Pineapple Upside-Down Cake (Skillet)
Submitted by MollyEMor
Cast iron skillet pineapple upside-down cake with buttery brown sugar caramel, pineapple rings, and maraschino cherries. A from-scratch batter with lemon zest and vanilla.
YIELD
8 servingsPREP
30 minCOOK
30 minREADY
60 minA heavy 10-inch skillet is the original and best pan for pineapple upside-down cake. The cast iron holds heat evenly, caramelizes the brown sugar and butter into a sticky, amber glaze, and goes straight from stovetop to oven without missing a beat.
The caramel layer comes together right in the skillet: butter melted with ⅔ cup packed brown sugar and two tablespoons of reserved pineapple juice. That juice adds a fruity tang to the caramel that plain butter-sugar can’t deliver. Pineapple rings get arranged on top with maraschino cherries in each center, then the batter goes over everything.
This batter is from scratch, not a box mix. Lemon zest and lemon juice brighten the crumb and keep it from tasting cloyingly sweet under all that caramel. Four minutes of beating with an electric mixer builds enough structure to hold the fruit’s weight when you flip it.
Cool for exactly five minutes before inverting. Too soon and the caramel runs everywhere. Too long and it sets in the pan and the pineapple sticks.
Kitchen Tips
- Use an ovenproof skillet. Plastic or rubber handles will melt in the oven
- Arrange the pineapple in a balanced pattern so the cake looks even when flipped. One ring in the center, the rest around it
- A cherry in every ring is traditional and adds a pop of color and sweetness
- Serve warm. The caramel flows and the cake is at its softest straight from the oven
Variations
- Peach version: Swap pineapple rings for canned peach halves arranged cut-side down in the caramel
- Rum caramel: Add a tablespoon of dark rum to the butter-sugar mixture for a boozy, deeper caramel
- Coconut batter: Fold ¼ cup toasted shredded coconut into the batter for a tropical twist
Ingredients
Directions
Drain the pineapple, reserving 2 Tbls of the juice.
Melt the butter in a heavy 10-inch ovenproof skillet.
Stir in the brown sugar and reserved pineapple syrup, blending well.
Remove from the heat.
Arrange the pineapple slices in the sugar mixture in a balanced arrangement.
Place a maraschino cherry in the center of each pineapple slice.
Combine the flour, sugars, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.
Add the milk and oil then beat, with an electric mixer set on high speed, for 2 minutes.
Add the egg, lemon rind, lemon juice and vanilla extract and beat for an additional 2 minutes.
Carefully pour the batter over the pineapple in the skillet, spreading evenly.
Bake in a preheated oven for 25 minutes or until the cake tests done.
Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes.
Place a serving plate upside down on the top of the skillet and invert the skillet and plate.
Serve this cake warm.
VARIATION: For Peach Upside-Down Cake, use a can of peach halves instead of the pineapple slices and proceed as above.
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