This Pineapple Upside-Down Cake is baked to golden perfection in a cast iron skillet, with caramelized pineapple rings and cherries atop a moist, buttery cake.
Pineapple Upside Down Cake in a Cast Iron Skillet
Pineapple upside down cake is a timeless cake recipe known for combining a yellow cake with a caramelized butter and sugar topping. The pineapples and cherries are cooked on the bottom of the pan, but when the cake is turned over, you have a beautiful topping.
Pineapple upside down cake was one of my dad’s favorite desserts and Granny would often make it for our family. This recipe is a classic one, not just for our family but for many people who also remember it fondly.
This recipe uses a homemade sponge cake from scratch with the classic pineapple, cherry, butter, and brown sugar topping. The cake is leavened with whipped eggs to give it a springy texture and delicious taste. It is cooked in a cast-iron skillet to get that perfect caramelization of the pineapples and brown sugar.
This “reveal” of the top of the cake was as exciting as you could imagine. When you pull the cake out of the oven, you see the lightly browned top. But a few minutes later, when you turn it out on the serving plate, you have a beautiful masterpiece!
Ingredients
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- 4 large eggs, separated
- ½ cup unsalted butter + 1 TB
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 1 can pineapple slices
- 10 maraschino cherries, cut in half
- ½ cup pecans, chopped (optional)
- 1 cup sifted cake flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- Whipped cream for serving
Helpful Kitchen Tools
- 9-inch or 10-inch Cast Iron Skillet (oven-safe)
- Mixing Bowls
- Stand Mixer or Electric Hand Mixer
Instructions
To Prep: Preheat oven to 325° F.
- Melt ½ cup butter over low heat in 9 or 10 inch heavy bottomed oven-safe skillet.
- Remove pan from heat, sprinkle brown sugar on top of the butter, place pineapple slices over the brown sugar, and place the cherry pieces in and around the pineapple rings.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Add granulated sugar to the egg whites and beat again until you have stiff peaks.
- In a separate small bowl, whip the egg yolks until thick and yellow. Use a rubber spatula to fold the egg yolks, flour, salt, and baking soda into the egg white mixture. Fold in one Tablespoon of melted butter and the almond extract. Spread this batter on top of the pineapples in the skillet and bake for 30 to 35 minutes until surface springs back when light touched.
Prep Tips
- Drain the Fruit First – I recommend draining the pineapple and maraschino cherries and/or patting them with a paper towel to remove excess moisture. The brown sugar and butter create plenty of liquid.
- Nuts – You can add half a cup of chopped pecans over the cherries and pineapple if you want. I didn’t since most of my family doesn’t like nuts in their cake.
- To Remove the Cake from the Pan – After you remove the cake from the oven, immediately run a knife around the edge of the cake. Then after about five minutes, carefully turn the cake over onto a serving plate. Don’t let the cake cool in the skillet or pan—the sugar will harden and stick to the pan.
- Shortcut Recipe – This recipe uses a homemade cake batter. You can also use a prepared yellow cake mix instead. This will probably make more batter than you need for the skillet method. If you use a cake mix, I’d use the standard sizes on the cake mix directions.
- Storage – Keep leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1-2 days. For longer storage, keep refrigerated.
More Pineapple Desserts To Try
- Pineapple Carrot Cake
- Grandmother’s Pineapple Icebox Cake
- Piña Colada Poke Cake
- Pineapple Delight Bars
Pineapple Upside Down Cake Skillet Recipe (Printable Recipe Card)
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Skillet Pineapple Upside Down Cake
Equipment
- hand or stand mixer
- Mixing bowls
- Oven proof 9 or 10 inch skillet
Ingredients
- 4 eggs separated
- ½ cup butter plus 1 TB
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 1 can pineapple slices
- 10 maraschino cherries cut in half
- ½ cup pecans chopped (optional)
- 1 cup sifted cake flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- Whipped cream for serving
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F.
- Melt ½ cup butter over low heat in 9 or10” heavy bottomed oven safe skillet.
- Remove from heat and sprinkle brown sugar over the butter.
- Place pineapple slices over brown sugar in the skillet.
- Place cherry pieces in and around the pineapple slices.
- If using, sprinkle pecan pieces over fruit.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form.
- Add granulated sugar to egg whites and beat until stiff peaks form.
- In small bowl, beat the egg yolks until they are thick and yellow.
- Using a rubber spatula, fold the egg yolks, flour, salt, and baking soda to the egg whites.
- Fold in one Tablespoon of melted butter and the almond extract.
- Gently spread the cake batter on top of the pineapple slices in the skillet.
- Bake 30 to 35 minutes until the cake surface springs back when lightly touched.
- Remove pan from oven and run a knife around the edge of the pan to loosen the sides of the cake.
- Allow the cake to sit for 5 minutes in pan, then carefully invert the cake onto a serving plate.
- Best served warm, with whipped cream on the side.
Notes
- Drain the Fruit First - I recommend draining the pineapple and maraschino cherries and/or patting them with a paper towel to remove excess moisture. The brown sugar and butter create plenty of liquid.
- Nuts - You can add half a cup of chopped pecans over the cherries and pineapple if you want. I didn’t since most of my family doesn’t like nuts in their cake.
- To Remove the Cake from the Pan - After you remove the cake from the oven, immediately run a knife around the edge of the cake. Then after about five minutes, carefully turn the cake over onto a serving plate. Don’t let the cake cool in the skillet or pan—the sugar will harden and stick to the pan.
- Shortcut Recipe - This recipe uses a homemade cake batter. You can also use a prepared yellow cake mix instead. This will probably make more batter than you need for the skillet method. If you use a cake mix, I’d use the standard sizes on the cake mix directions.
Nutrition
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