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Pineapple Upside Down Cake:
Pineapple upside down cake has been around for more years that most of us know. According to most historians, the late 1800s were when the term “upside down cake” first began appearing. The first upside-down cakes were not even made with pineapple, but with seasonal fruits such as apples and cherries, as the canned pineapple had not been invented yet. Canned pineapple manufacturing didn’t begin until 1901 when Jim Dole established the Hawaiian Pineapple Company (now Dole Company) and began producing and marketing mass quantities of pineapple. Pineapple made its way into more and more American homes this way, and at some point, the pineapple upside down cake was born. This cake has been a favorite in my family for many years and holds a special place in my heart because it was my late dad's favorite cake. I first learned how to make it in cooking class in middle school and since then my own family has grown to love it. For this cake I have provided the recipe to make it using a box yellow cake mix. I have also provided the recipe to make a vanilla cake from scratch, for those of you who prefer to make your own. You can use this basic vanilla cake recipe as a base for any other cake. Now, let's bake!
Course: Dessert
Servings: 10-12
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 42-48 minutes (may vary by a few minutes depending on type of pan)
Total time: 60-70 minutes
Ingredients:
Pineapple upside down cake has been around for more years that most of us know. According to most historians, the late 1800s were when the term “upside down cake” first began appearing. The first upside-down cakes were not even made with pineapple, but with seasonal fruits such as apples and cherries, as the canned pineapple had not been invented yet. Canned pineapple manufacturing didn’t begin until 1901 when Jim Dole established the Hawaiian Pineapple Company (now Dole Company) and began producing and marketing mass quantities of pineapple. Pineapple made its way into more and more American homes this way, and at some point, the pineapple upside down cake was born. This cake has been a favorite in my family for many years and holds a special place in my heart because it was my late dad's favorite cake. I first learned how to make it in cooking class in middle school and since then my own family has grown to love it. For this cake I have provided the recipe to make it using a box yellow cake mix. I have also provided the recipe to make a vanilla cake from scratch, for those of you who prefer to make your own. You can use this basic vanilla cake recipe as a base for any other cake. Now, let's bake!
Course: Dessert
Servings: 10-12
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 42-48 minutes (may vary by a few minutes depending on type of pan)
Total time: 60-70 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 can (20 oz) pineapple slices or pineapple chunks in juice, drained, juice reserved (will need to add to cake mix)
- 1 jar (6 oz) maraschino cherries without stems, drained (cherries are optional)
- 1 box Betty Crocker Super Moist yellow cake mix (Vegetable oil and eggs called for on cake mix box) or you can use any yellow cake mix you prefer
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 2 eggs, room temperature preferred
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup milk (room temperature preferred - you can use another milk substitute if you prefer)
- Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan).
- Melt the butter and then pour it into a 13x9-inch pan (or a bundt cake pan). You can melt the butter directly in the cake pan in the oven if you prefer, or in a microwave safe bowl then pour it into the cake pan.
- Sprinkle brown sugar evenly over butter. Arrange pineapple slices or chunks on brown sugar. If using cherries, place one cherry in the 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 total.
- Make cake batter as directed on box, substituting pineapple juice mixture for the water.
- Pour batter over pineapple and cherries.
- Bake 42 to 48 minutes (44 to 53 minutes for dark or nonstick pan) or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
- Immediately run a knife around the side of the 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 the pan.
- Cool 30 minutes. Serve warm or cool. You can top it with Cool Whip or Redi-Whip if you prefer.
- Store covered in refrigerator.