Vegan Pineapple Upside Down Cake
This vegan pineapple upside-down cake is an easy retro dessert! Gooey caramelized pineapple slices with maraschino cherries top a simple buttery cake. It is dairy-free, egg-free and loved by vegans and non-vegans alike.
Ingredients
Topping (note 1 if making a 9"/23cm cake)
- 3 tablespoons (45g) melted vegan butter
- 6 tablespoons (70g) brown sugar
- 6 pineapple slices in juice canned (note 2)
- 6-15 maraschino cherries (note 3)
Cake
- 1 ¾ cups (220g) all-purpose plain flour
- ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
- 2 ¼ teaspoons baking powder
- Pinch of salt if using unsalted butter
- ½ cup (125g) pineapple juice reserved from the canned pineapple
- ⅓ cup (85g) cup dairy-free milk room temperature
- 3 tablespoons (45g) neutral flavored oil
- 3 tablespoons (45g) melted vegan butter or use extra oil in the same amount
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (355°F). Line the bottom of a 20cm (8-inch) round cake pan that's at least 6cm (2.5-inch) tall with parchment paper. You can also use a 23cm (9-inch) cake pan for a shorter cake.
Prepare the pineapple topping:
- Drain the pineapple slices from the juice, reserving 1/2 cup (125g) of the juice for the cake. Place the pineapple slices on paper towels and lightly blot with extra towels to remove excess liquid. Set aside.
- Pour the melted butter onto the bottom of your cake pan. Swivel around the pan so the butter spreads along the bottom and sides. Sprinkle the brown sugar on the bottom of the pan.
- Arrange the pineapple slices and cherries on top of the brown sugar mixture. Gently press down the fruit to ensure they are touching the bottom of the pan (otherwise, they may be covered by the caramel when you flip the cake). Depending on the size of your pineapple rings, you may have to squish some slightly. Place the cake pan in the fridge to let the topping 'set'. (note 4)
Prepare the cake batter:
- In a large mixing bowl, add all the dry ingredients and mix until well combined. Add all the wet ingredients and mix until just combined.
- Pour the batter into your cake pan on top of the pineapple rings.
Bake and serve:
- In your preheated oven, bake the cake for around 50-55 minutes (or 45-50 minutes for a 9-inch pan). If your cake is browning too quickly, carefully tent the pan with aluminum foil. The cake is ready when you can insert a toothpick into the center and it comes out mostly clean (a few moist crumbs are fine).
- Let the cake cool in its pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Place a serving platter on top of the pan and quickly turn the cake upside down. Serve the cake when it has mostly cooled down, or at room temperature. It's delicious with a scoop of vegan vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped dairy-free cream!
- Store leftover cake in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days and let slices come to room temperature before serving. The cake can also be frozen, but the topping will change appearance.
Notes
- If you're making this cake in a 9-inch (23cm) tin, for the topping please use 1/4 cup (60g) melted vegan butter and 1/2 cup (95g) brown sugar.
- You'll need about 1-2 cans or 550g of canned pineapple slices (including the juice), depending on how large your cans are. Pineapple slices vary in size so I recommend getting slightly smaller pineapple slices as they fit better in the cake pan. For people in Australia, I recommend the Golden Circle brand (rather than Dole as their pineapple slices are larger).
- Alternatively, you can use glace cherries or pitted fresh cherries.
- If your pineapple slices don't fit into the bottom of your cake pan, cut them into smaller pieces. You can also arrange excess pineapple pieces on the side of your cake before pouring the batter.