GUYS. I am so excited to finally share this recipe with you all! I make this recipe about once a year, and it’s always such a hit! Yet for being such a classic dessert, there’s still so many people who haven’t tried it before (or haven’t had it for years). Whenever I make this, it’s gone before the day is over. Which is pretty much why I have never gotten a picture of it even though I make it often enough. And that’s why I’m so happy to have made it this time AND gotten a picture of it! Now I can rightfully share this dessert and the recipe for you all!
If you haven’t made this before, let me introduce you to your new favorite cake. It starts with browning butter and melting brown sugar on the stovetop, allowing it to caramelize and bubble up. (This is the part that makes you want to risk burning your tongue for just a taste of deliciousness). Once you get to this part, you just pour the mixture into the bottom of a springform pan. Then quickly add in the pineapple slices in whatever design you choose- and pop in blueberries in the gaps that are left behind. This cake is traditionally made with cherries, and you’re welcome to replace the blueberries with cherries. Personally I don’t love the syrup that maraschino cherries are in, and normal cherries don’t seem to blend in with this cake. Blueberries just seem like the natural choice for a pineapple cake. They stain beautifully when sliced into, and they absorb perfectly into the cake.
Now the cake portion of the dessert is pretty simple, it’s a dense and moist cake with a slight pineapple flavor to tie it in. My favorite thing about this dessert is having it fresh- when it’s still warm from the oven and the sugar top hasn’t cooled off yet so it’s still melting and blends well with the cake. This is definitely a cake that I have made over and over again, and I know I’ll be remaking in a few months again! I hope you guys enjoy this one as much as I do, it’s definitely a keeper!
Pineapple Upside Down Cake
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 11 blueberries
- 1 can pineapple slices or about 7 slices total
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1/4 cup pineapple juice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Set springform pan aside.
- In a pan over medium heat, add butter and allow to melt completely. Once melted, add brown sugar and stir. Allow mixture to bubble for 1-2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Pour mixture into bottom of a tightly fitted springform pan. Quickly arrange pineapple slices over the mixture. Add blueberries in the center of pineapple rings and around the gaps as desired. Set aside.
- In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar together until blended together.
- Add eggs and vanilla extract. Continue to beat mixture together.
- Gradually add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to mixture. Beat on medium speed to combine.
- Add in milk and pineapple juice to mixture. Beat together for a minute on high speed. Make sure to stop and use a spatula to wipe down the bowl, then beat again for another minute.
- Pour batter evenly onto the pineapple/blueberry layer in the springform pan.
- Bake at 350F for 30-45 minutes, or until a knife/toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean with few crumbs.
- Allow to cool for 15 minutes minimum. Then release the springform pan from the cake (use a knife to loosen the edges if necessary). With the bottom pan still on the cake, gently and carefully invert the cake onto a platter (it will still be hot, so be careful). Wait 5 minutes, then gently lift the bottom pan from the top of the cake.
- Serve this cake fresh as it's best when hot out the oven!
