Pineapple Upside Down Bundt Cake (from scratch)

   

I wanted to bake my father an extra special dessert for Father's Day.  My father is 88 years old now and slowing down a tiny bit. His brain is just as quick as a whip, but the body is not as spry as it used to be.  He really enjoys a bit of something sweet after his meal and I thought this Pineapple Upside Down Bundt Cake  from scratch would be just the ticket.

I can't wait to see his eyes light up when he sees it. Of course he will enjoy it with a nice big dollop of whipped cream on top!! 

 

He is so cute.  I go out for supper with him and his lady friends to a local eatery most Wednesday nights for fish and chips. He always gets dessert, and it doesn't matter what it is, he always asks for a huge dollop of whipped cream on top.

Even if it is a pie with meringue already on top. He loves his whipped cream!

Getting to spend these special times with him over these past 19 months has been the silver lining in what was a very difficult time for me. I had thought I would never get to see my father again, but life has a way of surprising you, yes?

 

And being able to spend time with dad is one of the best things to come out of all the bad that happened to me.  It is an extra special blessing.

And so I baked him a Pineapple Upside Down Cake as a treat.  And not just an ordinary one.  A Pineapple Upside Down Bundt Cake.

 

Pineapple Upside Down Bundt Cake is a unique and special way to bake and present this old family classic dessert.  It lacks nothing of the original, except that instead of being a flat cake, it is baked in a ring cake.

You can of course use a cake mix for the cake part of the dessert, but today I chose to make a cake batter from scratch.  My father is worth it I think.

But if you are wanting to really streamline the process, by all means use a cake mix. You will need a two layer sized golden cake. It will also bake a bit quicker than the from scratch cake. 

 

    WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE A PINEAPPLE UPSIDE DOWN BUNDT CAKE

Simple ingredients, that's all, and of course a Bundt cake pan.

For the cake: (see printable recipe notes)

• 350g of plain flour, sifted (2 1/2 cups)
• 3 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 240g of caster sugar (1 1/4 cups)
• 6 ounces butter, softened (3/4 cup)
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 3 medium free range eggs
• 120ml milk (1/2 cup)
• 120ml pineapple juice (1/2 cup)

You will also need:

• 1/2 cup (100g) brown sugar, packed
• 1/4 cup (60g) butter, melted
• 8 maraschino cherries
• 8 slices pineapple, halved

 

You will need most, but not all, of a tall can of pineapple rings, plus the juice.  I think you end up with two extra rings.  These will be cut in half, to make two semi-circles.

If you don't have maraschino cherries you can use glace cherries, rinsed and dried. If your cherries have stems, do remove them!

If you don't want to make the cake from scratch, you can substitute the cake batter with a 2 layer sized cake mix.  You will need to beat it together with 1/2 cup water, 1/2 cup pineapple juice, 3 large eggs, and 1/3 cup of canola oil to make up the batter.

Easy peasy. 

 

HOW TO MAKE PINEAPPLE UPSIDE DOWN BUNDT CAKE

This is actually a very simple cake.  Just make sure your pan is a non-stick pan and spray it really well with cooking spray so that nothing sticks. 

Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Spray a bundt pan very generously with cooking spray. Set aside. Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside. Stir together the milk and pineapple juice.

Cream together the butter and sugar for the cake until light and fluffy. Beat in the vanilla and eggs, blending well. Add the flour alternating with the milk/pineapple juice, making three dry and two wet additions and ending with the dry. Beat well after each addition.

  

Place two half pineapple slices, alternately with the cherries around the bottom of the pan. (see photograph) Carefully pour the cake batter over top to cover, without dislodging the fruit.

Bake in the preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the cake comes out clean.

Leave to cool in the pan for 20 minutes, slice a small spatula around the edges and invert onto a serving plate.

Serve warm, or at room temperature, slicing the cake between the pineapples. A dollop of whipped cream on top goes very nicely.

 

Recipe notes:  

Instead of making the cake from scratch, you can use a two layer yellow cake mix. Beat it together with 1/3 cup of oil, 1/2 cup of water, 1/2 cup of pineapple juice and three large eggs. Use as per the cake mixture above. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Proceed as above.

 

Pineapple Upside Down Cake was a cake I used to make for dessert fairly often when my children were growing up. It was easy to make and always impressive.  

Plus, they LOVED it.   Its also a really great company dessert.  I am not a fancy smancy kind of a gal, so simple desserts like this are what I like to serve to company.

I am not one to put on airs of any kind! 

 

I have a few upside down cake recipes on here, and all of them are quite delicious!

PEAR AND MAPLE UPSIDE DOWN CAKE - A delicious twist on an old favourite. If you want you can use 65g (1/2 cup) of maple sugar instead of the brown sugar called for in the recipe for an even more maple-like flavour. That is what I did this time and it worked beautifully. 

PINEAPPLE GINGERBREAD UPSIDE DOWN CAKE - This is a fabulously spiced and moist upside down cake.  We do love our gingerbread in this house and this is a wonderful way to have it.

UPSIDE DOWN TOFFEE APPLE BROWNIES -   All the flavors of a toffee apple in a moist delicious brown sugar spiced brownie, topped with sweet candied slices of apple. Yummilicious! 

I really can't wait to see my father's eyes light up when he sees this cake. I just know he is going to love, Love, LOVE it!!

My father is a very easy-going amiable fellow.  He loves to come here and visit with my cats.  I am really pleased that I have been gifted with these last few years of his life. Its a real blessing to me. Happy Father's Day Dad and all you fathers out there!  May your days be truly happy ones filled with lots of love, good health and tastiness! 

Pineapple Upside Down Bundt Cake

Yield: 8 - 10

Author: Marie Rayner

Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 40 MinInactive time: 10 MinTotal time: 1 H & 5 M

A wonderful version of an old favorite! Delicious cut into wedges and served with whipped cream!

Ingredients

For the cake: (see note)

• 350g of plain flour, sifted (2 1/2 cups)
• 3 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 240g of caster sugar (1 1/4 cups)
• 6 ounces butter, softened (3/4 cup)
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 3 medium free range eggs
• 120ml milk (1/2 cup)
• 120ml pineapple juice (1/2 cup)

You will also need:

• 1/2 cup (100g) brown sugar, packed
• 1/4 cup (60g) butter, melted
• 8 maraschino cherries
• 8 slices pineapple, halved

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Spray a bundt pan very generously with cooking spray. Set aside. Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside. Stir together the milk and pineapple juice.
2. Cream together the butter and sugar for the cake until light and fluffy. Beat in the vanilla and eggs, blending well. Add the flour alternating with the milk/pineapple juice, making three dry and two wet additions and ending with the dry. Beat well after each addition.
3. Melt the additional amount of butter and stir in the brown sugar. Pour this mixture into the bottom of the bundt pan.
4. Place two half pineapple slices, alternately with the cherries around the bottom of the pan. (see photograph) Carefully pour the cake batter over top to cover, without dislodging the fruit.
5. Bake in the preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the cake comes out clean.
6. Leave to cool in the pan for 20 minutes, slice a small spatula around the edges and invert onto a serving plate.
7. Serve warm, or at room temperature, slicing the cake between the pineapples. A dollop of whipped cream on top goes very nicely.

Notes

Instead of making the cake from scratch, you can use a two layer yellow cake mix. Beat it together with 1/3 cup of oil, 1/2 cup of water, 1/2 cup of pineapple juice and three large eggs. Use as per the cake mixture above. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Proceed as above.

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