In 1925, the Hawaiian Pineapple Company, now called the Dole Food Company, held a pineapple recipe contest, planning to publish a cookbook from the best 100 recipes that resulted. Out of 60,000 pineapple recipes received in the next year, 2,500 were for pineapple upside down cake. Obviously, the canned pineapple that they had started producing in 1903 had become popular!  Our recipe for Pineapple Upside Down Cake came from that published cookbook!

We hope you'll print the recipe below for Pineapple Upside Down Cake and have fun making something new in your kitchen! 


Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

8 to 10 servings                                          
One 10 inch round or 9 inch square cake pan 
Total Time:  1 hour 15 minutes

Topping Ingredients:
¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
¾ cup packed light brown sugar
6 to 9 pineapple slices (1/2 inch thick) 
8 to 12 maraschino cherries 
¼ cup pecan or walnut halves (optional)

Batter Ingredients:
1¾ cup all-purpose flour, sifted 
1½ teaspoons double-acting baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ ground cinnamon
½ cup unsalted butter
¾ cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract 
½ cup pineapple juice 

Position a rack in the lower third of the oven.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

To make the topping:
Stir together butter and sugar.  
In a 9 inch to 10 inch ovenproof skillet (this will produce flared sides) or a 10 inch round baking pan (this will produce straight sides, or a 9 inch square baking pan spread the butter and sugar mixture evenly over the pan. 
Arrange one pineapple slice in the center of the pan and the remaining slices around it.  You can break some of the slices to fill in the gaps in the outer portion.  Place the cherries and pecans (if using) in the centers and around the pineapple.  

To make the batter:
Stir together the flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon.  
In a large bowl, beat the butter on low speed until smooth, about 2 minutes, increase the speed to medium, gradually add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes.  
Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Then add the vanilla.
Add the ¼ of the flour mixture, alternating with the 1/3 of the pineapple juice to the butter mixture – beginning and ending with the flour and beat until creamy, about one minute.
Pour the batter over the pineapple.
Bake until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean and the cake springs back when lightly touched – about 45 to 55 minutes.  

Let the cake cool in the pan set on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then run a knife around the edge.  Invert onto a serving plate and lift off the pan.  Serve slightly warm or at room temperature.  You may wrap in plastic wrap and store at room temperature for up to 2 days or store in the freezer for 2 months.