My Pineapple Upside Down Cake is soft and buttery with a golden, caramelized crown of sweet pineapple and bright red cherries. The rich juices soak right into the cake, making every bite irresistibly moist and flavorful. Made easy with a boxed cake mix, canned pineapple and maraschino cherries, this classic favorite is as retro as a front porch swing and just as perfect any time of year!

Pineapple Upside Down Cake

This quick and easy pineapple upside down cake uses a cake mix to cut down on time and effort, but it does not cut down on flavor.

You can’t even tell it’s not completely from scratch!

I don’t know about you, but I love pineapple upside down cake something fierce.

I’ve perfected easy with this recipe, and it’s a go-to dessert when I need something fast.

It starts out with a cake mix, and the recipe is so easy that you could probably even remember it off the top of your head!

Why You’ll Love This Pineapple Upside Down Cake

This delicious cake tastes just like Grandma’s original recipe! It’s a classic pineapple upside-down cake with slices of pineapple and cherries, all soaked in the buttery brown sugar gooeyness you’ll remember from growing up.

Here’s why y’all are gonna love my pineapple upside-down cake recipe:

Simple Ingredients: This recipe uses easy-to-find items like a box of cake mix, canned pineapple, and jarred maraschino cherries.
Perfect Pineapple Topping: The brown sugar-butter mixture melts into the cake as it bakes, creating a caramelized goodness on the top of the cake. Those perfect rings of pineapple and cherries make it look as good as it tastes!
Sweet Pineapple Flavors: Swapping out the water in the cake batter with sweet pineapple juice makes every bite taste like pineapples and leaves you with a super moist cake.
Classic Retro Cake: This is an easy pineapple upside-down cake that’s full of nostalgia. It’s a classic cake that brings back all the best memories of your childhood.

If You Love Old-Fashioned Desserts, Try These:

Pineapple Upside Down Cake Ingredients

This version is so quick and easy because it starts off with a cake mix to save some time!

Butter: We start by melting butter and pouring it into the bottom of the pan. This is what results in the rich, caramelized goodness that makes this cake irresistible.
Brown Sugar: Sprinkled over the butter, brown sugar adds sweetness and forms that ooey-gooey, sticky, brown sugar glaze as the cake bakes.
Canned Pineapple in Juice: The canned pineapple slices are the star of this pineapple cake. Their perfect rings make a beautiful design on top of the cake. Don’t toss the juice—we’ll use it to replace water in the box of cake mix for extra flavor.
Maraschino Cherries: These bright red cherries go in the center of each pineapple slice, adding a touch of color and sweetness.
Box Yellow Cake Mix: A box of cake mix keeps things quick and easy. The yellow cake mix bakes up light, fluffy, and full of flavor.
Vegetable Oil & Eggs: These help bind everything together for a moist and tender cake.
Pineapple Juice: Substituting the water in the cake batter with pineapple juice infuses the cake with even more pineapple flavor.

How to Make Pineapple Upside Down Cake

Heat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F. You want that oven rack in the center, so your cake bakes evenly.

Melt Butter and Add Sugar: Melt butter and pour it right into the bottom of the pan (a 9×13 works perfectly). Sprinkle brown sugar evenly over the butter to create the brown sugar glaze.

Arrange the Pineapple and Cherries: Drain your canned pineapple and save the pineapple juice. Place pineapple slices neatly on the sugar layer. Add a maraschino cherry to the center of each pineapple slice, then tuck a few extra cherries around for good measure. Press everything down gently to set it into the brown sugar-butter mixture.

Make the Cake Batter: Grab your box of cake mix. Instead of water, use the pineapple juice (add a little water if you don’t have enough). Mix it up with the wet ingredients—vegetable oil and eggs—just like the box says.

Pour the Batter: Carefully pour the batter over the pineapple topping, making sure it spreads out evenly. Don’t worry if it looks a little thin—it’ll rise into a fluffy, buttery cake.

Bake the Cake: Pop it in the oven and bake for about 45 minutes, or until a toothpick in the center of the cake comes out clean. Y’all— your kitchen’s gonna smell amazing!

Flip the Cake: When it’s done, run a knife around the sides of the pan to loosen the edges. Grab a heatproof serving plate and place it upside down on the pan. Flip the whole thing over in one quick motion. Let it sit for 5 minutes so the caramelized pineapple rings can soak into the top of the cake.

Let It Cool and Serve: Lift the pan off carefully and let the cake cool for about 20 minutes. Serve warm or cool, and if you really want to treat yourself, add a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Why Use Canned Pineapple Over Fresh Pineapple

Perfect Rings Every Time: With a can of pineapple, you get whole rings that are uniform in size and texture. This makes it super easy to create a beautiful design on the top of a layer of pineapple slices.
Consistent Texture: Unlike fresh pineapple, canned is already tender and sweet, which helps prevent a dry cake.
Convenience and Flavor: No need for chopping or prepping—it’s ready to go straight from the pantry. Plus, the juice from the can of pineapple can be substituted for water when you mix your cake batter.

How to Store Leftover Cake

To store pineapple upside-down cake, let it cool completely to room temperature first. Then, cover it tightly with plastic wrap or place it in an airtight container. Keep it in the refrigerator to maintain freshness and prevent the pineapple topping from drying out.

It’ll stay delicious for up to 3 days—just be sure to warm up a slice if you like it all nice and sticky!

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