If you love sweet and sour these pineapple upside down mini cakes are for you. They're cute and easy to make. These use a cake mix so they couldn't be easier!!
A traditional pineapple upside down cake is a buttery cake with a layer of sugary pineapples and cherries. It's called an upside down cake because after it's baked you turn it over so the pineapples and cherries are on top.
Upside down fruit cakes were first created centuries ago when people cooked with cast iron skillets over open fires. They'd put the fruit on the bottom and top with the cake and when it was cooked the'd flip the cake over. The fruit sugars and juices run down into the cake.
In 1911 Dole created a machine to cut pineapple rings. That's when sliced pineapple became popular. Recipe cookbooks and catalogues began featuring the pineapple upside down cake in the 1920's.
Make it a Meal!
Turn pineapple upside down mini cakes into a whole meal! It pairs well with:
- Main Dish: Pot Roast – This is another American classic! This recipe is the only one you'll ever need.
- Side Dish: Roasted Brussels Sprouts – If you love brussels sprouts you'll love them cooked this way.
- Bread: Garlic French Bread – Easy! Make this with a store bought loaf of french bread.
- Drink: Red Wine Sangria – This is one of my all time favorite sangria recipes. Use the rest of the wine leftover from your marinara recipe.
Ways to Use Pineapple Upside Down Mini Cakes
- After dinner dessert: These are quick and easy to make for an after dinner dessert.
- Freeze for later: Whether you need desserts for unexpected guests or just want to eat them later, you can freeze these for later. This recipe makes enough to save time at a later date!
Ingredients:
- salted butter, melted
- packed light brown sugar
- canned pineapple chunks, reserve the liquid
- maraschino cherries
- yellow cake mix
- eggs
- vegetable oil
- cup sour cream
Possible Pineapple Upside Down Cake Variations
- Salted Caramel Pineapple Upside Down Cake: YUM-O! Combine 2 Tablespoons of chopped pecans with ½ cup of salted caramel sauce. Add this in the pan before the pineapple. Omit the cherries.
- Blueberries: Substitute the cherries for fresh large blueberries.
- Chocolate: Use a chocolate cake mix instead of a yellow cake mix.
Frequently Asked Questions
A. Allow the cakes to fully cool. Wrap the pineapple upside down mini cakes in plastic wrap or store in a container with a lid for up to 3 days.
A. Allow the cakes to fully cool. Wrap in aluminum foil wrap. Freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost in the refrigerator.
A. Use a gluten free cake mix to make these cakes gluten free. Make sure your spray you use to grease your pan is gluten free. Some pan sprays contain gluten.
A. To make your cakes dairy free just substitute the sour cream for a dairy free option. I prefer this Non-Dairy Yogurt Sour Cream as the best substitute when baking.
A. Follow instructions to make it dairy free, substitute your favorite vegan egg substitute and omit the maraschino cherries.
How to Make Pineapple Upside Down Mini Cakes:
Step 1: Preheat oven to 350°F.
Step 2: Spray two 12-cup muffin tins with non-stick cooking spray or grease with butter and set aside. Note: If you're making these gluten free make sure your cooking spray is gluten free.
Step 3: Stir together melted butter and brown sugar. Spoon 1 teaspoon of this mixture into each muffin tin cup. It should spread to coat the bottom of each cup.
Step 4: Slice pineapple chunks in half if the brand you have is particularly chunky (about ¼" thickness is good). Arrange four pieces of pineapple chunks and one maraschino cherry in the bottom of each muffin cup. (Do not discard the juice from the can of pineapple chunks - it will be used in the cupcake batter).
Step 5: In a mixing bowl or bowl of a standing mixer, beat together dry cake mix, eggs, oil, sour cream, and 1 cup of pineapple juice. If there is not enough juice reserved from the can, supplement with water to make 1 cup of liquid.
Step 6: Beat for 2 minutes on medium speed until the batter is thick and fluffy.
Step 7: Divide batter between the 24 muffin tin cups. Make sure not to disturb the pineapple/cherry pattern when you add the batter.
Step 8: Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the cupcake comes out clean (a few crumbs are fine).
Step 9: Allow cakes to cool in the muffin tins for a few minutes before inverting onto a cooling rack to cool. If any of the pineapple chunks stick in the muffin tin, simply use a fork or spatula to scoop them out of the muffin cup and put them back into their place on the mini cake.
Ingredients
- ½ cup salted butter - melted
- ¾ cup packed light brown sugar
- 20 oz. can of pineapple chunks - reserve the liquid
- 24 maraschino cherries
- 1 box yellow cake mix
- 3 large eggs
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup pineapple juice - (use reserved liquid from the can of pineapple chunks)
- ½ cup sour cream
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Spray 2 12-cup muffin tins with non-stick cooking spray or grease with butter and set aside.
- Stir together melted butter and brown sugar. Spoon 1 teaspoon of this mixture into each muffin tin cup. It should spread to coat the bottom of each cup.
- Slice pineapple chunks in half if the brand you have is particularly chunky (about ¼" thickness is good). Arrange four pieces of pineapple chunks and one maraschino cherry in the bottom of each muffin cup. (Do not discard the juice from the can of pineapple chunks - it will be used in the cupcake batter).
- In a mixing bowl or bowl of a standing mixer, beat together dry cake mix, eggs, oil, sour cream, and 1 cup of pineapple juice. If there is not enough juice reserved from the can, supplement with water to make 1 cup of liquid.
- Beat for 2 minutes on medium speed until the batter is thick and fluffy.
- Divide batter between the 24 muffin tin cups, making sure not to disturb the pineapple/cherry pattern when you add the batter.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the cupcake comes out clean (a few crumbs are fine).
- Allow cakes to cool in the muffin tins for a few minutes before inverting onto a cooling rack to cool. If any of the pineapple chunks stick in the muffin tin, simply use a fork or spatula to scoop them out of the muffin cup and put them back into their place on the mini cake.
Leave a Reply