Best pineapple upside down cake with cake mix

Serves

12

Prep time 10 min.

Cook time 55 min.

Ingredients

⅓ cup butter

⅔ cup packed light brown sugar

1½ tsps. cinnamon

½ tsp. nutmeg

⅛ tsp. ground cloves

1 can Del Monte® Sliced Pineapple in Heavy Syrup [or 100% juice], 15.5 oz. or 20 oz.

1 pkg. (15.25oz.) yellow cake mix

½ cup vegetable oil

3 eggs

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Melt butter in a deep 10-inch ovenproof skillet over medium heat; stir in brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. Remove from heat.

  2. Drain pineapple, reserving syrup; add water to reserved syrup to equal 1 cup liquid. Arrange pineapple slices on the bottom of the skillet.

  3. Combine cake mix, oil, eggs and reserved pineapple syrup mixture (instead of only water) in a large bowl and mix according to package directions. Carefully pour batter over pineapple. Bake 45 to 55 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.

  4. Place on cooling rack 5 minutes. Loosen cake from pan edges and invert onto a large flat dinner plate or round platter.

NOTE: If using 1 can (20 oz.) Del Monte® Sliced Pineapple, use 8 slices pineapple and refrigerate any leftover pineapple for a snack.

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© 2022 Del Monte Foods, Inc All Rights Reserved.

Pineapple upside down cake is the perfect dessert to impress friends and family or take to the next pot luck. It looks fancy but is so simple to make and tastes delicious.

Best pineapple upside down cake with cake mix

We love making desserts as you have probably noticed. This easy Pineapple Upside Down Cake does not disappoint and it is so tasty.

Plus, doesn’t it just look so pretty? The presentation is simply amazing with the pineapple slices and cherries. Each slice looks gorgeous.

This is really so simple to make but turns out so amazing. What could be better than moist and decadent pineapple cake? Exactly.


We love it so much that we even make these Pineapple Upside Down Cupcakes.  Yum.

Ingredients

  • butter or margarine – room temperature
  • packed brown sugar
  • pineapple slices in juice, drained, juice reserved
  • maraschino cherries without stems
  • yellow cake mix
  • vegetable oil and eggs called for on cake mix box

How to make pineapple upside down cake:

  • First, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  • Next melt the butter in the oven using your 13×9 pan. This also saves you from dirtying up another pan.
  • Then sprinkle brown sugar all over the butter as evenly as possible. Make sure to use brown sugar as granulated sugar will not have the same impact.
  • Arrange pineapple slices on top of the brown sugar. We used a 20 oz. can. You can also use fresh pineapple but I think canned is best in this recipe.
  • Next, put a cherry in the center of each pineapple slice. Take any remaining cherries and arrange them around the slices. Just gently press them down into the brown sugar so that it stays neatly arranged.

Best pineapple upside down cake with cake mix

  • Then add enough water to the remaining pineapple juice so that you have a cup.
  • Next, mix together the cake batter according to your box instructions. The only thing that will be different is the water should be substituted for pineapple juice. The pineapple juice will give it really amazing flavor.
  • Make sure the wet and dry ingredients are mixed together really well using a large bowl. I prefer to use an electric mixer.

Best pineapple upside down cake with cake mix

  • Once combined, pour the cake batter all over the pineapple rings and cherries.

Best pineapple upside down cake with cake mix

  • Finally, bake the cake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. As soon as it comes out of the oven, run a knife around the sides of pan to loosen it. Just make sure to do this immediately.

Best pineapple upside down cake with cake mix

  • Use a plate that is heat proof and place upside down on to the pan. Turn the plate and cake pan over.

Do you let the cake cool before flipping?

I recommend leaving the pan over the cake for about 5 minutes before flipping. This will allow the brown sugar topping to run down and drizzle on the cake.

Then remove and let cool for 30 minutes.

Make sure to leave the pan as instructed because you want the topping to drizzle all over. This really makes it even more decadent. You definitely want all of that yummy brown sugar glaze on the cake.

Best pineapple upside down cake with cake mix

Serve warm or cool. It is tasty either way so just serve it how your family enjoys it best. 

How long does pineapple upside down cake last?

The cake needs to be covered and stored in the refrigerator. If your pan has a lid, just use that.

However, plastic wrap or foil work just fine. It will last up to 3 days if stored properly.

Although, our family eats this pretty fast. We all love it.

Best pineapple upside down cake with cake mix

How do you keep the cake from sticking?

The melted butter in the bottom of the pan should help to prevent the cake from sticking. Just make sure the bottom of the pan is well coated.

You might need to swirl the butter around to make sure the pan is coated thoroughly.

As long as you do these steps, the cake should come out without any issues.

Best pineapple upside down cake with cake mix

Can I make this cake the night before?

Yes, you can. Just make sure to refrigerate the cake.

We do this frequently and it helps to serve a great dessert for company or your family anytime you want. Make this ahead and have a great dessert to serve.

This is a great way to do it if you have a super busy day and need dessert. Just make it the night before and you will be set.

Pineapple upside down cake with yellow cake mix.

This recipe is a must try.

Best pineapple upside down cake with cake mix

Try this delicious pineapple upside down cake.

You are going to absolutely love this recipe. It looks so fancy and amazing but is super easy to make.

It is a win all around and sure to be a huge hit. I can’t wait for you to try this cake. Let us know once you try it and how you like it.

Since the recipe uses a cake mix, it is so very simple. The results are impressive and tastes so delicious.

Best pineapple upside down cake with cake mix

Best pineapple upside down cake with cake mix

Pineapple upside down cake

Pineapple upside down cake is the perfect dessert to impress friends and family or take to the next pot luck. It looks fancy but is so simple to make.

Prep Time 15 mins

Cook Time 40 mins

Cool 30 mins

Total Time 1 hr 25 mins

Servings 16

Cuisine American

Course Dessert

Calories 345

  • 1/4 cup butter or margarine
  • 1 cup brown sugar packed
  • 20 oz pineapple slices in juice drained, juice reserved
  • 6 oz maraschino cherries without stems drained
  • 1 box yellow cake mix
  • vegetable oil and eggs called for on cake mix box

  • Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan).

  • In 13×9-inch pan, melt butter in oven.

  • Sprinkle brown sugar evenly over butter.

  • Arrange pineapple slices on brown sugar, next place a cherry in center of each pineapple slice, and arrange remaining cherries around slices; press gently into brown sugar.

  • Add enough water to reserved pineapple juice to measure 1 cup.

  • Make cake batter as directed on box, substituting pineapple juice mixture for the water.

  • Pour batter over pineapple and cherries.

  • Bake 40-50 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

  • Immediately run knife around side of pan to loosen cake.

  • Place heatproof serving plate upside down onto pan; turn plate and pan over.

  • Leave pan over cake 5 minutes so brown sugar topping can drizzle over cake; remove pan. Cool 30 minutes.

  • Serve warm or cool.

  • Store covered in refrigerator.

Calories 345kcal, Carbohydrates 49g, Protein 1g, Fat 17g, Saturated Fat 6g, Cholesterol 8mg, Sodium 266mg, Potassium 74mg, Fiber 1g, Sugar 35g, Vitamin A 114IU, Vitamin C 17mg, Calcium 91mg, Iron 1mg

Try these other easy cake recipes:

  • Chocolate Cherry Cake Recipe 
  • Peach Dump Cake Recipe
  • Chocolate Cherry Dump Cake Recipe
  • Crock Pot Apple Pie Dump Cake

Try these other pineapple desserts:

  • Upside Down Pineapple Cupcakes
  • Pineapple Dream Dessert
  • Pineapple Poke Cake Recipe
  • Dole Whip Recipe

Best pineapple upside down cake with cake mix

Try these other recipes

Best pineapple upside down cake with cake mix

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About the Author

Best pineapple upside down cake with cake mix

Hi, I’m Carrie. Welcome to Desserts on a Dime!

I’m on a mission to help you cook delicious meals without busting your budget. Together we are going to cook real food… for real families.

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Can I substitute pineapple juice for water in a cake mix?

Use pineapple juice to make a cake from a boxed mix. Simply replace the oil, milk, or water called for in the recipe with pineapple juice in equal proportions. A yellow or white cake works best, since the pineapple flavor could clash or get lost if you use chocolate or another flavor.

How do you keep pineapple upside down cake from getting soggy?

In order to prevent pineapple upside down cake from getting soggy, make sure you blot any excess juice or liquid from the pineapple slices and don't add any more liquid than the recipe calls for.

How can I make a box cake taste homemade?

Try adding a few of these tips to your box cake mix taste better!.
Use milk instead of water. ... .
Add extra eggs. ... .
Add sugar and flour to the dry mix. ... .
Use coffee instead of water for chocolate cakes. ... .
Sour Cream is perfect for adding moisture and rich flavor. ... .
Pudding adds moisture and flavor..

What makes box cake moist?

To get an extra rich and moist cake, stir in two extra egg yolks along with the eggs the recipe calls for (save the egg whites to make these delicious meringues). For a lighter and more airy cake, use only egg whites (and save the egg yolks for crème brûlée).