Pineapple upside-down cake
A butter cake baked over a layer of caramelized brown sugar, pineapple rings and cherries, then flipped to serve.
- Cakes, cookies, pastries and baked goods
To make a pineapple upside-down cake, butter and brown sugar are melted in the bottom of a pan, then topped with pineapple rings, often with a maraschino cherry in each center. A simple butter cake batter is poured over the fruit and baked. While still warm, the cake is turned out onto a plate so the fruit layer becomes the top.
The sugar and pineapple juice cook into a sticky caramel that soaks into the cake. The cake became popular in the United States in the 1920s, when canned pineapple rings were widely available. A cast-iron skillet is a traditional pan for it because it browns the topping well.
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Written by VanillaGoods in our own words from these sources. Last reviewed October 15, 2026.
- Sample text for Baking in America : traditional and contemporary favorites from the past 200 years / Greg Patent, Library of Congress (catalog sample text)