Recipe
1950s Pineapple Upside-Down Cake
Ring pineapple, brown sugar, and cherries baked under a butter cake, then turned out for the mid-century showpiece dessert.
Context
Canned pineapple made a glamorous dessert from pantry shelves.
Upside-down cakes existed earlier, but the ring-pineapple version became a 1950s icon. Use a cast-iron skillet or cake pan. Invert while warm so the caramel topping releases cleanly.
Ingredients
- ¼ cup butter
- ½ cup packed brown sugar
- 1 can (20 oz) pineapple rings, drained (reserve ¼ cup juice)
- 8 maraschino cherries (optional)
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ cup butter, softened
- ¾ cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla
- ½ cup milk
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350°F (175°C). Melt ¼ cup butter in a 9-inch skillet or cake pan; sprinkle with brown sugar.
- Arrange pineapple rings on the sugar; place a cherry in each center if using.
- Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt. Cream ½ cup butter and sugar; beat in eggs and vanilla.
- Add dry ingredients alternately with milk and reserved pineapple juice. Spread over fruit.
- Bake 35 to 45 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Rest 5 minutes, then invert onto a plate.