Joyous!

love at first slice

The cake is a perfect combo of dense and fluffy! It’s the baking powder that does it!  Hope you love it too…and I hope that you get to channel some summer in your home.

  • jenny

    oh, i am SO making this!!!!!!

    it looks heavenly.

  • Cara

    Wow that looks amazing!!

  • Melisser

    Ooh, I want to make that topping for a cake!

  • Tracy

    jenny: can’t wait to see a slice on one of your FAB dessert plates! you know your bebe wants it!

    cara: thank you!

    melisser: do! you will love! can you use faux butter?

  • reya

    I’m filing this recipe away for future reference. My mom makes a great pineapple-upside down cake as well, just she puts maraschino cherries in the center of the pineapple holes. They were the best part.

  • Beth

    Do you think you could make this ahead of time and freeze?

  • Malinee

    ThaNks for the recipe! I just got back from
    Maui and had the pleasure in dining at hail’imaile general store.
    The upside down pineapple cake was deelish! I can’t wait to try this recipe :))))

  • Berenice

    Made this last night for my day’s bday, he loved it!! Everyone loved it! It was amazeballs! Thanks shutterbean

  • Intentions for the Week - Shutterbean

    […] pineapple upside-down cake […]

  • Heather Archer

    I just got back from Maui and had pineapple upside down cake several times and it was heavenly every time! I wanted to come home and make one so that I could feel like I hadn’t left and share the Hawaiian love with some friends! I am making this recipe today and it should be PERFECT!!!! I can’t wait!

  • Ana Vasquez

    Bake at 400??

  • Christopher Cilley

    Just made this. Turned out amazing. 400 degrees (from a previous comment) wasn’t an issue, though I think a middle or lower rack would be better than the one I used near the top of my oven. Still came out delicious!

  • Katie

    400 degrees might be fine, but do not use the middle or top rack. Mine burned within 25 minutes being in the oven. Bummer. : (

  • Thomas Safford

    Made this and at 400 degrees thought I burned it.I turned it down to 350 degrees the last 15 min. The top was dark but not burned as I thought. I used 1 1/2 cup sugar for cake. Tastes great.

  • Sara White

    Huge disappointment. Looks great but followed the recipe exactly and it’s a pile of gooey mush.

  • Thomas Safford

    I made this several times and yes the top turned dark after 10 min at 400 degrees but tasted great. The issue I have is too much batter for 9 inch round. If I used a square 9×12 pan what do I turn it over in?

  • Rachel Hutchinson

    This is the best Pineapple Upsaide Down cake I’ve ever made. This is my husband’s flavor of favorite cake. For the last 15 years I have made him a different recipe every year searching for the very best recipe. This year I made yours and it was the best one I’ve ever made.

  • Nicole

    When you say rotate what do you mean exactly?

  • Lisa

    Do you think this could be made in a Bundt pan and if yes , how much longer do you think it might need baked ?

    • Tracy

      I probably wouldn’t. Seems like there are too many crevices for the pineapples to stick to.

  • Melissa

    Could I make it in a tube pan?

  • Stella

    This is a spectacular recipe. I won a “best pineapple upside down cake” contest with this recipe.

  • Marilyn

    I made this in a 9×12 glass dish. It came out beautifully and the taste is so good. Will my go to. Thanks

  • Nikki Hatch

    I made this today, and I used my wrought iron skillet like I do for my other recipe. This turned out beautifully, and when I flipped the skillet , it came out perfectly. Having this after our New Year dinner tonight and the rest will be used for French toast in the morning.

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