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Easy Pineapple Upside Down Bundt Cake

Overhead shot of pineapple upside down bundt cake.

Try my classic & easy Pineapple Upside Down Cake, this time baked in a bundt pan.  Super simple to make and a tasty moist cake too.  Make using brown or white sugar for a different look.

Easy Pineapple Upside Down Cake

Make In A Bundt Or Round Cake Pan

By Caro

Pineapple upsidedown bundt cake at angled shot with text.
Photo 1 – Pineapple Upside down cake

Close shot of brown sugar pineapple upsidedown slice extra close.

Size Of Pan To Use

Here’s my recipe for classic Pineapple Upside Down Cake, but this time I used a new Bundt pan. It is a little wider than my other one, so the cake is a little less deep than the old one I used to bake it in. It is 26cm (10″) at its widest point.

The pan I normally use is 22cm (8.5 “) diameter at it’s widest, 16cm (6″) at it’s smallest and 10.5cm (4”) in full depth. But you can make in regular round tins up to a diameter of 23cm (9 inches) and with a depth of 5cm (2 inches). I would not recommend going any wider a tin than that or the cake will be too shallow, as it isn’t a deep cake as it is.

Alternatively, increase the recipe to a bigger tin, using my How To Increase A Recipe article with tables, worked examples & a video.


Partial shot of a brown sugar pineapple upside down cake sliced.

Why I Love This Cake

What I love about this cake the most is not the sugary fruit topping or the pretty way it looks once baked and turned upside down. It’s the moisture that the cake absorbs from the sugar mixture and fruit, that works it’s way up the cake (when baking) and gives the cake such a moist flavourful taste. See Photo 2 of the inside of the cake.

Simple To Make

The recipe is super simple too, there’s just a few tips you need to know to get the cake out of the tin successfully to produce a photo ready cake.  (You can also read my tips on lining cakes of any shape – go to Lining Cake Tins lesson). Full instructions given in the recipe below.  

 


Note On Ingredients

Now just a little note on the ingredients and method.  Some recipes have you making caramel first, this recipe is easier, and skips this part.  You can also make it using light brown or white sugar.  Most of my photos are of it using the light brown sugar but I have also included pics by my friend Diana, who made it using white sugar.    The brown sugar gives it a darker colour and slightly deeper flavour than the white sugar, but the choice is yours.  

DOWNLOAD THE RECIPE to save to your phone or computer for future use or printing off. Click the Download Button below.


Ingredients

white sugar pineapple upsidedown bundt cake with strawberry garnish.

For The Topping:

  • 113g  Butter, unsalted, cubed & softened (1 stick or 1/2 cup, 4 oz)
  • 170g  Light Brown Sugar2 tbsp White Sugar (1 packed cup’s worth less 2 tbsp,  or 6 oz total.  Plus 2 tbsp of White Sugar)
  • * See note above,OR  200g White Sugar (7 oz, 1 cup)
  • 4.5 tsp Maple Syrup or Pure Honey
  • 1/4 tsp Vanilla Extract
  • Pineapple slices or chunks, from a can  (My can was 420g/ 10.5 fl oz with juice and I used about half.  I used only 3 rings, so even a small can would be fine, but depends on the size of your tin and the design you want to make.)
  • 200g Maraschino/Glace Cherries (will need at least half, so about 3.5 oz)

For The Cake Batter:

  • 113g  Butter, unsalted, cubed & softened
  • (1 stick, 1/2 cup, or 4 oz)
  • 125g  Granulated Sugar 
  • (scant 2/3 cup or 4.5 oz)
  • 2  Eggs, large & room temperature
  • 4 tsp  Milk
  • 157g  Self-raising Flour (1 & 1/4 cup or 5.5 oz)  OR
  • AP/Plain Flour plus 1.5 tsp Baking Powder & 1/8 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp Baking Powder
  • 1/2 tsp  Vanilla Extract

Equipment

  • Scales or measuring cups
  • measuring spoons
  • Stand/hand Mixer
  • Knife and chopping board
  • Bundt pan or round pan (see above)
  • Timer or phone timer
  • Cocktail stick or toothpick
  • Cooling rack
  • 2 baking trays/sheets,(at least size of pan)
  • OVEN: 170c/150c Fan Oven/ 325f/ Gas mark 3.

4 photo collage of greasing and flour lining a bundt pan.

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Weigh or measure out the butter while cubing it and leave out to soften.  Separate into 2 dishes for the topping and for the cake batter.

2.  Once the butter is softened (it should squash easily between your fingers when gently squeezed), prepare the cake pan by greasing or oiling it really well with baking spray, and pay particular attention to the curved areas.  You can also add flour on top if you like.  Just add some and shake the pan and tilt it, to let more flour be moved about until all covered.  See Photo 7.   **If using a regular tin, grease & line the bottom of the tin with paper too. 


4 photo collage of mixing brown sugar for pineapple upside down cake.

3.  Prepare the sugar topping mixture by mixing one of the softened butters & your white or brown sugar together in a large bowl by hand, just until the butter is coated with the sugar.  See Photo, top left pic. Then with a stand or hand mixer (use the ‘k’ or paddle attachment on your stand mixer for this),  begin to beat the mixture till the butter starts to break up.   If using the light brown sugar, remember to also add the 2 tbsp of white sugar.   Add in the vanilla & honey or maple syrup, & mix on medium – high speed for about just 15 – 20 seconds.  Press down on the mixture with the back of a spoon and it should be like a paste, but a gritty paste.  See Photo, bottom right pic. 

 


2 photo collage of butter sugar creamed and adding butter.

4. Set the sugar paste mixture aside, and prepare the cake batter.  Begin by creaming the soft butter till lighter, smooth and creamy looking.   See Photo. 

5.  Now add in the eggs, one at a time, mixing till incorporated in-between each addition & finally mix in the vanilla.


6.  If using plain or All Purpose flour, sieve the flour and baking powder into a separate bowl.  Then sieve this flour again into the sugar, butter & egg mixture.  If using self-raising, you only need to sieve once.  Remember to also sieve the baking powder and also the two amounts of it, if not using self-raising.  See Photo.


7.  Fold in the flour by hand lightly so that the mixture takes on some of the flour and doesn’t go everywhere once you switch the mixer on.  If you have a splash guard, use that.  Then use the mixer to incorporate the flour into the  mixture.  Don’t over-mix as this is what leads to a dense bake.  Just mix until no more dry ingredients are seen.  Be careful to check the bottom of the bowl, as well as scraping down the sides of the bowl if need be.    See Photo.  

8. Heat up the oven to: 170c/150c Fan Oven/ 325f/ Gas mark 3.


9. Now you can add the sugar paste mixture onto the bottom of the prepared bundt pan before adding the fruit, or the opposite way around.  I usually add sugar paste mixture first, but last time taking these pics I wasn’t thinking & did it the opposite way.   I added on the cherries near the centre of the tin, leaving space for pineapple pieces and then positioned some on the outer edge, where I also cut smaller pieces of pineapple to fill the wider gaps.  So before preparing your tin, it’s a good idea to decide on what kind of patter you want, if any.  And remember you can use whole pineapple rings if baking in a regular cake tin.  


10.  I then took large spoons worth of the sugar paste and squeezed together in my hands and flattened out to position carefully on top of the fruit.    I continued until all sugar was used up and made sure the fruit was all covered.  If you are worried about messing up the fruit pattern, add the sugar paste first and then add the fruit, just as Diana did, when she used white sugar for the recipe.  See Photo above.

11.  Now spoon the cake batter into the pan, ensuring there’s an even layer of batter on top by spreading out with a spoon.  See Photo above.  Then give the pan a few gentle taps on the worktop/counter to expel an air bubbles.


12.  Place pan on top of a baking sheet/tray for easy moving and to ensure it sits level.  Bake for  about 30 – 40 minutes till a wooden toothpick comes out clean of crumbs. My oven doesn’t bake evenly, so I turned the tray at about the 20 minute mark.  If the top is browning too quickly, cover with some foil & another baking sheet if need be.  Mine baked at the 32 minutes mark but if you use a deeper pan it may take longer.   See Photo.  


13. Leave on the tray and in the pan, and place on a cooling rack.   It will continue to cook, so leave for at least 30 minutes to cool down a little.  But to ensure you get the cake out, fruit and all, do not let it get completely cooled down.  Run something rubber or plastic down the sides of the cake, only part of the way so as not to break off the fruit (only if needed).    

14. Place a serving plate on top of the pan and while holding both, flip it over.  Then place both onto the worktop/counter and gently tap and try to release the pan from the cake.  Hopefully it will come off easily.  But if any fruit falls off just put back in place.  If it’s not too cool, there won’t be too much sugar mixture left behind and the fruit and cake should all be moist.  See Photo of Diana’s using white sugar.


15. Slice and enjoy!  See Photo.

How To Store

Store any leftovers in a cake tin or sealed container for a several days. After time, the sugar mixture will become more crispy.  


Overhead shot of pineapple upside down bundt cake.

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