Looking for a quick and delightful dessert that's guaranteed to impress? These Easy Individual Pineapple Upside-Down Cakes are your answer! Perfect for satisfying your sweet tooth, these miniature cakes are surprisingly simple to whip up, requiring minimal ingredients and even less time. Discover how to bake these delicious small pineapple cakes that are ideal for any occasion, from a summer potluck to a cozy night in.
Jump to:
Why You'll Want to Make Easy Individual Pineapple Upside-Down Cakes
- Simple and Delicious: These mini cakes are bursting with flavor from the caramelized pineapple and moist cake. They require minimal effort, making them a perfect choice for beginner bakers or those short on time.
- Perfect Portions: With these individual cakes, there is no need to cut and serve a large cake. This is ideal for portion control or creating a delightful bite-sized dessert for parties, potlucks, or bake sales.
- Pantry Staples: The recipe uses ingredients you likely already have on hand, like cake mix, canned pineapple, and brown sugar. No need for a shopping trip before you whip up a batch!
- Family-Friendly Fun: Get the kids involved in assembling the pineapple and cherries, making it a delightful baking activity.
Ingredients Here's What You'll Need
Steps to Make Easy Individual Pineapple Upside-Down Cakes
- Started by preheating the oven to 350°F. Then, pour cake mix into a large bowl. Next, prepare the cake mix according to package directions, with a few minor changes.
- The first change is adding pineapple juice, instead of water like the back of the box directs.
- Then, the second change is adding melted unsalted butter, instead of oil the box directions say to add.
- In a separate bowl, slightly beat the eggs and add them to the large bowl with the cake mix and other ingredients.
- Then, using an electric hand mixer, beat everything together for two minutes until the batter is smooth, fluffy, and light yellow.
- Place two six-well Silicone Jumbo Muffin Pans on a half sheet pan, for stability. Then, add two teaspoons of melted unsalted butter to each well.
- Next, add two tablespoons of light brown sugar to each well and distributed the sugar into a single layer.
- Then, place a dried off pineapple ring in each of the wells on top of the brown sugar.
- Next, add a dried off maraschino cherry to the center of each pineapple ring.
- Then, using a large ice cream scoop, evenly distribute the cake batter among the wells of the pans. Place in the 350°F oven for 30 minutes until the tops are golden brown.
- After 30 minutes, remove from the oven and transfer the silicone pans from the half-sheet pan to a wire cooling rack.
- Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for ten minutes, then run a knife around each of the cakes before un-molding them. Place a quarter sheet pan size wire rack on top of each pan.
- Then, place a quarter sheet pan on top of each wire rack, to catch caramel that might drip out of the muffin pans. Make sure there is a wire rack underneath the silicone pan for stability before flipping the pan over. Start by placing one hand underneath the wire rack that was on the bottom and the other hand on top of the bottom of the sheet pan.
- Then, carefully invert everything, so that the sheet pan is now on the bottom, and set it on a flat surface. Remove the wire rack that is now on top and allow the pan to rest upside down for ten minutes. Then, repeat with the second pan.
- To remove the pan from the cakes, press down on the tops of each well to make sure the cakes are loose. Then, carefully raise the pan upwards starting at one corner, pressing the top of each cake to release them one at a time.
- Finally, allow the cakes to cool before serving with fresh whipped cream.
These easy individual pineapple upside-down cakes are a testament to how simple ingredients can create extraordinary desserts. Perfect for any occasion and loved by all, these miniature pineapple cakes are sure to become a staple in your recipe collection. Bake a batch today and enjoy the perfect balance of sweet, tangy, and moist in every bite. Happy baking!
Frequently Asked Questions
While pineapple slices are traditional, you can definitely use tidbits! They may not create the same visual effect, but they'll still deliver that yummy pineapple flavor.
You can order the ones I used from Amazon or you can use regular size muffin pans. If you use the regular muffin pans, you'll need to trim the pineapple slices and adjust the baking time for 24 regular size muffins, instead of 12 jumbo muffins.
Start by thoroughly drying your pineapple slices and maraschino cherries before adding them to the pan - excess moisture can contribute to sticking. If you're using metal pans, make sure you generously grease your pans with non-stick cooking spray.
These mini cakes can be stored at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, covered in an airtight container.
Absolutely! Once the cakes have cooled completely, wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and store them in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw them at room temperature before serving.
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- Brown Sugar Bliss: For an extra decadent flavor boost, use a mixture of light and dark brown sugar in your caramel topping. The dark brown sugar will add a hint of deeper molasses flavor that pairs beautifully with the pineapple.
- Flipping Success: When flipping your cakes, patience is key! Let the cakes cool in the pan for ten minutes before attempting to flip them. Use a thin knife or offset spatula to loosen the edges gently. Flip the pans, wire racks, and sheet pan together in one swift motion to minimize any mess.
- Prepping for Perfection: To save time, prep your pineapple slices in advance. Drain, and place them on paper towels to dry thoroughly to prevent a soggy cake.
- Going Nuts: For a delightful textural contrast, sprinkle chopped nuts like pecans or walnuts over the brown sugar before adding the pineapple. The nuts will toast during baking, adding a delicious crunch.
Other Delicious Desserts
Did you make this recipe? We'd love to know how it turned out! Leave a review below. Then, share a picture on Instagram and tag @pudgefactor so we can see it.
Don't forget to follow us on Pinterest, Facebook, YouTube, Flipboard, and Instagram.
Thank you so much for visiting PudgeFactor. We hope you'll come back!
Recipe
Want to Save This Recipe?
Enter your email & I’ll send it to your inbox. Plus, enjoy weekly doses of culinary inspiration as a bonus!
By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from Pudge Factor.
Easy Individual Pineapple Upside-Down Cakes
Equipment
- 2 Six-Well Silicone Jumbo Muffin Pans
- 1 half-sheet pan
- 1 Half Sheet Wire Cooling Rack
- 2 Quarter Sheet Cooling Racks
- 2 quarter sheet pans
- Paper Towels
- Electric hand mixer
- large ice cream scoop
Ingredients
- 15.25 oz box Yellow Cake Mix
- 20 oz can Pineapple Slices drained with the juiced reserved for cake, and dried on paper towels
- 8 oz can Pineapple slices drained with the juiced reserved for cake, and dried on paper towels
- 12 Maraschino Cherries dried on paper towels
- 1 c Unsalted Butter melted and divided
- 1 ½ c Light Brown Sugar
- 3 Eggs
- 1 c Pineapple Juice use the drained juice from the cans of slices
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Prepare the cake mix with a few minor changes to the directions on the back of the box. Start by pouring the cake mix into a large bowl. Add the pineapple juice and ½ c. melted butter.
- In a separate bowl, slightly beat the eggs, then added them to the large bowl with the cake mix.
- Beat everything together using an electric hand mixer for two minutes, until the batter is smooth, fluffy, and a light yellow color.
- Place two six-well Silicone Jumbo Muffin Pans on a half-sheet pan for stability. Add two teaspoons of melted unsalted butter and two tablespoons of light brown sugar to each well.
- Then, place a pineapple ring in each of the wells and a maraschino cherry in the center of each ring.
- Using a large ice cream scoop, evenly distribute the cake batter among the 12 wells of the muffin pans. Place the half sheet pan, with the filled muffin pans on top of it, in the 350°F oven for 30 minutes, until the tops are golden brown.
- After 30 minutes, remove the pan from the oven, and transfer the silicone pans from the half sheet pan to a wire cooling rack.
- Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for 10 minutes. Run a knife around each of the cakes, before un-molding them.
- To start, place a quarter sheet size wire rack on top of each pan. Then, place a quarter sheet pan on top of each wire rack, to catch caramel that might drip out of the muffin pans. Make sure there is a wire rack underneath the silicone pan for stability before flipping the pan over. Start by placing one hand underneath the wire rack that is on the bottom and the other hand on top of the bottom of the sheet pan.
- Then, carefully invert everything, so that the sheet pan is now on the bottom, and set it on a flat surface. Remove the wire rack that is now on top. Flip the second pan and allow both pans to rest for ten minutes.
- To remove the pan from the cakes, press down on the tops of each well to make sure the cakes are loose. Then, carefully raise the pan upwards starting at one corner, pressing the top of each cake to release them one at a time.
- Allow the cakes to cool before serving. Serve with fresh whipped cream.
- Yield 12 servings
Leave a Reply