Go Back Email Link
–+ servings
Let's Cook - Chef Billy Parisi
slice of pineapple upside down cake

Pineapple Upside Down Cake Recipe

This homemade pineapple upside down cake is all I want to eat during the summer season. I use toasted walnuts and pistachios as a barrier between the fruit and the batter so the cake stays moist but never soggy. The pineapple is caramelized separately in butter and brown sugar, then placed on top after baking with a brandy caramel drizzle.
Servings: 12
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Ingredients 

  • 1 ½ cups walnuts
  • ½ cup no salt pistachios
  • 2 ¼ all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/3 cup sour cream
  • 1/2 cup whole milk
  • 1/2 cup neutral flavored oil
  • ½ cup pineapple juice
  • 2 sticks softened unsalted butter
  • 1 ¼ sugar
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 2 large eggs
  • ½ cup packed light brown sugar
  • ¼ cup heavy whipping cream
  • 2 tablespoons brandy or rum
  • 1 peeled and cored pineapple cut into circle rounds
  • 5 pitted fresh cherries cut in half

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350°.
  • Add the walnuts and/or pistachios to a food processor and pulse until it becomes like a course meal.
  • Add them to a 9” cake round that has been prepared with parchment paper and non-stick spray and spread it out and gently pack down. Bake at 350° for 12-13 minutes. Let Cool on a rack.
  • Next, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until combined. Set aside.
  • In a separate bowl whisk together the sour cream, milk, oil, and pineapple juice and set aside.
  • Cream together 1 ½ sticks of softened unsalted butter and sugar in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment on high speed for 5-7 minutes or until it becomes light and fluffy.
  • Turn the speed down to low and add in the vanilla, and then add in 1 egg at a time until mixed in.
  • Scarpe the bowl and then add in alternating dry and wet ingredients beginning with dry and ending with dry just until mixed in.
  • Pour the batter over top of the toasted nuts and smooth out using a spatula.
  • Bake in the oven at 350° for 1 hour and 15 minutes to 1 hour and 20 minutes. Come back halfway through and tent the cake so it doesn’t get overly browned.
  • In the meantime, prepare the pineapple to get 8-9 coreless pineapple circles. See notes on canned.
  • Melt the remaining ½ stick of unsalted butter in a large frying pan over medium heat and place in the pineapple.
  • Immediately sprinkle in the ¼ cup of the brown sugar and cook for 2 - 3 minutes or until the pineapple becomes slightly caramelized. Flip over and cook for 1 more minute before removing and setting to the side on a plate.
  • Add the remaining ¼ cup of brown sugar to the pan over medium heat and additionally add in the cream, whisk, and cook until smooth, which takes about 3 to 4 minutes.
  • Remove from the heat and finish by whisking in brandy or rum. Set aside.
  • Flip the cake over onto a serving plate and add the pineapple rings to the top covering the cake but not overlapping.
  • Drizzle on the remaining caramel overtop of the cake.
  • Place the cherries inside of the pineapple circles. Slice and serve
  • Set the cake on a rack and cool for 20 to 35 minutes.

Notes

All I can say is that the nut barrier is the single most important part of this recipe. Without it, the moisture from the pineapple soaks into the cake and turns it into a soggy mess. The toasted nuts absorb just enough moisture to stay neat without letting it through to the cake.
Pulse, do not over-process: I want a coarse meal, not nut butter. If you can pinch the nuts together and they hold slightly, the texture is right.
Tent halfway through baking: The cake bakes for over an hour, so the top will brown too quickly if left uncovered. I come back at the halfway mark and tent with aluminum foil.
Fresh pineapple vs. canned: Fresh pineapple gives better flavor and texture, but canned rings are a perfectly acceptable substitute. If using canned, save the juice for the batter.
Brandy vs. rum: Either works. Brandy is more traditional in caramel sauces, but rum adds a tropical warmth that pairs well with pineapple.
Make-Ahead: I make this cake up to 1 day ahead of time.
How to Store: I cover and keep it at room temperature for up to 3 days. It keeps in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 5 days. It freezes well, covered, for up to 3 months. I thaw it in the refrigerator for 1 day before serving.
How to Reheat: I place the desired number of slices on a sheet tray lined with parchment paper and warm in the oven at 350 degrees for 4 to 5 minutes.

Nutrition

Calories: 343kcalCarbohydrates: 26gProtein: 5gFat: 25gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 11gMonounsaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 0.05gCholesterol: 38mgSodium: 261mgPotassium: 305mgFiber: 3gSugar: 20gVitamin A: 243IUVitamin C: 38mgCalcium: 80mgIron: 1mg
Author: Chef Billy Parisi