Coconut Pineapple Upside Down cake is a twist on the classic cake. Adding crushed pineapple to the batter makes it rich and moist.
My mother used to make this cake, and I loved it. After my mother died when I was 15, I really missed her, and the cake, so I made one, but I added coconut and I used a yellow cake mix in the box. My grandmother was quite impressed at how well it turned out.
I didn’t think about that cake until recently when I was at a Von’s and they had one for sale. I remembered how much I liked it and bought one so Spane could try it, too. It was delicious, and then I was on a pineapple upside down cake craze!
I fully intended to make my own, but before I could, one was on sale at the local Ralph’s, and I bought it. Oh my goodness, it was AWFUL! The store’s recipe used cornstarch and pineapple FLAVORING which was bitter and tasted like chemicals. I knew I could do a lot better than that.
I had intended on making this cake many times and would buy maraschino cherries, only to start my mise en place and find that Spane had already eaten the cherries. No cake without cherries, I say. Well, the next time I bought them, I put them way up in the top of the pantry, behind a can of coffee. I also had leftover coconut from making the Fantasy Island Bars, so I could make the cake I hadn’t made since I was 15 years old. The only difference was I made my own yellow cake and added crushed pineapple to the batter. It was delicious!
Please understand, if you are going to make this, it is not for those on a diet. This cake is very, very rich, and although it is sized at 12, will probably feed quite a bit more.
Coconut Pineapple Upside Down Cake Recipe
Email Me the Recipe
Coconut Pineapple Upside Down Cake
Equipment
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Ingredients
For the Upsidedown
- 6 ounces unsalted butter, 1 1/2 sticks
- 2 cups Brown sugar
- ½ cup shredded coconut
- 6 pineapple rings
- 1 cup crushed pineapple
- maraschino cherries
For the Cake
- 4 ounces unsalted butter, softened
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 3 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 ¼ cups milk
- ⅛ cup vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons Pineapple juice, reserved from rings
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 °F (163 °C). Have ready a 9×12 glass oblong baking pan and a cake cooling rack.
- 6 ounces unsalted butter, 2 cups Brown sugar, 1/2 cup shredded coconut, 6 pineapple rings, maraschino cherries, 1 cup crushed pineappleTo prepare the pan, melt butter and pour melted butter into 9×13 glass baking dish. Evenly distribute brown sugar. Place pineapple rings neatly, reserving juice Put two cherries inside each ring. Sprinkle coconut all around the area without rings. Spread crushed pineapple lightly over coconut. Don't use it all, reserve some for the cake batter. Set aside whilst preparing batter.
- Bottom of Coconut Pineapple Upside Down Cake
- 4 ounces unsalted butter, 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons Pineapple juice, 1 tablespoon vanilla extractPlace softened butter into stand mixer and mix on medium for 1-2 minutes. Add sugar and cream until the butter is nice and fluffy. Add 1 tablespoon of the pineapple juice and the vanilla. Beat.
- 3 large eggsAdd the eggs one at a time, continuously beating. Scrape the bowl down.
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, 3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon saltSift the flour, baking powder and salt together.
- 1 1/4 cups milk, 1/8 cup vegetable oilIn a large container, put the milk, remaining pineapple juice and oil.
- Alternating whilst beating all the while, add dry ingredients and liquid, with liquid last. Beat for about 2 more minutes, scraping the bowl as needed.
- When the batter is prepared, take about a quarter of a cup of the remaining crushed pineapple and thoroughly drain it. Fold it into the batter.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan, and bake it until a toothpick comes out clean, about 45 minutes.
- When the cake is done, put the pan on a cake rack and let it settle for about 15 minutes. Have a large platter or sheet pan ready, put it over the cake, then carefully invert. Remove the glass pan from the cake. Let the cake cool a bit more before serving.
Notes
This makes a lot of very rich cake. It’s a lot of calories, so this is not an everyday treat.
Variations
You could put Macadamia nuts on the bottom as well.
This cake has been widely acclaimed as the best pineapple upside down cake my family has ever had. Cheers to a great cake and a cute story.
My spouse and I stumbled over here from a different website and thought I may as well check things out. I like what I see so i am just following you. Look forward to making this cake, it’s been a long time for us, too.
You know it is the same with everything in life.
You would think history shows us at least anything, but alas.
Well, at least we have pineapple upside down cake to make us smile.
Great post, thanks!