Caramelized Pineapple Upside Down Cake
This recipe and I go way back! Caramelizing the brown sugar and the pineapples on top make for a delicious treat that is sure to please any crowd. And bonus for being easy to make! It’s a box cake that everyone will think is homemade! This is by far the best Pineapple Upside Down Cake that I’ve ever made.
Servings
1
cakePrep time
30
minutesCooking time
30
minutesIngredients
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 can, 20 oz, sliced pineapple in juice (drain and save juice)
1 jar of maraschino cherries (drained)
1 package of Duncan Hines Classic Yellow Cake Mix
3 large eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup of the above drained pineapple juice (add water to make 1 cup if needed; but only add 1 cup of liquid to the mix)
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- In a saucepan, let butter simmer until it begins to darken but does NOT burn (about 6 minutes).
- Stir in brown sugar and simmer 3 more minutes or until mixture starts to thicken.
- Pour mixture into a 13 X 9 pan (I use a glass pan) and spread evenly
- Arrange sliced pineapples on top of the caramelized mixture. Place a maraschino cherry in the hole of each pineapple and in between pineapples as desired.
- In a large bowl, add the yellow cake mix, eggs, oil and juice/water mixture. Mix by hand for about 30 seconds
- Using an electric mixer, beat at medium speed for 2 minutes. If you don’t have an electric mixer, beat by hand with a large spoon until all lumps are gone
- Pour cake batter into the 13 X 9 pan and bake for 23-28 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. If you don’t have any toothpicks on hand, a butter knife will work just the same
- Place your desired serving dish on top of the 13 X9 pan and immediately turn pan upside down (I use a cookie sheet, but you can choose something fancier if you like!)
- Leave pan upside down for 1 minute, then remove pan
Notes
- You can use a different brand of cake mix. However, if the box recipe calls for a different amount of water then use that amount. For example, if the box calls for 1 and 1/4 cups of water then use a juice/water mixture of that amount. Cooking times may vary.