Pintesting Pineapple Upside Down Bundt Cake

Pintesting Pineapple Upside Down Bundt Cake

We may earn money or products from the companies mentioned in this post.

Facebooktwitterpinterestlinkedininstagrammail

This is the post that wasn’t going to be and then wrote itself. I made the cake and took some pictures, but didn’t really intend on doing a proper Pintesting – until I shared the pics. The response was mind-blowing, so here’s the post complete with my first recipe.

The Pintesting:

It started with this picture of a pineapple upside down cake in a bundt pan on Pinterest. Because it’s my HH’s favorite cake, I wanted to surprise him with this.

Pintesting Pineapple Upside Down Bundt Cake

Sadly, the link went to a picture. Can we take a moment to talk about responsible pinning here? Check the pins before repinning them, folks.

I did a search for an original source but only came back to the same picture that was on Pinterest.

UPDATE: I found the original source for the picture! Her name is Tina Carver, this is her original idea, and she is very happy that her cake is getting so much fame. 😀

Pintesting Pineapple Upside Down Bundt Cake

Luckily, the picture was enough this time. Pineapple upside down cake traditionally starts with melted butter and brown sugar, then an arranged layer of the pineapple and maraschino cherries, over which the cake mix is poured. When the cake is baked and inverted onto the serving plate, then you see the design of the fruit. This is no different other than it’s in a bundt pan, and the pineapple rings are halved and arranged vertically.

I wanted to ensure that the cake would come out of the bundt pan cleanly, so I really greased the pan with my favorite pan release. (The recipe will follow.) I used a stick of melted butter and sprinkled a half-cup of brown sugar on top of it, then alternated the halved pineapple rings and cherries. I think it turned out just like the original picture.

Pintesting Pineapple Upside Down Bundt Cake

Substituting pineapple juice and milk for the liquid and adding a box of instant vanilla pudding makes this cake incredibly moist and flavorful.  Gently pour the cake batter on top. Then the cake gets baked, cooled, and flipped.

And let me tell you, you’re going to flip for this cake.

Pintesting Pineapple Upside Down Bundt Cake

Normally I give my Pintesting results at the end of each post, and this would get 5 Pins. Instead, I’m sharing my recipe. Enjoy!

The Recipe:

Pineapple Upside Down Bundt Cake

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Yield: 1 Cake = 17-18 slices

Pintesting Pineapple Upside Down Bundt Cake

Ingredients

  • 1/2 Cup butter (1 stick), melted
  • 1/2 Cup packed brown sugar
  • 1 Can pineapple rings in 100% juice (reserve the juice)
  • 1 Jar maraschino cherries
  • 1 Box yellow or pineapple cake mix
  • 1 4-serving box instant vanilla pudding
  • 3 eggs
  • Vegetable oil
  • Milk

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. Prepare the bundt pan by generously applying pan release (recipe below) or non-stick spray.
  3. Melt the butter and evenly pour into the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle with the brown sugar.
  4. Cut the pineapple rings in half and alternate with the maraschino cherries around the bundt pan as shown in the picture. Set aside.
  5. Pintesting Pineapple Upside Down Bundt Cake
  6. In a stand mixer or large bowl, stir the cake mix and pudding mix together. Drain the pineapple juice into a measuring cup and add enough milk to make 1 Cup of liquid. Add this with the eggs and the amount of oil called for in the recipe to the cake mixture; following the instructions on the box.
  7. Carefully pour the batter over the fruit. Place the bundt pan on a baking sheet and bake as instructed for a bundt cake on the cake mix box. The cake is done when an inserted knife comes out clean.
  8. Cool for 10 minutes in the pan. Slide a knife around the edges including the inner ring.
  9. Invert the cake onto a serving plate. Slice between the pineapple rings and serve warm or room temperature.

Notes

Several people have commented that they had the butter and brown sugar overflow their bundt pans causing a big mess in the oven. Just say no to messes. Make sure to put the bundt pan on a baking sheet.

Also, use the baking time for a bundt cake that's listed on the cake mix directions. This will vary by brand. My times are approximate - go by the box.

In order to prevent problems with the cake being too moist, soft, or cracking, cover the pan with foil half way through baking and then uncovering for the last 10 minutes. This will also keep it from over browning. (Thank you, Barbara!)

https://pintesting.com/pintesting-pineapple-upside-down-bundt-cake/

Best Ever Pan Release: from I Am Baker

Mix equal parts of vegetable shortening, vegetable oil, and all-purpose flour until smooth. Using a pastry brush or paper towel, apply to the bundt pan – or any pan – paying special attention to corners, nooks, and crannies.

I really think this is the BEST EVER pan release! Bundt pans are notorious for sticking due to the additional shapes, nooks, and creases. I’ve tried this with all different shapes and sizes of Bundt pans and this has never failed me!

 

 

Facebooktwitterpinterestlinkedininstagrammail

Pinterest addict, award-winning baker, and cookbook contributor - I'm Anne and I'm so glad that you've found Pintesting. This is where we test, review, and rate Pinterest pins on a weighted 5-point scale and sometimes share our own recipes, tips, and tricks.

359 thoughts on “Pintesting Pineapple Upside Down Bundt Cake”

  1. Such a cool look, and Most Excellent that your results matched the pin. Doesn’t always happen, and while everyone loves a good “Pinterest Fail,” I am in love with this success!

    1. Thanks, Jenni! Pinterest fails are fun – unless they’re your supper; then, not so much. This is definitely a happy celebration of a successful Pintesting.

      1. Can’t wait to try pineapple upside down cake, bundt style!
        Sounds great with the added pudding. One suggestion. Since I’ve first heard about it, any cake recipe that calls for oil, I replace it with the same amount of applesauce. Then there is no fat in your cake! Plenty of sugar, but no fat. Plus it adds moisture to your cake! I’ve never had any problems replaceing the oil!!!

        1. Sometimes I replace the oil with applesauce, but if I want a cake to be really rich I replace it with melted butter. I know – opposite ends of the spectrum. For me, it just depends on the results I’m looking for, the recipient of the cake, or the type of cake. I figure it’s cake, not salad, then cut a smaller slice. 😉

          1. Sie können gelb Kuchenteig oder Ananas-Kuchen-Mix verwenden. Ein Kommentator hatte nur Zitronenkuchen -Mix auf der Hand, und es stellte sich heraus, groß. Ich stelle mir vor, dass weiße Kuchenmischung auch gut funktionieren würde. Bitte lassen Sie mich wissen, wie es sich herausstellt . 😀 Glückliches Backen!

        2. I cannot begin to fathom my excitement on how successful this recipe is!!! This is my first time making it and and it came out of the pan perfectly!! Thank goodness I read the comments so I could save it with the foil trick!! This is my husbands favorite dessert, me on the other hand, have never had it! Hehe. Thanks for sharing:)

          1. Congratulations on your success, Deanna, I’m so excited for you! 😀 If your husband is anything like mine, then he’s going to love it. Also, thanks for letting me know how well the foil trick worked. I’m going to add it to the notes of the original post. Let me know your Instagram – I’d love to see the picture! (Mine is https://www.instagram.com/pintesting/) <3 Thanks again, and Happy Baking! 😀

        3. Just made it..bunds oan..waited the 10 minutes suggested…perfection! Yea!!!!!! Never made in bunds pan before. Soooo pretty!

          1. Congratulations, Sherri! 😀 Thank you for choosing my cake recipe – I’d love to see pictures. Happy Baking!

      2. Made this delicious dessert last night and we loved it! Thank you for sharing it. I followed the directions on the cake box to bake for 44 minutes. At the 18 minute mark, I placed a piece of foil loosely on top of the cake so it didn’t get too brown. Worked out perfect! I’d include a picture but the cake was devoured! Will make it again:)

        1. Wonderful, Teresa! I’m glad that it turned out perfect. If it’s okay with you, I’d like to share your idea of loosely covering the cake with foil part way through the baking? Several have commented that the cake was over moist and this might be just the trick to help those to have more even baking. Good luck getting a picture the next time and Happy Baking! 😀

      3. Baked this today. Yummy. No cherries not a fan. Used foil over cake half way thru baking then removed for last 10 minutes. Golden brown no overflow. Husband loved will definitely make again.

        1. I love the idea of using the foil, Barbara! How was the crumb texture of the cake? Some commenters had problems with cracking that I suspect are due to either too much liquid/pudding/moisture or slightly under baking. This might be just the trick to help ensure perfect results. Thanks so much for sharing! 😀 Happy Baking!

          1. My first attempt cracked, I tried to use the entire can of pineapple.. second attempt with less pineapple was perfect!

          2. Patricia, I’m so glad that you tried the 2nd time. Hooray for perfect! 😀 Happy Baking!

          1. You are so right, Faye. There are endless opportunities for making beautifully designed cakes with the upside-down method; it could be a whole new delicious art medium! 😀 Thanks for more inspiration and Happy Baking!

        1. Hi Melody, I’m so glad you liked it! Please share the pictures on my Instagram account and tag me. I’d love to see how it turned out! 😀 Happy Baking!

      4. My cake cracked in a few places? I did the foul thing but should I have sprayed it..when I removed it with 10 min left if stuck to the bottom and took a bit with it?

        1. It turned out beautiful other than the couple cracks..the only thing I did different was put a small amount of crushed pineapple in between the slices. I would post a pic but I can’t figure out how lol.

          1. If you post the pictures on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter and tag Pintesting then I’ll be able to see them. You could also message them on my Facebook page and I can post them and give you the credit.

        2. Sarah, I really hope that you did the foil thing and nothing foul with the cake. 😉 Sorry, the grammar/spelling police in me couldn’t help it. (You can feel sorry for my kids now. LOL!)
          Back to your cake; did you try the pan release recipe that I posted after the cake recipe? The thing about bundt pans is that all of those nooks and crannies give a lot more opportunity for something sticky like melted sugar to stick. I also noticed that you put crushed pineapple in between the slices. The extra moisture that the extra fruit gives, while yummy, can cause a problem with the structural integrity of the cake. I’m glad that overall it looked pretty and hope that you’ll try making it again. 😀 Happy Baking!

      5. I apparently have done something wrong. Followed recipe to a tee and by end of time recommended on cake mix box the cake is far from done!

        1. I’m so sorry, Sherri. Did you try using the foil tip? That seems to be the best way to fix the problem. I hope you’ll give it another try with better results. Don’t give up – I believe in you. 😀 Happy Baking!

    2. I’m always disappointed when a ‘recipe’ involves a box mix… then it’s more like assembly instructions. At least it inspired me to make an upside down cake this way. Thanks!

      1. I understand; my usual preference is from scratch, too. In this case, I was going for simplicity. Feel free to use your favorite cake recipe – I’d love to see how it turns out! 😀

        1. I bake EVERY other cake I make from scratch, but I learned years ago, this cake mix-version, with pineapple juice instead of water, along with the added butter and brown sugar base, makes an AMAZING cake! In fact, I tried a scratch version ONE time and no one could tell the difference!!

          1. I totally agree. In fact, I once made a wedding cake for a friend and used Duncan Hines boxed mix as the start. Everyone still raves about it. 😀 Happy Baking!

          2. With you there! Spent all the extra time making a cake from snatch and no one could tell the difference! Why reinvent the wheel…Duncan Hines and Betty Crocker have it down pat!! By the way – this is THE best looking and tasting upside down pineapple cake!

        2. Do you have a preferred recipe? My mom used to make upside down cakes for special occasions. She used a tattered page from a small sunset cookbook. Can’t find it and can’t duplicate it ?

          1. Good question, Jordan. The recipe that I posted uses a cake mix as a starting point but you are welcome to use a home-made cake recipe if you prefer. If you try my recipe, I prefer Duncan Hines cake mixes (as do most professional bakers) because of the consistently great results. I bake from scratch most of the time but when time is a luxury that I don’t have, there is no shame in starting with a mix. By using the pineapple juice in the liquid, you drastically increase the flavor and moisture of the cake.
            If you have a picture of you mom’s cookbook, I’ll be happy to see if I can help you locate a copy. My mother passed away several years ago and I treasure her cookbooks, so I can imagine your disappointment in not being able to find it.
            Let me know if you have any other questions and happy baking! 😀

      2. A lot of us don’t have the knack to bake from scratch, or perhaps the time. So these ‘semi-homemade’ cakes made from box mixes, can be the perfect solution. You would not believe how many requests I get for the recipes! These added to box mixes are wonderful. My mom baked from scratch, but I just never had the desire to. This recipe looks wonderful!

          1. Kyran, I have used yellow, pineapple, french vanilla, and white cake mixes and tweaked each one to pull off a wonderful cake. When I made this particular cake I used yellow cake mix and it was wonderful. That’s the great thing about baking – you can make it your own. 😀 Happy Baking!

      3. I make my yellow cake by scratch. ..I still use the pineapple juice then fill the rest with milk to equal 1 cup ..2 and half cups flour ,2 cups sugar, 2 teaspoons of baking powder, 1 teaspoon of salt ,1/3 cup slightly melted butter, 3 eggs, then 1 cup milk and pineapple juice mixture. .in my bundt pan I don’t use the whole stick of butter , less then the 1/2 cup of brown sugar, and ur pineapples.

        1. Thanks for the recipe, Rochelle! In a traditional yellow cake, what do you use for the liquid? I’d love to try this both ways. 😀 Happy Baking!

    3. I always melt my butter in the pan ,in the oven while it is heating up. Then sprinkle my brown sugar over the butter. I usually do it in a 13X9 pan with various decorations with the pineapple and cherries. I have also done it in a Bundt pan but never thought to do this decoration. My Dad’s favorite (he’s 84 today.) Just made it as pictured and it is BE U TIFUL! Had leftover pineapple and put it on top in a flower design around the cone with 5 cherries and it sunk down about half way down while cooking and is even more scruptious! I had no issue with it running over pan.

    4. I tried this before and it was beautiful. Unfortunately my bestfriend was carrying it in a cake pan and dropped it before we can even taste it. Everyone was disappointed because it looked great. Im sure it tasted as good as it looked. I will definitely try it again and carry the pan my self this time.

      1. Oh no! I’ve done that before, it’s a terrible feeling. I was bringing in a cake for a work colleague when I dropped the cake in the parking lot. Thankfully it didn’t fall out of the cake carrier. The building had a cafe so I asked for a large serving bowl and whipped cream. Everyone thought my “trifle” was amazing. LOL! Little did they know it was created from desperation. I hope you’ll try it again soon and share the pictures.

      1. Hi, Bre. I’m so glad that you enjoyed the cake! I’ve kept this cake in a cake taker container or in a covered cake dish on the kitchen counter (not in the refrigerator). It’s very moist and doesn’t dry out very easily. I hope this helps. 😀 Happy Baking!

      1. Hi, Sheila! Thanks for trying my cake – I’m sure yours turned out delicious. I’d love to see some pictures – Happy Baking! 😀

    1. Hi Joy, it absolutely was. My HH and I usually share most of our baking in order to keep from eating too much. This time, we only shared a few pieces with close friends – we ate the rest ourselves! (Don’t tell anyone.) 😉

    1. this cake has been tempting me since I first saw it on FB, so today I am making it as my sister’s birthday cake. I’m sure it will be a success.

  2. What a terrific way to set up the Pineapple. Good Job. I will try this in the near future. Your Pan Coating…I have made this for just about a year now and rarely use anything else. Cakes come right out of the pans. It is awesome. I keep mine in the fridge and it separates just a bit at the bottom, and a long chopstick does well to stir it back in. It does stay soft and usable even in the fridge. I love my Pan Coating.

    1. Thanks, Toffy. I’ve used this pan release mix for a year or two and won’t go back to anything else. Did you know that a lot of the sprays have silicone in them? It’s one thing to cook on it, but I’d rather not eat it. I keep mine in the fridge, too. A quick stir with the pastry brush (which, ironically, is silicone), and we’re good to go. You’re obviously a very wise cook. 😀

    2. Can you tell me the unit measurement for the pan release? I noticed it calls for equal parts but I am not sure what the unit measurement is? Can you please advise?

      1. To start off with a reasonable amount…I use 1/2 cup of each. !/2 cup flour, 1/2 cup oil (I use Olive Oil, light if I have it) 1/2 cup White Crisco. Beat it well, pour into a jar with a lid and keep in the fridge. Use for all the pans you bake with including Silicone. Works wonderfully for me.

        1. Do you melt the crisco and then mix it? Do you have to melt before using the “coating? Also, how do you keep the pineapples from falling over? I want to try this next week!

          1. Fran, you don’t need to melt the shortening. I just mix the pan release ingredients with a whisk or mixer depending on how ambitious I feel. Even if you’re mixing them by hand it doesn’t take long for everything to mix well and smooth out.

            The pineapples stay in place due to the curve of the pan, the support of the cherries, and the “glue” of the butter/brown sugar mixture. I’d love to know how your cake turns out! Good luck and Happy Baking! 😀

          2. Thank you for the information. I made the cake last week and used the real Pam for Baking. I have used many other baking sprays and had good results but nothing, nothing has worked better than real Pam for Baking. So, I am sold on this, especially, though, while I was waiting for you reply. Now, I will try your mixture! I made the cake and it turned out great. I was afraid to overcook it, but even though the tested came out clean, I baked for about 10 minutes more. It released very easily but shortly after, the cake began to split along several of the bundt lines. I actually put the pan back over the cake, hoping that might fix the splits, but it didn’t. But I decided that the splits actually helped see the beauty of the cake and made slicing all of it easy. I learned that the next time I make this, I will position the pineapples higher along the outside length of the pan and maybe even put the pieces closer and push the cherries closer, too. But none of my pineapple slices fell over. Of course, I carefully and slowly spooned the batter over the fruit and filled in some of the spaces to secure the pineapples! Sorry this is so long, but I am so very happy that I came upon your recipe. It is quite impressive and tasted great, too! Thanks!

          3. Thanks for sharing your results, Fran, and am so glad that it turned out well for you. A couple of other people mentioned having cracks in their cake, too. I guess we should all bake another one to see if it happens – for research. 😉 If you try the pan release, please let me know how it works. Happy Baking!

      2. I have the large bundt pan, so I use one tablespoon of flour, one tablespoon of oil and one tablespoon of shortening . Then you don’t have to worry about leftovers for the pan release.

        1. Sherri, that’s very clever to only make up what you need. Since I bake a lot it’s worth making enough to keep on hand, but your idea is perfect for those who don’t bake often. Thanks for the great tip and Happy Baking! 😀

    1. Hi Mary, I would. There are just too many nooks, crannies, and crevices that make opportunities for a cake to stick to a bundt pan; non-stick or otherwise. I would be so sad if you went to all the trouble, but it didn’t come out of the pan. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, or in this case, cake. 🙂

      1. I just made this cake exactly as the recipe called for except I used butter instead of oil in the batter! It came out perfect, moist and did not stick to the pan ?

        1. Hooray for butter! I often use melted butter in my cakes rather than oil, too. (Of course, there are times when I go the other direction and use applesauce instead of oil, too.) I’m so glad that it turned out well for you. 😀

  3. Thank you so much it turn out exactly as shown. Taste delicious. I put too much batter in pan it slightly ran over , so I know better next time.

    1. Leslie, I guess that means there was more cake to love/eat. 😉 Out of curiosity, what size is your bundt pan? The standard type usually has a 10-15 cup capacity and the cake mix should have produced no more than 4-5 cups of batter. You have me intrigued.

      1. I’m using the standard pan. Although I have two different sizes. It was not the cake itself that over spilled it was the butter rising to the top that spattered my oven. I am not the best butit still turned out good. The cake rose to the rim.

  4. It was not the cake mix itself, iron as either the butter rising to the and bubbling down the side. The cake rose to the rim. Between the Bakers joy cooking spray and the butter used I don’t know how it happen. I have a standard pan and a smaller one that some not so deep. All in all the cake is 1/2 gone no I have boutique 8 slices left. Possiblyou a total of 16 slices

  5. This looks delicious and I am going to try it as well as your pan coating recipe. Looking forward to seeing more from you.

  6. I am making this as I write. Will let you all know how it turns out!!! Keeping fingers crossed. I greased my Bundt pan with Imperial margarine. Hope it works!

  7. I wanted to print off this recipe. I hit print and it started printing and printing and printing. I finally hit cancel because ti had printed six pages with huge colored pictures. I won’t make
    this mistake again.

        1. Hi Paula, there is a print button on the top of the recipe that will only print the recipe (and not the extra 11-15 pages of the blog post). Let me know if you make the cake! 😀

  8. I wanted to print this recipe, so I hit print and it started printing page after page. After six pages I hit cancel. Why couldn’t it simply had had a neat simple recipe to print off. This was ridiculous as I didn’t need six pages and more for one recipe with huge colored pictures. I won’t be making thta mistake again.

    1. Betty, there are two print buttons on the page. The one at the top of the recipe section will only print the recipe without the blog portion or other images. The print button toward the bottom will print the whole content; somewhere between 11 and 16 pages. I wouldn’t waste all that paper either. Let me know if you still have problems, please.

  9. I’ll give this a try. It looks great. I was just thinking, why not combine the butter, brown sugar with the drained pineapple juice in a small pan over a medium heat to make a syrup? It would use the pineapple syrup and add a little more moisture to the cake. Just a suggestion.

    1. Bill, you could make a syrup, but the baking process does it without the extra step (or extra dirty pan). 😉 I do use the juice that the pineapple is in for the liquid in the cake. And you’re absolutely right – it does make the cake more flavorful and moist. Happy Baking!

    2. I make a wonderful rum cake which is similar. I do make a glaze using I stick of butter 1 cup of water1 cup sugar , boil 5 min take off heat and add 1/2 cup dark rum. Poke holes all over cake and glaze all over. I bet this glaze would be great on this cake!!

  10. Delicious cake. Made it yesterday and everyone loved it. Had no problems with cake sticking, used butter crisco and flour ?

    1. I’m so glad it turned out for you. 😀 When making the “Goop” recipe, I use regular Crisco just so I don’t accidently change any flavors. I’ll bet the butter would be good in most applications.

        1. Happy Birthday and congratulations on the cake! I wasn’t able to see the pictures due to settings. 🙁 You can post them here if you’d like.

    1. I’m so glad the GF worked well! I love King Arthur Flour; they have top of the line products. I’m not surprised, but so happy to hear it!

  11. I have a luncheon to go to next week and this would be perfect to take….haven’t baked in awhile so wish me luck….will let you know how it goes later. I also like the sound of the pan prep. Will try that too…thanks a lot

  12. What keeps the pineapple and cherries from falling all over when you put the batter in? I ‘M CONFUSED ABOUT THAT PART.

    1. The melted butter and brown sugar give the fruit a place to sink into, the curve of the pan matches with the curve of the pineapple ring halves, and the cherries lend additional support between each pineapple ring half, too. All together, they keep the fruit stable when pouring the cake batter over everything. Let me know how it turns out for you. 😀

  13. I noticed that milk and oil are part of the ingredients but you don’t give a measurement. Can you help me with this? I want to make my wife something special.

    1. How sweet! She’s going to love this. 😀 Use the amount of oil that your cake mix calls for on the box. Most mixes call for roughly a cup of water. Whatever the amount of water is, substitute the juice from the pineapples plus enough milk to make the required amount of liquid. For example, if you’re supposed to have a cup of water and the pineapple juice is only 2/3 cup, then add 1/3 cup milk. I just add milk until I reach the 1-cup line. Good luck!

  14. Has anyone ever sprikled powder sugar on top of this cake? Wanted to get opinions before I actually try that when I make this. I cant wait to make it. Happy baking all

    1. Because the recipe has the butter/brown sugar mixture in the bottom of the pan/top of the cake, I didn’t dust with additional sugar. I do that with my pumpkin tea bread, though. It’s up to your taste. Maybe try dusting the powdered sugar on just a bit and then decide if it’s really needed. I’d love to see pictures when you make it! 😀

  15. I have been making pineapple upside down bundt cakes for awhile now and I had never seen this type of layout for the pineapple and cherries. I made it last night and it is absolutely BEAUTIFUL. I won’t go back to making it the other way (pineapple slices laid on bottom of bundt pan).

    Two things….the cake is so ridiculously moist (in a good way), that I will leave out the vanilla pudding mix next time. It almost makes it too moist (like maybe it’s not done, but you know it’s done because if it were in oven any longer it would actually burn). I even think you could more liquid from the pineapple slices when they are inserted this way and that is a good thing too. I noticed that for whatever reason, I actually get that good ol’ crunchiness on the crust and I thought I wouldn’t ever get that without using a iron skillet. But my husband said even the outside is nice and crunchy!

    The other thing is that since I have been baking bundts, I have never once had a cake get stuck. I know all too well how common this is because I hear about it all the time from my friends. From the first bundt cake I have ever made, I used Baker’s Joy, and not one time has it let me down. I used it on this recipe too and just like the other bundt cakes, it just fell out of the mold. I love that stuff. It has powder in the spray so it is different than just Pam.

    What a keeper….if I could post a picture of my beautiful cake–I would!

    Thank you!

    Dawn

    1. Bridget, it’s not a spray – it’s goop. Mix equal parts of vegetable oil, vegetable shortening (I use regular Crisco), and all-purpose flour. Apply it with a pastry brush or paper towel. I’ve never had anything stick to this. Happy Baking!

        1. Chris, I usually use 1/3 to 1/2 cup of each. This doesn’t go bad, but I prefer to make a fresh batch every month or two. If you bake a lot, then increase the quantity. If you only bake occasionally, you can reduce to 1/4 cup of each. I hope this answers your question – Happy Baking! 😀

    1. Hi Mary, nothing should change. I would still recommend substituting the drained pineapple juice for part of whatever liquid your cake recipe calls for. I’d love to see how it turns out! Happy Baking. 😀

  16. This cake looks Awesome and I plan on making it Friday. This may be a silly question but when I Mix the cake mix and pudding together do I then add in that bowl the eggs, liquid,oil etc to the same bowl and then mix it all together and then pour into the pan..Thanks

    1. No, Annie, that’s not a silly question. I mix the dry cake and pudding mixes first, add the liquid (pineapple juice and milk) and oil, and finish by adding the eggs one at a time. Then I pour the batter over the melted butter, brown sugar, and arranged fruit. I hope that answers your question. Happy Baking! I’d love to see pictures when you’re done. 😀

      1. Awesome! Thanks I will definitely
        put a picture of it when I get it finished…My husband is going to LOVE this cake 🙂

        1. So I made this cake for my Husband’s Valentine cake and it was AWESOME! I followed exactly how you wrote it. I took it out to cool and was going to take a picture. I had to pick up my grandson and when I got back My Son and Husband had already gotten in to it…So no Picture…BUT it is now my husbands best cake…Thank You for the best recipe!

          1. That’s one of the nicest Valentine’s gifts I’ve gotten this year. Thanks for sharing – even without the pictures. 😀

  17. I am making this tomorrow for a friends lunch. I am not going to sprinkle with conf. sugar, but I am going to sprinkle with coconut and get a pina colada effect. I think it will be yum!!!!!

    1. Diane, I LOVE how you think! Maybe instead of using milk to finish the amount of liquid, try coconut milk or cream (or maybe a splash of rum or rum extract, depending on who you’re serving). PLEASE take some pictures and let me know how it turns out. Happy Baking! 😀

  18. I made this but since my family LOVES pineapple, I also added crushed pineapple in the bottom of the pan, along with the butter and brown sugar…mmmmmmm!!!

    1. Did you use the crushed pineapple in addition to the pineapple rings? I’ve had a few similar comments of people doing that. Let me know how it baked with the extra pineapple, please.

        1. I ask the kids should I make it with vanilla next time was told no absolutely not. Was the best I’ve ever had. I can say I normally make my cake on and iron skillet never dreamed it would.be so.good..

  19. My husband & daughter’s favorite cake is pineapple upside down cake. Would love to have this recipe e-mail ed to me.. Thanks so much..

    1. You can print the recipe as a .pdf file by clicking the print button at the top of the recipe section, then choose “save as .pdf” as your printer. This will save the recipe on your computer, and you can email it to whomever you like. 😀 Happy Baking!

  20. I made the cake today and it came out of pan real easy but there was lots of juice that came out. And it didn’t brown like it should have. I even baked it for 45 min. And it was smaller than your looked like. Any ideas what I did wrong.

    1. There are a lot of variables in baking that can make a difference: oven temperature (I highly recommend investing in a $5 oven thermometer so you know exactly how hot your oven runs), elevation, the freshness of the cake mix or other ingredients… When I have a problem like this, I usually bake another one right away and make what I think would be the most logical adjustment. Did the cake cook all the way through or was it too moist? Did any part of it bake more – uneven baking? Were all measurements accurate? I work through these kinds of questions, make the logical adjustment, and try again. None of my friends mind when I have to use them as guinea pigs. 😉 If you still have trouble, please let me know and we’ll work through it. Good luck and Happy Baking!

  21. So starange…my friend and I were just talking about we haven’t made pineapple upside down cake for so long ! And here is you site….I can’t wait to try it. Got a new bundt pan from my best friend for a Christmas present. This just looks so beautiful.
    Also never hear of that Best ever Pan Release….I will sure try it as I bake a lot.
    Thank you…for all the good stuff !!!

    1. Hi Elsie, if you click the print button that’s at the top of the recipe (not any other ones), then you’ll just get the recipe. Happy Baking! 😀

    1. That’s a great question, Dianna. The ones that I’ve seen have walnut halves on the brown sugar mixture arranged with the pineapples and cherries. However, there was no specification if chopped walnuts are in the batter. If you like walnuts, then add them into the batter. It’s your cake – you can do whatever you want to. 😀

  22. I have one of these in the oven right now. I think the cake should be made in a cast iron skillet because that’s the way mom and grandma always made it but I love the look of this version so am giving it a try.
    Also, I always add pecan halves to the topping and did so in this version. A little touch of praline.

    1. Let me know how it turns out. 😀 Perhaps you can answer a question that several people have asked. Do you just use the nuts as part of the pretty garnish with the pineapple and cherries, or do you add them to the cake batter as well? We look forward to your reply.

      1. Pecan halves always decorated the top in every open spot between the pineapple rings and cherries (never in the batter) in the East Texas PUDC iron skillet version of my childhood days. Most desserts had pecans, probably because my grandpa had pecan trees.

        1. That sounds amazing! Please feel free to share a picture of that amazing combination cake. Pecans are one of my favorite nuts. Just curious – how do you pronounce them? 😀 Happy Baking!

    2. I too added pecans and it’s fabulous. A co-worker turned me onto this recipe and now it’s my favorite go to for a simple “fancy” dessert. Thank you for sharing.

      1. Okay, I’ve really got to try this with the pecans. Thanks, Gigi, for trying the cake. If you have any pictures, please share on my Facebook page. Happy Baking! 😀

  23. This was so wonderfully easy. Some substitutions for my dietary needs (casein allergy) but the cake is moist, puffy, and DELICIOUS.

    I used a yellow make mix and added a small can of drained crushed pineapple (that I chopped even finer). I replaced the milk with the pineapple juice from the rings and crushed pineapples.

    Left out 1 egg….’cause I only had two. Left out the pudding mix because I didn’t have a dairy free on hand and didn’t feel inclined to go hunt one down.

    Will be making this. OFTEN.

  24. This looks great, I have a receipt for a Rum Cake made in bundt pan. Your receipt is just about the same for the cake portion. I have been making it for at less forty years and everyone loves it. Using a box mix is just fine with me. Now I have made it a coconut rum cake. I tried to print the receipt but it would not print. Thanks for posting

    1. Thanks, Ella! Some other people suggested adding coconut and rum, so a Pina Colada version is in the works. I just made a peach version for Valentine’s day. The pictures are posted on my Facebook page. 😀

    1. I’ve used both with great success. If I have the pineapple cake mix, then I use it. If I have yellow cake mix on hand and can save a trip to the store, then that’s what I use. 🙂

  25. Just got home from the store with all my ingredients! Should have it in the oven with the next hour! Can’t wait to see how it comes out!

    1. I posted something about the Pineapple Upside Down Bundt Cake and you never said anything about it. I posted it last week. Did you not get it?

      1. I’m sorry, Mary. Did you post it here? I do try to respond to comments, but if you posted on the Facebook page it might have gotten missed as there have been over a thousand comments between all the pictures.

  26. I made this and took out of oven 30 minutes ago. The house smells wonderful but better yet…I can’t wait to taste the cake! As the person before me said in a reply…I love the pan release ingredients you use.
    Thank you!

  27. We have made this cake twice since seeing the post. Its wonderful. The knly problem we are having is it starts to break apart after taking it out of the pan. Do you have ant ideas on why that happens

    1. Wow, thanks for the great compliment of making it twice! 😀 As to the breaking apart, my first thought is that maybe it needs to bake just a tad bit longer. I have a panel of expert bakers that I’d like to ask to see if they have anything to add.

      1. Thats what we thought after the first one but we ket the 2nd bake a little longer. It only split in 3 places as opposed to 4 on the first one. I just told my wife it was so ready to be eaten it started slicing itself.

        1. LOL! It’s definitely a cake that needs to be eaten. Even with just two of us, my husband and I only share a couple of slices and ate the rest ourselves. (That sounds terrible, but we couldn’t help it.) I hope to get an answer from the experts for you soon.

          1. Andrew, I’ve checked with some professionals, and they think that either the cake needed to bake a bit longer, or maybe it needed to cool longer in the pan. Try cooling it for 10-15 minutes in the pan, and then leave the pan over the cake for a few minutes when you invert it onto your serving plate. Let me know if this helps.

  28. I tried printing and went to the top of the page like you said and it printed 29 pages and I tried to cancel and no luck. I will not do that again. Crazy. I do not want to print all those comments!

    1. How frustrating, Mary. The print button that’s at the beginning of the recipe – right next to the title in the recipe section – is the one that only prints the recipe. I’ve asked for help in getting the print buttons reformatted so that only the recipe will print no matter which print button is selected.

      1. Oh, thanks so much. I tried the one besides the title and it WORKED! Thanks so much. It only printed the recipe!! Thanks so much. And I wanted to let you know also (this did not get printed for some reason) I made the cake and it turned out beautiful! Perfect! My husband and everyone else loved it!! He is a diabetic and I used the sugar free cake mix and not only that I used the homemade mix to grease the bundt pan and I will NEVER use PAM again. It is wonderful. And right now I am making another one using the Pineapple cake mix to give a friend. LOVE it!

        1. Wonderful! I’m glad that the recipe printed properly and that the cake turned out. 😀 I’ve had a couple other people ask about a sugar-free version, so I’ll be glad to tuck this away.

  29. Oops, the cake is in the oven but while cleaning up I realized I used lemon pudding mix! I use instant pudding so seldom I didn’t pay attention to the words on the box!
    I hope it is ok as I know lemon flavor pudding is a different look than vanilla. I think the favors should be ok but……I love let you know!

    1. I would think that the lemon pudding would just give the cake a brighter taste. Please let me know how it turns out! 😀

  30. I made this gluten free using a yellow gluten free cake mix. Everyone (even those that don’t have to be gluten free really liked it. I shared it with others and there was NONE LEFT. Everyone was talking about how delicious and pretty it was, Thank you !

  31. Mine is in the oven now. I did not use the milk but added water to the juice to make one cup. Also added sour cream to the beaten cake mix. Will let you know how it comes out.

    1. I often add sour cream to my cakes, too. Please send pictures, if you don’t mind. I love seeing how others cakes have turned out. 😀 Happy Baking!

      1. This cake is YUM! Thank you for the recipe! I am hopefully going to bring it into work tomorrow……….if it makes the night

        1. I’m glad you like it, Karen! This cake makes an argument of how to really “win friends and influence people” (no offence to Dale Carnegie). I’m sure your work colleagues will love it. 😀

          1. They loved the cake!!!!! and now they are having a small party for the whole day…….I was asked to bring this. It is baking as I type.

          2. Wonderful! This has become one of my favorite cakes, too. You’re baking people happy. 😀

  32. I’ve been wanting to do this cake since I first saw it on FB. Well to day is the day. I have made it as my sister’s Birthday Cake. It is in the oven as we speak. I’m sure it will be a success!!

    1. Happy Birthday to your sister! She’s very lucky to have someone like you to make a cake in her honor. 😀 Happy Baking!

  33. Just made this for my husband’s b’day today , looks and smells great ! So easy, just followed directions 1,2,3. So excited.

  34. I feel kinda silly asking this but I don’t see a measurement for the oil. How much oil/applesauce do I need??

    1. Not silly at all. Use however much is called for on the box mix or your own recipe. Simple but not silly. Happy Baking! 😀

    1. I use equal parts of the vegetable shortening, vegetable oil, and all purpose flour – usually about 1/3 to 1/2 cup of each to give a total of 1 to 1 1/2 cups of the “goop” pan release. 😀 Happy Baking!

  35. I made this cake following the recipe for one stick of melted butter and 1/2 cup brown sugar in the bottom of the Bundt pan. The butter and brown sugar boiled over into the oven; IT WAS A MESS!! The cake turned out very pretty and tasted great, but was a chore to clean my oven!!!

    1. Myra, I’m so sorry for the mess. You’re not the only one who had that problem. It seems that bundt pans come in different sizes, so the smaller ones overflow. I’ve updated the recipe to indicate that the bundt pan should be placed on a baking sheet to avoid this problem. Just say no to overflow!

  36. I have made this cake twice now, Both times it has stuck in the bottom and pulled the fruit and part of the cake off. It tastes great, it is fully done, I used the pan release and it did not stick around the sides at all, Just the gooey fruit, butter sugar mixture wants to pull loose from the cake. HELP

    1. April, I’m so sorry to hear about the sticking. Did you use the pan release on the entire pan – including the bottom underneath the melted butter, brown sugar, and fruit? Some commenters used non-stick pans and chose to skip on the pan release. My pan is older, so I gave it a really good coating of the pan release before anything else went into it. Also, pour in the melted butter and sprinkle the brown sugar on it, but try to not let the brown sugar get onto the pan directly as this can also cause sticking. Finally, allow the cake to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes or so before inverting onto your serving plate, but wait a moment or two after inverting to give everything a chance to properly settle before removing the pan and revealing your masterpiece. I hope this helps. Please let me know how the next cake turns out. Happy Baking! 😀

  37. Mine came out perfect. The only change I made was to add 1 c of chopped pecans on top of the cherries before adding the batter. I received rave reviews. Thanks for sharing!

  38. I tried looking for the answer in the 1,000 comments, lol, and couldn’t find it. Please—can you use fresh pineapple and squeeze the extra juices into a measuring cup?

    1. What a great question! In this cake, I think it would perfectly fine to substitute fresh pineapple for canned. Just make sure to trim it well so that nobody gets one of those hard little bits. Also, if you have a little more pineapple and need more juice, try blending it up with the juice that you have to make more. PLEASE let me know how it turns out with the fresh! 😀 Happy Baking!

  39. Substituting pineapple juice and milk for the liquid and adding a box of instant vanilla pudding. What does this mean?? what liquid are you referring to?? So am I adding the pineapple juice and milk or not??

    1. I’m sorry if the instructions were confusing. The assumption is that you’re using a box cake mix. To the dry cake mix add the dry pudding mix. I like to combine them with a whisk. Following the instructions on the cake mix box, you will add oil, eggs, and water. Rather than using water, measure the reserved pineapple juice plus enough milk to make the listed measurement for water – usually about a cup. Continue making the cake batter as directed on the box. Pour the batter over the arranged fruit. Does this help? Good luck and Happy Baking! 😀

  40. Hi. I had a senior moment (buried my husband 2 months ago) and forgot to use the brown sugar and butter. It was still a luscious, moist, delicious cake. I couldn’t believe after this many years of cooking I forgot to brown sugar and butter on an upside down cake, but it has been a rough y ear for me. The cake is wonderful. Now I plan to try it the right way!
    Thank you for the wonderful recipe!

    1. Linda, I’m so sorry for your loss. I can’t imagine losing a beloved spouse; you’ll be in my prayers tonight. While I’m glad that the cake was tasty even without the butter/brown sugar, please let me know how it turns out with it. 🙂 Hugs and Happy Baking!

  41. What if the cake mix already has pudding in it? Would you adjust the amount of pudding or simp,y leave it out of the recipe? I baked a chocolate cake that already had pudding in the mix — it turned out moist, dense, and delicious. Adding more pudding would have made this a much heavier cake. Your thoughts?

    1. Sheryl, you’re absolutely right. If the cake mix already has pudding in the mix I would use caution before adding more. You could skip using the pudding or just add a tablespoon or two. I’d love to hear how it turns out. Please let me know. Happy Baking! 😀

  42. I just want to give a huge THANK YOU for hunting down this recipe. I saw it on Facebook and figured there would be a pin somewhere in Pinterest land. There was no link on the post and I really wanted to keep it handy in Pinterest. I am one to research my pins to make sure they’re actually real. The first thing I got…just the picture. How aggravating! So many people blindly pin things not knowing if it’s
    real or not. I’m glad you’re like me!

    1. It’s so nice to meet another responsible pinner! I always make sure that the links work AND go to the page that’s in the image before pinning. I’ve recently noticed that some of my older pins’ links are no longer active (Boo), but that’s beyond my influence. In some of those cases, I’ve been able to use the WayBack Machine to still be able to get to the recipes (https://archive.org/web/).

      As for this recipe – there wasn’t one. The pin linked to a photo. Period. So the recipe is mine. I’m glad you like it. 😀 Happy Baking and keep pinning!

  43. I wanted to share my pictures on Facebook and tag you and this wonderful recipe but I got an error message saying I wasn’t allowed to from your website.

    1. That’s odd – I’ve had other people do that. Would you please message me on my Facebook page and share them that way? I’ll repost them and tag you. 🙂

  44. I was really looking forward to having this tonight for dessert. I do a lot of cooking but not a lot of baking. So when it comes to a baking recipe, I follow it exactly because I’m not always sure what it takes to correct some bad characteristic. I baked this for 35 minutes like the box said and the toothpick was not close to clean, so I baked it another 8 minutes, still gooey. I baked it another 5 minutes and the bottom (or top) was getting real dark so I went ahead and pulled it out and let it sit for 10 minutes, inverted it and let it sit for 5 minutes with the pan still on. When I cut it, there is still a liquid ring in the bottom about an inch in diameter all the way around. The only deviation from the box recipe on liquids was that I used 3 jumbo eggs instead of 3 large. Would this have caused that much of a problem? It looks great and tastes great except for the gooey part!

    1. Hi, Dave. You bring up a great point – all eggs are not created equal. This cake is very moist so it’s possible that the upgrade in egg size took it slightly over the top. According to this egg conversion site, 3 jumbo eggs would equal 4 large eggs (http://www.incredibleegg.org/cooking-school/tips-tricks/egg-sizes-equivalents-and-substitutions/). Per USDA guidelines, large eggs are 2-oz., extra large eggs are 2.25-oz., and jumbo eggs are 2.5-oz. Multiply that by three eggs and you’ve added nearly an extra egg (http://www.thekitchn.com/medium-large-jumbo-how-egg-sizes-actually-measure-up-ingredient-intelligence-200891).

      One other thought; you mentioned a ring of liquid in the bottom. Could that have been the butter/brown sugar mixture? Depending on the pan, exact oven temperature, humidity, and the alignment of the moon with Saturn (just kidding – I think), sometimes the mixture bakes into the cake and other times it stays more syrupy and on top. Whenever I have a baking problem, I remake the recipe and alter whatever the most logical problem(s) might have been. Please let me know if you make the cake again. Wishing you the best and Happy Baking! 😀

    2. I followed the recipe to a tee and had the exact same problem (with “large” eggs) I let it sit for an extra 30 min and it’s still very moist. And the bottom is burnt to a crisp and started smoking up my oven.

      1. I’m sorry to hear that, Kate. I recommend lowering your oven temperature by 25 degrees and using a longer baking time. Every oven has its own nuances and is calibrated slightly differently. Baking longer and lower should give you more even baking results. Good luck and Happy Baking!

    1. I used a standard bundt pan which has a 10-15 cup capacity (bakeable capacity for cakes is about 12 cups of batter). The cake recipe should make roughly 4.5-6 cups of batter. Some people had an issue with the butter-brown sugar mixture coming over the sides of the pan during the baking process, so I highly recommend using a sheet pan underneath as a precaution. (Plus it makes it easier to take the cake out of the oven.) Good luck and Happy Baking! 😀

  45. I made this for mother’s day and it was delicious. I’m making it again tonight for a bbq tomorrow. It’s in the oven now. The first time around the butter / brown sugar stuck a little but I was able to make it presentable. Thanks for sharing this recipe!

    1. I’m really glad that you liked the cake enough to make it twice. Did you use the pan release recipe before pouring in the melted butter and brown sugar? Some recipes don’t call for it, but I highly recommend using it since burnt on sugar is no laughing matter. Enjoy your BBQ and Happy Baking!

  46. We just made this cake this weekend. It was absolutely delicious and so easy to make!!! We brought it to a BBQ this weekend and the entire cake was gone. We will be making it again.

  47. I have a from scratch cake mix recipe for a regular pineapple upside down cake. does it make a difference if I don’t use a box mix?

    1. Hi Dawn, it makes no difference at all if your cake recipe is a good one. I bake about equally from scratch and using a box mix as a starting point. Many people like the ease of modifying a box mix and in this case I knew it would be rather foolproof. However, any good yellow or pineapple cake recipe should work very well. Let me know how it turns out and Happy Baking! 😀

  48. DO YOU HAVE ANY NEWSLETTER OR RECIPES THAT YOU SEND OUT BY EMAIL IF YOU DO CAN YOU PLEASE SEND ME A LINK TO YOUR WEBSITE SO I CAN GET YOUR EMAIL.

    THANK YOU AND GOD BLESS YOU

    JETHRO PAUL RAYMER

    1. Jethro, I would love for you to be on my email list. If you look at the lower right-hand side of the screen you’ll find a button that says Follow. Click on that and fill in the information – it’s that easy. 😀

  49. I really want to thank you so much for this cake recipe. My husband and a group of the guys he hunts with had a fish fry so I made two cakes for them for their dessert. Let me tell you there was not a crumb left. So I wanted to let you know I have been so scared to make an upside down cake but I saw this and made up my mind to try it. The only thing better then this cake is 2 cakes. You made me a hit. ? Thank you !!

    1. Fantastic, Vicki! I’m sure your cooking and baking is always a hit, but I’m glad that this launched you to superstardom. It’s always nice to have a secret weapon, I mean special dessert to wow your friends and family. 😉 Congratulations and Happy Baking! 😀

    1. Sheri, I’ve had several commenters say that they’ve used pecans in their cakes; some because it’s a tradition in the south and some because they don’t care for the maraschino cherries. You can substitute whatever you want to. I’ve made a variation on this using spice cake and peach slices rather than yellow cake and pineapple. Make it yours, but please share the photos on my facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/Pintesting/). Happy Baking! 😀

  50. PLEASE BEWARE! As I wanted to make this tonight, I pressed the “Print” button above to print out the recipe. That button causes this whole page to print … all the pictures and text and ALL the comments … I wasted 24 sheets of paper before I could find the “Cancel Print” button on my printer :O

    I do hope the recipe is good!

    1. Peachy, sorry about that. If you want to just print the recipe there is a print button in the recipe card section next to the title. That will print only the recipe without any pictures or the blog portion. I’ve considered removing the other print button, but my tech guy says this might not be a good idea (although I’m not sure why). My apologies and I hope that you’ll make the cake. Happy Baking! 😀

  51. Made this for a church picnic and I didn’t get a piece! It was gone in five minutes! Making it again today for a lunch with the girls! Beautiful delicious cake!

    1. Wow, Sandy, that’s got to be a record! When you have your lunch with the girls, cut yourself the first piece – just to show the proper technique. 😉 Happy Baking!

  52. Made this for the Hubby’s birthday today, it is our new go to birthday cake! My new favorite cake!

  53. I want to make this cake for my son’s birthday on Sunday. My question is, should I make it on Saturday or wait and make it on Sunday to eat the same day? Some cakes are better if they sit for a day. Is this one of them?

    1. Great question, Cele! This cake is very moist, so it’s a great one for making ahead. That will also give you more time to enjoy his special day rather than baking (and cleaning). Best birthday wishes to him, and Happy Baking! 😀

  54. Just took it out of the oven. It smells Devine ands is simply beautiful. Taking it to work in the morning. Hopefully, it’s ok in the morning. To hot to cover. Can’t wait to taste it!

    1. I’m sure your colleagues will be thrilled. Make sure that you get a slice before it’s all gone. Several commenters were denied a taste because the cakes that they brought to share disappeared before they got a piece. And I’d love to see a picture – please share it on my facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/Pintesting/). 😀 Happy Baking!

  55. Pingback: Thursdays | Ravioli and A Nap

    1. Thanks for the great compliment, Amanda! I’m glad you liked the cake. If you do make another, please share pictures. 🙂 And I’m absolutely with you on Thursdays being Friday-eve. Following you and going to try that Pepperoni Pizza Pasta Salad soon. Happy Baking and Blogging! 😀

  56. HI- I have a question. SO I follow the directions on the cake mix, and I add the ingredients that you suggested? So in other words if the box says use 2 eggs I’m really 5 eggs?

    1. Jaye, great question. Since each cake mix varies slightly with their directions, do the following:
      • Mix the dry cake mix with the dry pudding mix
      • To the dry mixture add three (3) eggs and the amount of oil listed on your cake mix instructions
      • Measure out the juice from your pineapple and add enough milk to equal a total of 1 cup of liquid, then add this to the cake mixture
      • Gently pour this over the prepared Bundt pan, butter, brown sugar, and fruit
      I hope this answers your question. Good luck and Happy Baking! 😀

  57. I made this cake and I couldn’t believe it came out of the Bundt pan with out sticking! The cake was delicious and I posted the picture of my cake on Facebook, letting my friends know I had made it and my phone has not quite ringing since! My friends are inviting me to more potluck gatherings than usual and are requesting I take the Pineapple Upside Down cake as dessert. I created a monster when I posted that cake picture!!!

    1. Debora Ann Bernard, if you’re going to create a monster at least you chose a delicious one. I’ve always thought that good food was the way to win friends and influence people. (No disrespect to Dale Carnegie.) Congratulations on your rise to the most desired friend status and Happy Baking! 😀

  58. Pingback: Pintesting Pineapple Upside Down Bundt Cake - Yum Goggle

  59. Pingback: Favorite Friday

  60. I was wondering if you could add the pineapple tidbits in the cake mix to give it more pineapple flavor, or would it make it to soggy ?

    1. Great question, Happy. I have a feeling that the tidbits might be a tidbit more than the structure of the cake could handle. Using the pineapple juice as the liquid gives a nice pineapple flavor throughout the batter and makes the cake about as moist as it can be while staying stable enough to stand.

      That said, please feel free to give it a try and let me know the end results. Happy Baking! ?

    1. Hi Jennifer! I’m not sure if you mean a different kind of Bundt pan or just a different pan in general. Traditionally, pineapple upside down cakes are made in cast iron skillets, round cake pans, or 9×13 pans with the pineapple rings placed flat on the bottom and the maraschino cherries in the center of the rings. This recipe uses a Bundt pan and places the halved pineapple rings and maraschino cherries almost like a crown to follow the curve of the pan. It’s just a different but rather stunning presentation. If you’d rather use a traditional pan with the recipe, please feel free and post some pics. 😀 Happy Baking!

  61. Ok so I love this cake. But one question. I always have enough pinapple juice for the 1 cup. Should I do half juice half milk?

    1. You must have some juicy pineapples, Marion. My canned pineapple slices give between 1/2 and 3/4 cup of juice. I don’t see why you can’t use all pineapple juice since the box mix directions call for water. If you’re not sure, then pour a bit into a glass and top off the 1-cup with milk, then use the pineapple juice as a shot of vitamin C. I’d love to know which way you choone. Please share your story and pictures. Happy Baking! 😀

      1. When I drain the canned pinnepple I get almost the full amount so I just top it off with the milk. I don’t use that much milk though.

  62. Thank you for this! My (very) new sweetheart loves pineapple upside down cakes & finds any excuse to happen by the Everything Bundt Cakes shop. I’m glad I can give him both! But I’m a little nervous. I’m a great cook but not much of a baker (I improvise too much!). I either over or under cook cakes & cupcakes. I’ve always used a toothpick but it never comes out clean. When you use the knife, do you stick it in the middle? I don’t want to mess this up.
    Thank you so much!
    Martha

    1. Congratulations on your new sweetheart; I wish you both the best. You’re in luck with this recipe. It’s very easy because it starts off with a cake mix. No sifting flour or weighing out ingredients to get a perfect, moist crumb. Follow the recipe and use the baking time on the box for a Bundt Cake. You can test the cake for doneness by inserting a toothpick or knife into the cake (the middle of the cake at the thickest part). If it comes out clean (no wet batter), it’s done. Please let me know how it turns out and Happy Baking! 😀

      1. Thank you so much. I’ve read the comments & questions people leave for you. You are such an amazingly kind person it lifts my spirits. Today, so many people are in such a hurry. They are wrapped up in there own world & can be cruel & unkind. It’s nice to see that, though rare, sweet caring people like you do still exist.
        Thank you!
        Martha

        1. Thank you, Martha! That’s so kind of you to say. 😀 I appreciate everyone who takes a moment of their own busy lives to read my blog. Without all of you, I would just be posting into cyberspace. <3

  63. I am making this cake right now and am so pleased that I decided to go with yellow cake mix instead of the Pineapple Cake mix. Especially since the recipe called for using the Pineapple juice instead of water. I personally <3 Upside Down Pineapple Cake. But this creative way of making it makes me giddy with anticipation. I can't wait to take it to the family gathering tomorrow. Thanks for sharing!!!

    1. I hope your family will be delighted when they see your cake for the gathering, Elida! It does make quiet a stunning presentation which makes you the hero of the family. 😀 Happy Baking!

  64. Made this cake twice this weekend, 2 different events, it was awesome and so beautiful. The 1st one, some of the cherries stayed behind but it was not a problem just put them back in. The 2nd one had a couple of small cracks along the pineapples but not too obvious. Either way, it was so most and delicious; definitely plan to make this often. Thank you!

    1. I’m so glad you liked it, Letty, and I love your approach to no cherries left behind. 😀 I would think that gently placing the cherries (and pineapple, for that matter) so they rest on top of the butter/brown sugar mixture and not pressing them in too hard would help to keep them from sticking to the pan and popping out of the cake. Happy Baking!

  65. Oh my goodness I absolutely LOVED baking this! I’m currently spending my last week before school baking all sorts of goodies so when thanksgiving and Christmas come around I’ll know what to make! Thanks SOOO much for the recipe andddd the pictures (I’m very visual)! ?

    1. Thank you, Lydia! I’m so glad that you liked it. I’m in school, too, so I absolutely understand the crunch of down time before classes start up. Have a fantastic year and please share any pictures of your cake. 😀 Happy Baking!

  66. I usually pin and never get around to baking even 1/10th of my pins. But tonight, I am baking this to take to my family reunion on Sunday. (I really hope it survives going across the entire state of Missouri!) My kids LOVE pineapple and cherries so should be a bid hit. Can’t wait. Thanks for the tip on greasing the pan for easy release.

    1. I hope you have a wonderful family reunion, Terry, and I know your family will love the cake. If you’re worried about the road trip, try placing the pan back on top of the cake after it’s cooled to protect it when in transit. Let me know how it turns out and Happy Baking! 😀

  67. Just made this for a family reunion, looks great. Used orange cake mix instead of yellow or pineapple though, our family likes orange pineapple cake. Thought that I had a vanilla pudding in cupboard but it was a cheesecake flavored. Minor adjustments, still great flavors I’m sure everyone will enjoy.

    1. That sounds delicious, Sheree! Some commenters have used cheesecake pudding or lemon cake mix, but the orange and pineapple combo sounds fantastic. Thanks for sharing! Have a wonderful family reunion and Happy Baking! 😀

  68. Pingback: Pineapple Upside-Down Bundt Cake : Kendra's Treats

  69. HELP. I baked this cake today. I followed all the instructions to a T and I had a few problems. I followed my box time which said 30-35 mins. After 35 my cake was super wobbly so I put it in for 5 more. I did that 3 times! I baked it for a total of 50 minutes. It might be my oven but I’ve never had a problem like that. I also did preheat my oven. Also in the last 2 minutes my cake sank in the middle. The outside is done and in the middle it still sticks to the pick a little. I’ve never had a cake bake that long nor have I had a problem with sinking. What did I do wrong?! I was super excited for it. I’ll let it cool completely and try it. Just a little bummed out.

    1. Sharon, I’m so sorry that your cake didn’t turn out perfectly. One of my commenters, Barbara, said that she covered the pan with foil half way through baking and then uncovered it for the last 10 minutes. This gave her perfect results without over browning. You might also want to cut back on the amount of liquid if it seemed too moist. Between the fruit, the fruit juice, and the pudding, this cake has a lot to keep it from being dry, so that’s one thing you won’t have to worry about. Please let me know how it turned out and if you try it again (please do). Good luck and Happy Baking! 😀

  70. Thank you for the wonderful recipe. It came out perfect and the family loved it. I wouldn’t change a thing.

  71. I have my pineapple upside down cake in the oven right now and it smells wonderful!….I added chopped pecans to the brown sugar and added half vanilla creamer and milk to make up my 1 cup with the juice. …can’t wait to try it!

    1. That sounds delicious, Tanya! I’d love to know how it turns out. If you post any pictures on Instagram, please tag me. 😀 Happy Baking!

  72. Just came out of oven, baked 20 minutes, covered with foil for 15 minutes, and continued baking for 10 minutes.
    Left in pan 15 minutes, came out just perfect. I used your pan grease – first time – always greased with crisco and floured – but will now use the pan grease. It is a “thank you” for a friend, who loves pineapple upside down cake.
    I can’t wait for the taste test. Thanks!

  73. I made this cake this morning…OMG! it was so yummy… huge hit here at work so moist had no problems with anything ……. going to make it for the Holidays!! Thank you for sharing…..

    1. Michelle, I woke up early (5:00 a.m.) and made the cake for work, too! This is how to win friends and influence people. LOL! 😉 I’m sure everyone loved it. Thanks for baking!

  74. Pingback: Sweet Potato Casserole | Pintesting

  75. I wasn’t able to read all the comments but I had a little trouble with making this. The fruit needs to be really well drained before placing in the pan otherwise it adds too much mois ture and I tried to cram a couple too many rings and cherries in there. It looked beautiful but was soggy. Next time I will use just a yellow cake – wasn’t crazy about the pineapple cake mix I used and also wonder if taking the temp up to 375 wouldn’t be better.
    ‘I’m taking it to a function so plan to make it again tonight and hope it goes better. It looked just like a great party food _ should get a lot of ooh and ahs.. Deb

    1. Hello, Deb! I hope your cake turned out well for your function. Because of the fruit, the fruit juice, pudding, etc., this is a very moist cake. I’ve had the best success with baking it at 350. Increasing the temperature would likely finish the edges before the inside is done. Many others have covered the cake with foil for part of the baking time so I’ve added that tip to the notes of the recipe. I’d love to know how it turned out and see pictures if you’ve got any. 😀 Happy Baking!

  76. I’m making this for the first time today for a family Christmas gathering and am super-excited to see how it turns out, fingers crossed! Do you prefer salted or unsalted butter for the topping? I usually use unsalted for baking but didn’t see any comments on this topic.

    1. Hi Kathy! I didn’t specify in this recipe because I didn’t think it made a discernable difference. I asked a French foodie friend for her thoughts on salted vs. unsalted butter for cooking and baking. She said that in France almost all butter is salted and recipes take that into consideration. Since salt brings out the sweetness of most ingredients (think of all the salted caramel, chocolate, and other dessert recipes), I would use salted butter here. What a great question! I hope this helps. 😀 Happy Baking!

  77. I don’t know what I did wrong, but the outside of my cake got done but around the center rim never did. Kept cooking a little longer and a little longer but the outside was getting way over done. I did the foil thing and then added foil around the edges when cooking longer but the bottom was starting to smell. Of course when I depanned it the raw middle just spread. I had baked it for 48 minutes, it should have been done, I’ve never had this problem with a cake.

    1. Diane, I’m so sorry that it didn’t turn out. 🙁 It sounds like you did everything right, too. Just curious; did you alter the recipe at all? This is definitely a very moist cake due to the pineapple juice/milk AND pudding mix AND the pineapple rings/cherries/butter & brown sugar. If you use a cake mix that already has pudding included in the mix then the additional pudding is too much for the recipe. I also wonder if dropping the temperature after 15 minutes or so and then baking it longer would fix that issue. I’ll try that and post the results. In the meantime, I hope you’ll give the cake a try again and maybe use a little less liquid. Good luck and Happy Baking! 😀

      1. Boy am I slow responding. No I’m not much of a cook, so I always stick exactly to recipes. I did however use a silicon bundt pan, so that may have been the problem, but it’s the only one I had. Someone had given me the pan & I’ve never used it before, so I can’t say how it works on other recipes.

        1. Hello, Diane. I’ve not baked in silicon pans so I’ll throw this one over to some baking friends who can give me a better answer. It might be worth trying a pound cake or unaltered “regular” cake recipe to see how it compares. I’ll get back with you soon. 😀 Happy Baking!

  78. I made this on Monday and brought it into work on Tuesday. I used the Pineapple Supreme mix and OMG it was fantastic! Due to it being made with oil, it’s super moist even after a night in the fridge. I had to bake it for about 45 minutes. I used PAM spray only and had no trouble getting it out of the pan. Brought it in and everyone raved! They couldn’t believe that it was home baked. Super moist, super pretty. I’ll definitely make this again.

  79. Pingback: Happy 4th Birthday, Pintesting! | Pintesting

  80. Loved the idea of doing Pineapple Upside Down Cake in the bundt pan, and tried this design, so fun! I also add a bit of the cherry juice to my pineapple juice/milk. I used butter in the batter this time, but have often used applesauce instead. I also had a couple of pineapple slices left so I threw them into my Ninja, turned them into mush, and added them to the batter as well. I also had left over cherries, saved for another day. The cake is now out of the oven, and it is absolutely beautiful! Ready for the hubster’s birthday celebration tonight!

    1. Happy Birthday to your husband, Carol! I’ve had other commenters Ninja extra pineapple for the cake as well, but you’re the first to add the cherry juice. I’d love to know how that tastes, how it comes out, and how the guest of honor likes it. Please tag me in any pictures. 😀 Happy Baking!

  81. Pingback: Pecan Pie Muffins | Pintesting

  82. This pineapple upside down cake was so much fun to make. It came out perfectly and delicious!!! I did not use the pudding kept it traditional I look forward to preparing it with the pudding the next time I make it.
    Thank you for sharing.
    Peace &Blessings

    1. I’m so glad that it turned out for you, Kenya! If you took any pictures, please tag me in them. 😀 Happy Baking!

    1. Thank you! 😀 I wish I could take all of the credit, but Tina Carver was the nice person who posted the original picture on Pinterest. She didn’t have a recipe attached so, with her blessing, I put my recipe. If you make the cake please tag me or share with me. Happy Baking!

  83. Just wanna say “Thank you” WOW
    This is the BEST Pineapple Upside Down Cake that I have ever had and made. Came out just like the Photo, a Picture of Perfection.
    ?????????????
    Thank you again … (*.*) …
    PRINCETON, B.C. CANADA

    1. <3 Thank you, Laura! I’m so glad that it turned out for you. If you took any pictures, please tag #Pintesting because I love to see other’s pictures. 😀 Happy Baking!

  84. I’m making this cake for the first time. The batter is very thick and sticky. Is it supposed to be like that?

    1. Great question, LaVonne. The cake is rich and moist so the cake batter is a little thicker than a traditional box mix batter. It shouldn’t be overly thick or sticky, though. The total amount of liquid (combined pineapple juice and milk) should equal 1 cup which will give a thick but pourable batter. Please let me know how it turned out. 😀 Happy Baking!

  85. Not sure what I did wrong, I followed the recipe exactly and the bottom half of my cake didn’t cook, despite top half being done completely through, I went to separate the cake from my pan and a bunch if raw cake batter as well as fruit proceeded to pour all over my counter

    1. Oh no, Will. I’m so sorry to hear that. 🙁 How long did you bake the cake? Also, did you use the foil for part of the baking time? Since this is a very moist cake it takes a little extra to ensure that it will come out perfectly. I just had another commenter say that the first time she made the cake she used too much pineapple – nearly the whole can – and that it didn’t turn out. The second time she used a little less fruit and it came out perfectly. Let me know if any of these could be the issue and I’ll be happy to work through the next try with you. Good luck and Happy Baking! 😀

  86. I made this tonight for my husband’s birthday. He had never had pineapple upside down cake in his entire 59 years. He said it was “heaven on earth”. I followed your instructions, including the foil, to the letter and, I must say, it was the moistest cake I’ve ever eaten.

    1. Vicki, you just made my day. Happy (belated) birthday to your husband and thank you for sharing. Happy Baking! 😀

  87. I noticed that milk is listed on the ingredient list, but I couldn’t find any mention of it in the recipe instruction. Can you help me out ? I want it to be perfect! thanks!

    1. Hi, Zoe! Most cake mixes call for eggs, water, and oil to be added. In this recipe I reserve the pineapple juice into a measuring cup to use as the liquid instead of water. If there isn’t enough (which there usually isn’t) to make the full amount of liquid that the recipe calls for (usually 1 cup), then add milk until you have the right amount. This is a very moist cake with all of the fruit so just use the amount of liquid that’s listed on your cake mix recipe and no more. Otherwise, you could have your cake crack or not bake all the way through. I’d love to see how it turns out so please tag Pintesting. Good luck and Happy Baking! 😀

  88. I made three of these in one week for different occasions. And each of them turned out great, well one I forgot to put the sugar in, but it tasted good!

    1. Wow, Donna, three times in one week – that’s fantastic! If the way to someone’s heart is through their stomach then you must have a LOT of friends who love you dearly; myself now included. 😀 Thank you for the most wonderful compliment of making my cake. Happy Baking!

  89. I am late to the party but a friend told me about this way VS. regular pineapple upside down cake! It turned out great!!

    1. Welcome to the party, Julie! You’re not late. 😉 I’m glad it turned out well for you. Happy Baking! 😀

        1. Thank you, Julie, I’d love to see the pics! You can tag #Pintesting or send them in a Facebook message if it’s okay for me to share them, too. 😀 Happy Baking!

    1. You’re so welcome, Sally. I’m glad it was well received. If you took any pictures, please tag #Pintesting – I’d love to see them. 😀 Happy Baking!

    1. Jackee, it should be okay. The pineapple juice and milk should keep the cake moist. Let me know how it turned out and Happy Baking! 😀

  90. Pingback: Weekly Rays of Sunshine # 270 | Recipes and Ramblings with the Tumbleweed Contessa

  91. Pingback: Pineapple Upside Down Bonus Cheesecake – 21 Cheesecake Salute

  92. I ha e made this cake many times. It is always a hit. We have a bake auction at out American Legion for St. Jude every year. My first pineapple upside down cake brought $78.00. I was shocked. And blessed. I always follow your directions! But, when I take the cale out of the bundt cake pan, I wrap a 2 inch peice of clean ribbon around the cake for support. Let the cake cool completely. Remove ribbon. The cake has never split on me. Just a idea that works for me.

    1. WOW, Janelle, that’s AMAZING! St. Jude is a wonderful organization and I’m honored that you made my cake for their auction. <3 I usually let the cake cool in the pan for at least 10 minutes. When I do flip it over, I’ve been leaving the pan over the cake just to give it the support while it continues to cool – similar to your ribbon. However, I bet the ribbon is prettier. Happy Baking!

  93. Made it! It’s in the oven as I type. ….will send picture IF everything goes well.. .looking fwd to tasting as this was my FIL’s favorite dessert

  94. Iam making this today for Easter dinner tomorrow. It is in the oven now but it seems to be taking an awfull long time. It has been baking for 50 minutes even though the cake mix called fo 33-36 min. I have turned it a couple of times and also added the foil after 20 min. I just took it out and seems so moist that it has fallen. Do you think I should have left it in longer. I have made in a bundt pan before ,but never added the pudding mix. Could it be too moist for some reason. Smells great though, will let you know how t turns out. Thanks for the new recipe with the pudding

    1. I really hope your cake was perfect, Suzanne. It is a very moist cake and if the cake mix used already has pudding in the mix, then the extra pudding would be too much. I’d love to know how it turned out.

  95. I made this for a get together at church tomorrow evening, so I don’t k ow how it tastes yet. It looks delicious! However, it was nowhere near done at 36 minutes. In fact, I needed up cooking it 40 MORE minutes before it was done! I followed the instructions to the T, so I’m not sure why it didn’t cook. The butter brown sugar mixture made the bottom/top gooey, of caramelized at all. I hope that’s what it’s supposed to be. We’ll see how it tastes tomorrow. I’ll update. 😉

    1. Hmm, the butter/brown sugar mixture is supposed to make a glaze but should not be gooey. It sounds like the oven temperature might be a little off – especially since it took double the baking time. I use an oven thermometer to make sure the temperature is right regardless of what the numbers on the oven say. I hope that all turned out well. Happy Baking!

  96. Made this last night for a ladies’ night out/pot luck and it was a big hit! This is definitely going to be my go-to cake for future events! Sooooo good!

    1. Awesome, Brandee! I’m glad the cake was a hit with your friends. Ladies’ Night Out is always a fun time. Thanks and happy baking!

  97. Just made this cake for my good friend – who’s favorite is Pineapple cake… She could not stop eating it! It was quite a hit. And, the pan release recipe is a game-changer! I will be using that forever! Thank you so much.

  98. I really wish I left a comment a few years ago when I first tried this. I was also searching for the recipe after seeing the picture on Pinterest so I was elated to stumble upon your recipe. I’ve been making this for my dad every year for his birthday since 2017. It is ALWAYS a show stopper and hits the mark every time. Thank you for sharing!!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *