Name: Pineapple upside-down cake
Yield: 1 cake, about 8 servings
Cuisine: United States
Ingredients: 55 g Unsalted butter Melted; 100 g Brown sugar; 8–10 Pineapple rings Canned in juice; drain and pat dry; 180 g Cake flour Not self-raising; 5 mL Baking powder Level measure; 1.25 mL Baking soda Level measure; 2.5 mL Fine salt Level measure; 85 g Unsalted butter Softened; 150 g Caster sugar; 2 Large egg whites Room temperature; 80 g Sour cream Full fat; 60 mL Pineapple juice Reserved from can; 30 mL Milk Room temperature

Method

01 · Prepare fruit base
10 min
Use: Base, Fruit
Heat oven. Spread melted butter and brown sugar in the tin. Arrange dried pineapple rings in one layer, trimming to fit.
Ready when: Fruit is flat; no pool of juice.
01 Prepare fruit baseSpread the butter and sugar, then arrange dried pineapple rings in one layer.
02 · Mix dry ingredients
1 min
Use: Dry
Whisk the dry group.
Ready when: No flour lumps.
02 Mix dry ingredientsWhisk the flour, raising agents and salt until there are no lumps.
03 · Cream
2 min
Use: Cream
Beat butter and sugar until pale.
Ready when: Lighter, aerated texture.
03 CreamBeat the butter and sugar until pale and aerated.
04 · Make batter
3 min
Use: Cream, Wet, Liquid, Mix dry ingredients
Beat in whites and sour cream. Add dry mixture in two additions, alternating with the milk and pineapple juice.
Ready when: Smooth thick batter; stop mixing promptly.
04 Make batterAdd the whites and sour cream, then alternate the dry and liquid mixtures.
05 · Bake
43–48 min
Use: Prepare fruit base, Make batter
Spread batter gently over fruit and bake. Shield loosely if browning early.
Ready when: Centre skewer has no raw batter.
05 BakeSpread the batter over the fruit and bake until a centre skewer has no raw batter.
06 · Turn out
20 min rest
Use: Bake
Rest 20 minutes. Loosen the edge, cover with a serving plate and invert using oven gloves. Lift off the tin carefully.
Ready when: Fruit topping releases onto the cake.
06 Turn outRest, loosen the edge, then invert with gloves and lift off the tin.

What to look for

Stage	Look / feel for	Needs attention
Make batter	Smooth thick batter; stop mixing promptly.	Stop at this cue rather than relying only on elapsed time.
Bake	Centre skewer has no raw batter.	Stop at this cue rather than relying only on elapsed time.
Turn out	Fruit topping releases onto the cake.	Stop at this cue rather than relying only on elapsed time.

Troubleshooting

If you see this	Likely cause	What to do now	Next time
Sunken centre	The batter was underbaked or lost too much air.	If still in the oven, continue until the centre is set.	Use the stated pan and avoid opening the oven early.
Dry crumb	Excess flour or baking time.	Serve with an appropriate cream or filling.	Weigh flour and check doneness at the low end of the range.
Soggy fruit layer	Pineapple was too wet.	Serve with the fruit side up and allow steam to escape.	Pat fruit dry and measure juice separately.

Keep covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. No cherries are needed.

Ingredient choices & substitutions

Ingredient	Specified type	Brand	Status
Unsalted butter	Melted	No required brand	Match the ingredient type
Pineapple rings	Canned in juice; drain and pat dry	No required brand	Match the ingredient type
Cake flour	Not self-raising	No required brand	Match the ingredient type
Baking powder	Level measure	No required brand	Match the ingredient type
Baking soda	Level measure	No required brand	Match the ingredient type
Fine salt	Level measure	No required brand	Match the ingredient type
Unsalted butter	Softened	No required brand	Match the ingredient type
Large egg whites	Room temperature	No required brand	Match the ingredient type
Sour cream	Full fat	No required brand	Match the ingredient type
Pineapple juice	Reserved from can	No required brand	Match the ingredient type
Milk	Room temperature	No required brand	Match the ingredient type

Ingredient	Alternative / ratio	Adjust handling	Likely outcome
Cake flour	All-purpose flour plus cornstarch155 g flour + 25 g cornstarch	Sift together before use.	Slightly less delicate crumb.
Sour cream	Full-fat Greek yogurt80 g	Use thick plain yogurt.	Slightly tangier batter.

Match the ingredient’s function and weight. See the flour, gluten, yeast and salt guide.

Other approaches to this recipe

Cook / recipe	Use	What differs

The working ingredients and method form one recipe. Different formulas are compared without averaging their quantities or rise schedules.

Recommended Tools Regular Baker	Casual Baker Workarounds Hacks
Digital kitchen scale	Borrow a suitable scale for the gram amounts. Use measuring cups only where a volume is provided; fluff flour, spoon it in and level without packing.
Measuring spoons and a marked jug	Use standard measuring spoons for small volumes and a kitchen measuring jug for liquids; eating spoons vary in size.
23 cm round cake tin at least 5 cm deep	Use an existing pan of the same dimensions, depth and material where possible. A different size changes thickness and cooking time; do not fill a smaller pan with the full batch.
Mixer with paddle or beaters	Use a sturdy spoon and bowl for softened butter mixtures, or a hand mixer. Cream until lighter; do not replace beating with a quick stir.
Serving plate	Use a clean plate or lid large enough for the job; use a heatproof plate for turning out a warm cake.

Recommended Tools Regular Baker	Casual Baker Workarounds Hacks
Digital kitchen scale	Borrow a suitable scale for the gram amounts. Use measuring cups only where a volume is provided; fluff flour, spoon it in and level without packing.
Measuring spoons and a marked jug	Use standard measuring spoons for small volumes and a kitchen measuring jug for liquids; eating spoons vary in size.
23 cm round cake tin at least 5 cm deep	Use an existing pan of the same dimensions, depth and material where possible. A different size changes thickness and cooking time; do not fill a smaller pan with the full batch.
Mixer with paddle or beaters	Use a sturdy spoon and bowl for softened butter mixtures, or a hand mixer. Cream until lighter; do not replace beating with a quick stir.
Serving plate	Use a clean plate or lid large enough for the job; use a heatproof plate for turning out a warm cake.

Pineapple upside-down cake

Pineapple upside-down cake