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    Home » Recipes » Sweets

    Pineapple Upside Down Cake in Cast Iron Skillet

    April 8, 2020 by Chenée Lewis

    295 shares

    This easy pineapple upside down cake in a cast iron skillet recipe is so good, and pretty simple to make! If you've ever wanted to try a cast iron skillet pineapple upside down cake from scratch, now's your chance!

    JUMP TO RECIPE PIN FOR LATER SAVE THIS RECIPE SAVED!
    pineapple upside-down cake

    *This post contains affiliate links — as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please see my disclosure for details*.

    And if you like this classic dessert recipe, try my Blueberry Cake Filling, my Vegan Gingerbread Loaf Cake, or my Pumpkin Pecan Dump Cake!

    Pineapple Upside Down Cake in Cast Iron Pan

    Growing up, my favorite dessert that my mom would make is pineapple upside-down cake. It's a fun retro dessert that still definitely holds up, and is always a treat when I have some. As I got older and got more into baking, I started making a lot myself.

    I typically used to make it using a yellow cake mix as the base, which is easy and always comes out great. But this from-scratch cast-iron skillet version is so easy and even more delicious!

    I decided to make this cake because my friend Jackie was having a birthday this week and specifically requested pineapple upside-down cake! It's one of my favorite cakes to make, so it was definitely a no-brainer!

    Jump to:
    • Pineapple Upside Down Cake in Cast Iron Pan
    • Can you bake a cake in a cast iron skillet?
    • Why should I use a cast-iron skillet?
    • Ingredients
    • What is the best pan for pineapple upside down cake?
    • Pineapple upside-down cake step-by-step
    • Cast Iron Pineapple Upside Down Cake with Rum
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Top Tip
    • Related Recipes
    • 📖 Recipe
    • 💬 Comments

    Can you bake a cake in a cast iron skillet?

    You sure can! And this cast iron pineapple upside down cake is the best place to start! It's simple to make, and the cast iron skillet helps the topping to caramelize so well. I love using a cast iron skillet for this type of cake -- it's so easy and the perfect dessert for any celebration!

    Why should I use a cast-iron skillet?

    The method of making classic pineapple upside down cake involves melting butter in the bottom of the pan, adding pineapples, brown sugar, and cherries, and then pouring the batter on top.

    So after flipping the cake over once it's baked, the caramelized pineapples and cherries become the topping, and gives the cake a buttery sweet richness. Using a well-seasoned cast-iron skillet makes it easier to melt the butter, and helps to caramelize the pineapple topping even more to take this classic cake to the next level!

    That said, this cake can definitely be made in a 9-inch cake pan -- just watch the cake closely near the end of the baking time. If you do make it in a regular cake pan, let me know how it works out!

    pineapple upside-down cake
    Photo credit: The birthday girl!

    Ingredients

    You can see the full ingredient measurements and instructions in the recipe card below, but here's a look at what you'll need to have on hand:

    • sugar - using granulated sugar in the cake batter adds the perfect sweetness.
    • eggs -  make sure your large eggs are at room temperature before you start mixing your batter. If they feel cold to the touch, submerge them in a bowl of lukewarm water for 15 minutes.
    • vanilla -  for the best flavor, I like to use pure vanilla extract. Or you can make your own vanilla!
    • vegetable oil - this adds moisture to our skillet upside down cake. You can use canola oil, vegetable oil, avocado oil, or any other neutral flavored oil.
    • milk - I use whole milk in all of my baking for the best flavor and texture, but you can substitute low-fat milk or buttermilk, if desired.
    • crushed pineapple - reserved from can of crushed pineapple below
    • flour - for this cake, all-purpose flour helps maintain a great structure and balance out the other ingredients.
    • baking powder - using baking powder gives our skillet pineapple upside down cake a lift.
    • salt - adding in a little salt helps to bring out all these other flavors.

    And then to make the upside down caramelized topping, here's what you'll need:

    • butter - I use salted butter for the best flavor, but you can definitely use unsalted butter too if you throw a pinch or two of salt in with your butter.
    • light brown sugar - I find that light brown sugar gives the best balance of caramely sweetness in this cast iron skillet pineapple upside down cake recipe
    • crushed pineapple - You can definitely use pineapple slices, but I love the ease of using crushed pineapple, and how you get pineapple in every bite! Drain the pineapple into a bowl and reserve the juice for the cake batter!
    • maraschino cherries - each maraschino cherry will need to be cut in half. I typically use regular bright red maraschino cherries, but you can also use Luxardo cherries for even better flavor.

    What is the best pan for pineapple upside down cake?

    I like to use a good-quality, well-seasoned cast iron skillet for this cast iron pineapple upside down cake recipe. A great option is the Lodge cast-iron skillet! You can also use a 9 inch cake pan or skillet, but you may need to bake your cake a little longer in a standard cake pan.

    You'll also need a rubber spatula, a whisk or electric mixer to mix up the cake batter.

    Pineapple upside-down cake step-by-step

    It couldn't be easier to make this delicious cake! To start with, the super-simple batter is similar to my spiced banana cake -- another single layer cake!

    Once you've whipped up the cake batter in a large bowl, you'll melt butter in your skillet over medium heat.

    Then sprinkle your brown sugar into the bottom of the skillet on top of the melted butter. This will help caramelize the topping on your cake.

    Then, place the cherry halves, cut side up. Ordinarily you would arrange them evenly across the cake, but I placed mine in a "J" in honor of my friend Jackie's birthday. Feel free to get creative!

    Once you have the cherries down, gently spoon the drained pineapple over the top (we used the reserved pineapple juice in the cake batter).

    You'll notice this recipe calls for crushed pineapple, whereas most pineapple upside-down cake recipes call for a can of pineapple slices. This is just my personal preference -- I find that crushed pineapple makes the cake easier to slice than pineapple rings, and gets more pineapple flavor more evenly all over the cake!

    But it's up to you -- the caramelization method is the same whether you use crushed or sliced pineapple. If you do end up using sliced pineapple, then just put your cherry halves in the center of each pineapple ring!

    In any case, the final step is to just pour batter over the pineapple in the skillet, and bake until golden brown for the best pineapple upside down cake ever!

    Cast Iron Pineapple Upside Down Cake with Rum

    If you want to add a little rum to this cake, I don't blame you! My Rum Pound Cake and my Eggnog Bread Pudding with Brown Butter Rum Sauce are two of my favorite recipes!

    All you need to do is replace half of the pineapple juice in the batter with dark rum, and sprinkle on a tablespoon of dark rum to the topping after you add the pineapples. It's that easy!

    pineapple upside-down cake

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Why is the top of my pineapple upside down cake soggy?

    This is in some ways, the point -- the moisture in the cherries and the pineapple soaks into the top of the skillet cake to form the moist, caramelized pineapple topping. If you're worried about having too much moisture in your cake, you can drain your pineapples very well and pat your cherries dry before adding them in.

    Do you grease the pan for pineapple upside down cake?

    When making the caramelized topping, your first step is melting butter in the pan. So you won't need to separately grease the pan when making upside down pineapple cake in a cast iron skillet.

    What is the trick to flipping pineapple upside down cake?

    Luckily, with this recipe we're using a pan that has a handle. So you'll just run a knife around the edge of the warm cake while it's in the skllet, then top the skillet with a large heat-proof plate, wire rack, or platter, and then invert them both so that the skillet is now on top. The cake should fall right out.

    Do you wait for an upside down cake to cool before flipping?

    No, because you want the sugar to still be in liquid form to allow the caramelized topping to come out of the pan. If you wait too long, the brown sugar may harden or thicken, which may make it harder to remove from the pan. Just let your cake cool for about 10 minutes after you remove your cake from the oven.

    Should you refrigerate pineapple upside down cake after baking?

    Yes, I like to keep leftovers in the fridge because of the fruit topping. But it tastes best if you allow it to come to room temperature or heat each slice of pineapple upside down cake a little in the microwave before serving.

    Top Tip

    For the best results, don't forget to measure your flour by weight with a kitchen scale! It'll help ensure accurate measurements and prevent a dry cake!

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    If you try this recipe, I would love it if you could leave a star review rating and comment below! It’s so wonderful hearing your feedback! And don’t forget to share your creations with me by tagging @chenee_today on Instagram!

    📖 Recipe

    pineapple upside-down cake

    Pineapple Upside Down Cake in Cast Iron Skillet

    5 from 7 votes
    Print Pin Recipe Rate Recipe Save RecipeSaved!
    This easy pineapple upside down cake in a cast iron skillet recipe is so good, and pretty simple to make! If you've ever wanted to try a cast iron skillet pineapple upside down cake from scratch, now's your chance!
    Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 35 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 45 minutes minutes
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine :American
    Servings: 8 slices
    Calories: 337kcal
    Recipe Source: Chenée Lewis

    Equipment you may need

    • 10-inch cast-iron skillet
    • mixing bowls
    • measuring cups and spoons
    • whisk
    • fine mesh sieve
    • rubber spatula

    Ingredients

    For the cake:

    • ⅔ cup granulated sugar
    • 2 large eggs - room temperature
    • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
    • ⅓ cup vegetable oil
    • ½ cup whole milk - (you can substitute lowfat milk or buttermilk, if desired)
    • ⅓ cup pineapple juice - reserved from can of pineapple
    • 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
    • 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
    • ¼ teaspoon salt

    For the topping:

    • cooking spray
    • 6 tablespoon salted butter
    • ⅔ cup light brown sugar
    • 20 oz crushed pineapple - drained and ⅓ cup juice reserved
    • 10 maraschino cherries - cut in half

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 350°F and spray an 8 or 10-inch cast iron skillet with cooking spray. (You can also use a 9-inch round cake pan -- see note)
      cooking spray
    • In a large bowl or stand mixer, beat sugar, eggs, & vanilla for one minute.
      ⅔ cup granulated sugar, 2 large eggs, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
    • Stir in oil, milk, and juice and mix well.
      ⅓ cup vegetable oil, ½ cup whole milk, ⅓ cup pineapple juice
    • Sift in flour, baking powder, and salt and fold in with a rubber spatula until just combined. Set aside while you prepare the topping.
      1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder, ¼ teaspoon salt
    • On the stovetop, melt butter on medium heat in your cast-iron skillet.
      6 tablespoon salted butter
    • Sprinkle brown sugar evenly over butter in skillet. Add cherry halves evenly to brown sugar layer, cut side down.
      ⅔ cup light brown sugar, 10 maraschino cherries
    • Spoon crushed pineapple over cherries and pat with the back of a spoon to distribute evenly.
      20 oz crushed pineapple
    • Pour batter into pan on top of pineapples and bake for about 30-35 minutes in preheated oven or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
    • Allow to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then carefully invert onto a cake plate. If any of the pineapple sticks to the pan, just scrape it off and gently add to the top of the cake.
    Last Step!Click here to leave a review and a star rating! It helps spread the word and allows me to keep sharing free recipes! 🥰

    Notes

    Skillet: I used a Lodge 10.25" skillet for this recipe, which was a good size -- the cake, when baked, rose to the edge of the skillet. You can also use a 9-inch cake pan, although I haven't tested that option. You'll most likely need to bake your cake for a little longer. Let me know your results if you try the cake that way!
    Storage: Yes, I like to keep leftovers in the fridge because of the fruit topping. But it tastes best if you allow it to come to room temperature or heat it a little in the microwave before serving.
    Cast Iron Pineapple Upside Down Cake with Rum: If you want to add a little rum to this cake, I don't blame you! My Rum Pound Cake and my Eggnog Bread Pudding with Brown Butter Rum Sauce are two of my favorite recipes!
    All you need to do is replace half of the pineapple juice in the batter with dark rum, and sprinkle on a tablespoon of dark rum to the topping after you add the pineapples. It's that easy!

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1 slice | Calories: 337 kcal | Carbohydrates: 57 g | Protein: 4 g | Fat: 10 g | Saturated Fat: 6 g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1 g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3 g | Trans Fat: 0.3 g | Cholesterol: 65 mg | Sodium: 247 mg | Potassium: 105 mg | Fiber: 1 g | Sugar: 39 g | Vitamin A: 350 IU | Vitamin C: 1 mg | Calcium: 95 mg | Iron: 2 mg
    Nutrition Disclaimer
    Did you try this recipe? Rate it below!I can't wait to see (and share) your results! Follow me on Instagram at @chenee_today and tag #cheneetoday!

    Last Updated on April 17, 2025 by Chenée Lewis

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    295 shares

    Comments

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    1. Jen says

      June 17, 2024 at 10:58 pm

      5 stars
      We made the cake in a 9x9” square metal pan. It turned out amazing! Delicious and moist! Definitely a keeper!

      Reply
      • Chenée Lewis says

        June 21, 2024 at 10:49 am

        I'm so happy you liked it! 🙂 Thank you!

        Reply
    2. Susan says

      February 06, 2024 at 6:55 am

      5 stars
      I made this yesterday and it’s delicious! Your recipe is perfect, I used buttermilk and it was light, fluffy and not overly sweet. Thanks for the recipe!

      Reply
      • Chenée Lewis says

        February 07, 2024 at 3:56 pm

        I'm so glad you liked it! Thank you!

        Reply
    3. Carole says

      April 08, 2023 at 3:47 pm

      Love your blog…we have blooming cacti and fruit trees, and many bees!

      Reply
      • Chenée Lewis says

        April 13, 2023 at 12:13 am

        Amazing! That sounds so lovely!

        Reply
    4. Susan Sims says

      January 27, 2023 at 6:08 pm

      5 stars
      Great, easy recipe! We loved it! I used buttermilk (have it on hand and need to use it) and subbed mayonnaise for the vegetable oil. There is something about oil in a cake that I don't like so I've started using mayo which you can't detect. It just makes for a very moist cake. The next time I make this cake, I am going to cut the sugar in the batter to maybe 1/4 cup. With the nice brown sugar topping, the cake needs just a little for our taste buds. Your topping to batter ratio is perfect! Just like a pineapple upside cake should be.. Great job on this recipe!

      Reply
      • Chenée Lewis says

        January 29, 2023 at 8:10 pm

        Thank you so much! So glad it worked for you and I love the mayo substitute!

        Reply
    5. Jennifer says

      July 24, 2022 at 11:23 am

      5 stars
      I made this today for my family and we can’t wait to try it - it looks and smells wonderful! I had never used my cast iron for baking a cake and it was so much easier and less mess. Thank you for sharing your recipe!

      Reply
      • Chenée Lewis says

        July 24, 2022 at 8:41 pm

        I'm so glad you're giving it a try! I hope you and your family enjoyed!!

        Reply
    6. Tina says

      March 12, 2022 at 2:32 pm

      I’ve made this twice and it is delish. I was looking for a crushed pineapple recipe because I had crushed instead of rings. I love it more this way! Thank you

      Reply
      • Chenée Lewis says

        March 14, 2022 at 1:57 am

        I like it better that way too! Glad you liked it!

        Reply
    7. Tina says

      February 11, 2022 at 6:55 pm

      5 stars
      This was delish! Thanks for the great desert, my family loved it.

      Reply
      • Chenée Lewis says

        February 13, 2022 at 9:49 pm

        So great to hear! Thanks!

        Reply
    8. BETHANY Ann JACOB says

      September 05, 2021 at 1:38 am

      Your pineapple upside down cake looks so scrumptious that, at 230 am, I am heading to the kitchen to whip one up and praying I have the ingredients! If I have to improvise I'll let you know how it turned out as well as my (improvisions)☆used! I don't think that is an actual word : p ☆

      Reply
      • Chenée Lewis says

        September 05, 2021 at 1:53 pm

        Thank you!! I hope you liked it! And yes let me know how any changes work out lol! 🙂

        Reply
    9. Lisa Highfield says

      December 06, 2020 at 8:52 pm

      Great recipe. I used fresh pineapple I got free and added just a little of the cherry juice to the batter. Beautiful and delicious! Thank you for sharing

      Reply
      • Chenée Lewis says

        December 08, 2020 at 2:16 am

        I love the idea of adding the cherry juice! Thanks for the feedback! 🙂

        Reply
    10. Grace Fredericks says

      May 21, 2020 at 9:54 pm

      This looks delicious. I love pineapple, I will definitely give it a try.

      Reply
      • Chenée Today says

        May 22, 2020 at 3:14 am

        Awesome! Let me know how you like it!

        Reply
    11. Macy says

      May 21, 2020 at 9:21 pm

      Your pictures look amazing! Hahah, if I ever attempt this, I hope mine can look half as good.

      Reply
      • Chenée Today says

        May 22, 2020 at 3:13 am

        Thanks! I'm sure they'll look just as good!

        Reply

    About Chenée

    I’m Chenée (kinda rhymes with “today”) and I love all types of baking and cooking! But my favorite recipes are ones that are quick and easy, and still yield impressive results. The ones you can't help but make again and again! That's what I share here, and I hope I can make your life a little easier along the way. MORE ABOUT CHENÉE >>

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