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    Home » Cakes and Desserts

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    Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

    Pineapple Upside-Down Cake is a classic, but still a favourite, at the tea table or for dessert. This easy version is good for beginner bakers of all ages.

    Pineapple Upside-Down Cake on a white plate

    Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

    Jump to Recipe

    Pineapple Upside-Down Cake is one of the first puddings I made at school and this version is based on that traditional recipe, with the addition of a little orange flavour. Unlike most current recipes the topping is just brown sugar and pineapple juice, rather than adding butter, so it's not as heavy as it looks, or sounds. Serve with cream or custard. We love it with cream (of course!)

    What is an Upside-Down Cake?

    Upside-down cakes are cooked with the topping at the bottom of the baking tin so you turn them out and serve them upside-down to get the effect. This makes the topping moist and soft rather than drier and crispier - like a crumble.

    How Many Pineapple Rings Do You Need?

    Basically, you need a 400g tin. If you buy regular pineapple rings you will have about 8 rings. Five fit around the baking tin, but you could try stacking them down the sides to use more. If you buy mini pineapple rings you will fit six around the base with one in the centre. Again, you could put the extra halves around the sides.

    Pineapple in Juice or Syrup?

    I always prefer tinned fruit in juice (even though it's often apple juice), because I try to avoid excess sugar. I think the fruit tastes better too. If you can only get fruit in syrup, drain it off and mix the sugar for the topping with some orange juice.

    Is it a Pudding or a Cake?

    A good question. Either or both is the answer. Mostly I'd serve this as dessert, but we do eat up the leftovers at any time of day. So I call it a cake and eat it as pudding.

    HELPFUL TOOLS

    Shallow (5cm) 20cm cake tin - Pushpans are leakproof and this 20cm version is 5cm deep - perfect for Pineapple Upside-Down Pudding. I have two for making 20cm cakes such as Coffee Cake

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    Pear and Almond Cake

    Pear and Almond Cake is an autumn treat - moist almond cake with a caramelised pear topping. Serve for pudding or afternoon tea.
    Apple Sponge Cake with a slice removed, on a white plate

    Apple Sponge Cake

    Apple Sponge Cake can be served warm for dessert or cold at teatime. The cake has a crispy top with an apple and sultana filling.
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    Brioche Bread and Butter Pudding

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    Recipe

    Pineapple Upside-Down Cake on a white plate
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    Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

    Pineapple Upside-Down Cake is great served hot or cold, for pudding or teatime.
    Prep Time20 minutes mins
    Cook Time45 minutes mins
    Cooling Time10 minutes mins
    Total Time1 hour hr 15 minutes mins
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: British
    Servings: 8 slices
    Author: Susie@Everyday Cooks

    Ingredients

    For the topping:

    • 400 g tin pineapple rings in juice
    • 100 g soft dark brown sugar
    • 5-7 glacé cherries

    For the cake:

    • 125 g butter at room temperature
    • 125 g caster sugar
    • 2 large eggs
    • 150 g self-raising flour
    • 1 teaspoon baking powder (5ml)
    • Pinch of salt
    • 1 orange, zested OR
    • 1 teaspoon orange extract (5ml)
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    Equipment

    20cm/8-inch round shallow cake tin
    Baking sheet

    Instructions

    Preparation:

    • Preheat the oven to 180°C/ 160°C fan/ gas mark 4/ 350°F
    • Grease the tin with butter
    • Drain the pineapple, reserving the juice
    • Mix 1 tablespoon (15ml) juice with the brown sugar and spread over the base of the tin. Arrange the pineapple rings and cherries on top of the sugar mix

    For the cake:

    • Put the remaining ingredients into a processor or mixer and beat thoroughly, scraping down at least once during the process
      (Butter, caster sugar, eggs, flour, baking powder, salt, orange extract or zest)
    • Spoon the mixture carefully over the pineapple rings and smooth over, levelling the top
    • Cook for 40-45 minutes until the cake surface springs back when you touch it lightly with your fingertip
      If your baking tin has a loose bottom, you may need to put it on a baking sheet to avoid leakage onto the oven floor
    • Cool in the tin for at least 10 minutes
    • Turn out and serve, hot or cold, with custard or cream.

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    Hi, I'm Susie. Mostly I love cooking and baking, but combining work and home life often leaves me feeling that providing healthy, tasty food for my family is a chore. On those days I am decidedly an Everyday Cook...

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    Pineapple Upside-Down Cake on a white plate
    Pineapple Upside-Down Cake on a white plate
    Pineapple Upside-Down Cake on a white plate

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