Sweet pineapple, buttery cake, and deeply browned caramel come together in this Salted-Caramel Pineapple Upside-Down Cake, an old-fashioned dessert with an irresistible sweet-and-salty twist. Fresh pineapple rings sit in a layer of homemade dark brown sugar caramel, while a tender vanilla cake with a hint of cinnamon bakes underneath. Turn the cake out onto a serving plate, and the glossy pineapple topping becomes the centerpiece.
The caramel is what makes this version special. Dark brown sugar and butter cook together until thick and richly colored, then dark rum and salt add depth and balance the sweetness. Let the caramel cool completely in the prepared 9-inch cake pan before arranging the pineapple. This helps the topping settle before the batter goes in and makes the finished cake easier to invert.
Fresh pineapple gives the dessert a bright, fruity flavor. Cut the fruit into rings for the top, then use smaller pineapple chunks to fill the gaps between them. The cake batter combines flour, baking powder, cinnamon, granulated sugar, butter, vanilla, eggs, and whole milk. Mixing the dry ingredients separately before adding them gradually to the creamed butter and sugar helps create an even, tender crumb.
A 9-inch nonstick cake pan is a useful tool for this recipe, especially when it’s time to turn the cake out. Coat the pan with cooking spray as directed, and allow the baked cake to cool on a wire rack for 30 minutes. Run a sharp knife around the edge before placing a large serving plate over the pan and carefully inverting it. Take care when handling the pan, since the caramel can remain hot.
This salted-caramel pineapple cake serves eight and works beautifully for holiday dinners, celebrations, or a weekend baking project. Serve it slightly warm or at room temperature, letting the caramel and pineapple shine without needing much additional garnish. Each slice offers juicy fruit, rich caramel, and soft cake in one classic dessert with a memorable salty-sweet finish.
Looking for more classic cake recipes? Try these out:
- Matcha Green Tea Pound Cake
- Mexican Molten Chocolate Cakes
- Lavender Honey Cake
- Milk and Honey Tea Cake
Salted-Caramel Pineapple Upside-Down Cake
- Total Time: 1:15
- Yield: 8 1x
Ingredients
- 1 c. dark-brown sugar
- 2 stick unsalted butter
- 3 tbsp. dark rum
- 1½ tsp. salt
- 1½ c. all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp. baking powder
- ½ tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1 c. granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp. vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- ½ c. whole milk
- 1 medium pineapple
Instructions
- Coat a 9-inch cake pan with cooking spray and set aside. In a small saucepan over medium heat, heat brown sugar and 1 stick butter, whisking occasionally, until sugar is dissolved. Bring to a boil and cook until caramel thickens and turns a deep brown, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in rum and 1 teaspoon salt. Pour caramel into prepared cake pan and swirl around to coat. Set aside and let cool completely, at least 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, remaining salt, and cinnamon. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium, beat together granulated sugar and remaining butter until light and fluffy. Add vanilla; beat in eggs, 1 at a time. Reduce mixer speed to low and beat in half the dry-ingredient mixture and 1/4 cup milk. Repeat with remaining dry-ingredient mixture and milk.
- Arrange pineapple rings atop caramel in cake pan. Fill in spaces between rings with pineapple chunks. Carefully pour batter over pineapple and smooth, using a rubber spatula.
- Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 50 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack and let cool for 30 minutes. Run a sharp knife around the sides of the pan to loosen the cake; invert onto a large serving plate.
Notes
- Reduce the batter’s butter to 1/3 cup and the granulated sugar to 3/4 cup, then add 1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce. You’ll save 4 grams of fat and 54 calories per serving.
- Prep Time: :25
- Cook Time: :50
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Oven