This pineapple upside down cake with fresh pineapple is a unique spin on the original classic. You’re sure to love the comforting cake with an added fresh topping!
Well, it’s been one of those weeks when the last thing I felt like doing is trying to make something creative or even remotely beautiful. It’s easy to be tricked into thinking that art is only worth doing when you feel like it. But, knowing I had to do it, I went ahead and worked on this recipe for pineapple upside down cake with fresh pineapple.
Even when you’d rather mow the lawn with a pair of scissors than create something, more often than not, creating helps you focus on something other than your problems. In my case, this fresh pineapple cake recipe started out incredibly frustrating. Time was just not my friend on this one- especially when I was running out of daylight to shoot in, and nothing seemed to be working.
But after my longer-than-necessary panic session, I decided just to take a deep breath and to think logically about what was wrong. Even though I thought my first pictures of this pineapple upside down cake recipe from scratch were “too embarrassing to put on the internet”, I ended up with something I was at least moderately proud of.
I want to encourage you to go create your thing too- especially if you’re having a bad week like I am. I know you might not feel like it. That’s fine. But I promise you’ll feel super satisfied when it’s done. Even more so if you eat a slice of this pineapple upside down cheesecake while you’re doing it 😊.
This post is all about how to make pineapple upside down cake with fresh pineapple.
Ingredients for Pineapple Upside Down Cake with Fresh Pineapple
Brown Sugar Mixture
- Butter- I used brown butter for this recipe because it adds just a little something extra that regular melted butter doesn’t bring.
- Brown sugar- When baked, this makes a nice crunchy topping for the cake.
- Vanilla- Just a little extra flavor.
- Pineapple- I pan-fried fresh pineapple.
- Raspberries- I used raspberries instead of the classic choice of maraschino cherries. I just don’t like them, but you can use them if you prefer!
Cake
- Flour- Regular all-purpose flour is perfect.
- Baking powder- I used a mixture of baking powder and baking soda.
- Baking soda- I like what using both of these does to the texture.
- Sugar- I think this amount of sugar works well in the cake.
- Butter- I also used browned butter in the cake. I just love browned butter.
- Oil- I think using both butter and oil helps to make the cake moister.
- Egg- This recipe needs 1 large egg.
- Sour Cream- This makes the cake softer and richer.
- Vanilla- This adds some nice background flavor.
- Milk- I used whole milk in this recipe. I recommend it.
Cream Cheese Topping
- Cream Cheese- I recommend going with full fat cream cheese.
- Sugar- This topping isn’t overly sweet, but it has just a little sugar.
- Heavy whipping cream- This helps to fluff up the cream cheese topping.
- Vanilla- This adds just a hint of flavor to the topping.
How to Make Pineapple Upside Down Cake with Fresh Pineapple
For the Brown Sugar Topping
First, we need to make the brown sugar topping that bakes onto the cake. Cover the bottom of the pan with baking paper. I like to trace the bottom of the pan onto the baking paper and cut it out. This helps you get the perfect size for the pan. Butter the sides of the pan.
Brown the butter for the brown sugar topping in a pan over medium-low heat. This will take several minutes, so don’t get impatient. Once browned, turn off the heat.
Mix the brown sugar and vanilla into the browned butter. Spread the mixture onto the bottom of the pan. You’ll probably have to hold the baking paper in place so it won’t scoot all over the pan.
Pan-fry about 4 fresh pineapple slices in a little butter until they’ve softened and are slightly browned on both sides. Make sure they’re not so cooked that they’re falling apart, though. Let the pineapple cool for a few minutes.
Add the pineapple and fresh raspberries on top of the brown sugar mixture. Depending on the size of your middle slice of pineapple, you may have to cut the outter pieces smaller. This is what happened to me on the final layer of fruit. You can refer to the pictures of the final cake if this happens to you and just do the same for this layer of fruit.
For the Pineapple Upside Down Cake
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Mix the dry ingredients together in a bowl.
Beat the sugar, browned butter, and oil in a separate bowl.
Beat in the egg and vanilla just until combined, followed by the sour cream. Make sure not beat this more than just a few seconds.
Stir half of the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Next, combine the milk, followed by the rest of the dry ingredients. Give it a quick beat with a mixer just to smooth it out.
Add the batter to the pan. I actually think it would be better to add the batter one spoon at a time so that the raspberries aren’t pushed out of place. I actually did this the first time I made the cake, but I got lazy with this one, and it indeed pushed the raspberries where I didn’t want them 😅.
Bake the cake for about 30 minutes, or until you can stick a toothpick or fork in the middle and only a few crumbs stick. Take the cake out of the oven and run a knife around the edges of the cake to loosen it.
Let the cake cool 5-10 minutes. Put your cake plate or tray on top of the pan and flip the whole thing over so that the cake comes out onto the tray. Peel the baking paper off, and you’ll be left with the cake!
Cream Cheese Topping
Now, you can definitely eat the cake as it is, but I like to give it a little bit of a twist.
For the cream cheese topping, beat the cream cheese and sugar together.
Add the heavy whipping cream in a little at a time, beating it until it’s no longer liquid each time. It will fluff up the mixture. Once fluffy, beat in the vanilla just until combined.
Spread the cream on top of the cake.
Add the final fruit on top of the cream. For the outer layer of pineapple, I cut the pineapple into quarters because the middle slice was pretty large. If the middle slice is smaller, you can just cut the outer slices into halves. I put the raspberries right in between the pineapple slices.
Well, there ya go. Now you have a pineapple cake with fresh pineapple!
If you’re looking for other delicious dessert recipes, take a glance at these!
Caramel Cheesecake Brownie Bars
Homemade Hot Chocolate with Cream Cheese Whipped Cream
Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake Fluff
Pineapple Upside Down Cake with Fresh Pineapple
Ingredients
Brown Butter Mixture
- 4 tbsp. Butter
- ½ cup Brown sugar
- ½ tsp. Vanilla
- 4 slices Pineapple (fresh, cut to be about a ¼ in. thick)
- Raspberries
Cake
- 1½ cups Flour (all-purpose)
- 1½ tsp. Baking powder
- ½ tsp. Baking soda
- ½ tsp. Salt
- ¾ cup Sugar
- 5 tbsp. Butter (browned)
- 2 tbsp. Oil (I used avocado oil, but you can use any neutral oil that you like.)
- 1 Egg
- 1 tsp. Vanilla
- ¼ cup Sour cream
- ¼ cup Milk (whole milk)
Cream Cheese Topping
- 4 oz. Cream cheese (room-temperature)
- ¼ cup Sugar
- ⅓ cup Heavy whipping cream
- ½ tsp. Vanilla
- 4 more Pineapple slices (fresh)
- Raspberries (for topping)
Instructions
Brown Butter Mixture
- Cover the bottom of the cake pan with baking paper. I like to trace the bottom of the pan onto the baking paper and cut it out. This helps you get the perfect size for the pan. Butter the sides of the pan.
- Brown the 4 tbsp. of butter in a pan over medium-low heat. This will take several minutes, so don't get impatient. Once browned, turn off the heat.
- Mix ½ cup of brown sugar and ½ tsp. of vanilla into the browned butter. Spread the mixture onto the bottom of the pan. You’ll probably have to hold the baking paper in place so it won’t scoot all over the pan.
- Pan-fry 4 fresh pineapple slices in a little butter until they’ve softened and are slightly browned on both sides. Make sure they’re not so cooked that they’re falling apart, though. Let the pineapple cool for a few minutes.
- Add the pineapple and fresh raspberries on top of the brown sugar mixture. Depending on the size of your middle slice of pineapple, you may have to cut the outter pieces smaller. You can check the pictures for reference.
Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Mix 1½ cups flour, 1½ tsp. baking powder, ½ tsp. baking soda, and ½ tsp. salt together in a bowl.
- Beat the ¾ cup sugar, 5 tbsp. browned butter, and 2 tbsp. oil in a separate bowl.
- Beat in the egg and 1 tsp. vanilla just until combined, followed by ¼ cup sour cream. Make sure not to beat this more than just a few seconds.
- Stir half of the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Next, mix in the ¼ cup of milk, followed by the rest of the dry ingredients. Give it a quick beat with a mixer just to smooth it out.
- Add the batter to the pan. It's best to spoon the batter in a little at a time so that it doesn't move the raspberries.
- Bake the cake for about 30 minutes, or until you can stick a toothpick or fork in the middle and only a few crumbs stick. Take the cake out of the oven and run a knife around the edges of the cake to loosen it.
- Let the cake cool 5-10 minutes. Put your cake plate or tray on top of the pan and flip the whole thing over so that the cake comes out onto the tray. Peel the baking paper off, and you’ll be left with the cake!
Cream Cheese Topping
- For the cream cheese topping, beat the 4 oz. of cream cheese and ¼ cup of sugar together.
- Add in ⅓ cup of heavy whipping cream a little at a time, beating it until it’s no longer liquid after every addition. Once fluffy, beat in the ½ tsp. of vanilla just until combined.
Assembly
- Spread the cream cheese mixture on top of the cake.
- Add the pineapple and raspberries on top of the cream. For the outer layer of pineapple, I cut the pineapple into quarters because the middle slice was pretty large. If the middle slice is smaller, you can just cut the outer slices into halves. I put the raspberries right in between the pineapple slices. Slice and enjoy!
I hope you enjoy your pineapple upside down cake with fresh pineapple!