Imagine a sweet, rich, and moist pound cake crowned with fragrant pineapple slices and maraschino cherries. This showstopping Pineapple Upside Down Pound Cake is excellent for holidays, brunch, or whenever you want an impressive breakfast or dessert.
Pound cakes are among the easiest and most reliable cakes to bake. They’re versatile, customizable, and work for casual mornings as well as special gatherings. This version is taller than a traditional single-layer pineapple upside-down cake because it’s a pound cake style with a bundt or angel food pan.
If you enjoy this cake, try other favorites such as Southern Lemon Pound Cake, Old-Fashioned Fresh Apple Cake, or a classic Vanilla Pound Cake. And if you have extra pineapple, consider making pineapple lemonade or pineapple jam to use it up.
Table of Contents
- Upside Down Pineapple Pound Cake
- Ingredients For Bottom Of The Pan
- Ingredients For The Pound Cake Batter
- How To Make A Pineapple Upside-Down Pound Cake
- Serving Suggestions
- More Cake Recipes
- Recipe Frequently Asked Questions
- Pineapple Upside Down Pound Cake Recipe
Upside Down Pineapple Pound Cake
Making this pineapple upside-down pound cake is a pleasure. The pineapple topping brings bright, juicy fruitiness while the cake stays tender, rich, and moist thanks to cream cheese and butter in the batter. No sour cream is needed.
As the cake bakes, the pineapple rings soften and become almost jammy—sweet, tender, and melt-in-your-mouth. Maraschino cherries add a classic finishing touch that makes the cake look festive and inviting.
This bundt-style pound cake served a large household and received rave reviews. From children to adults, it’s a crowd-pleaser—definitely a pound cake to bake when you want to impress.
Ingredients For Bottom Of The Pan
You’ll need a simple topping to line the bottom of the pan. That layer of pineapple rings, cherries, butter, and brown sugar gives the cake its signature upside-down appearance when inverted after baking.
Bottom-of-pan ingredients:
- Pineapple rings: Use canned pineapple rings or cut rings from a fresh pineapple.
- Light brown sugar: Dark brown sugar can be used if preferred.
- Maraschino cherries: Stemless maraschino cherries work best for the centers of the rings.
- Melted butter: Unsalted butter is ideal, but salted will work if needed.
Ingredients For The Pound Cake Batter
The batter uses classic pound cake ingredients with cream cheese for richness and a hint of nutmeg to complement the pineapple.
- All-purpose flour for structure.
- Cream cheese for tang and extra moisture.
- Butter for flavor and richness.
- Sugar to sweeten and tenderize.
- Eggs at room temperature to help emulsify and leaven.
- Buttermilk for moisture and a tender crumb. Substitute by adding 1 tablespoon vinegar to milk to make 1 cup if needed.
- Vanilla extract to enhance flavor.
- Nutmeg for a warm, complementary spice.
For exact measurements, see the recipe card below.
How To Make A Pineapple Upside-Down Pound Cake
- Prepare the pan: Grease a 10-inch bundt or angel food cake pan with butter, then dust lightly with flour and shake out the excess.
- Arrange the topping: Place pineapple rings in the bottom of the pan and put a maraschino cherry in the center of each ring. Sprinkle with brown sugar and drizzle with melted butter.
- Make the batter: Beat softened butter and cream cheese until combined. Add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Mix in buttermilk and vanilla.
- Add dry ingredients: Stir in flour, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg until just combined.
- Incorporate eggs: Add eggs one at a time, mixing until just combined after each addition. Avoid overmixing.
- Fill the pan: Pour the batter over the arranged pineapple rings, spreading it evenly and smoothing the top.
- Bake: Bake at 350°F (180°C) for about 1 hour and 10 minutes, or until the top is golden and a skewer inserted in several places comes out clean. If the cake browns too quickly, tent it loosely with foil for the last 10 minutes.
- Cool briefly: Let the cake cool in the pan for about 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edges to loosen it, then invert onto a wire rack to cool completely so the pineapple becomes the top.
Tip: Don’t over-cream the butter and sugar. Start with lightly softened butter and beat at medium speed until the mixture is light and fluffy. Over-creaming can make the cake gummy.
Enjoy this pineapple upside-down bundt cake warm or at room temperature. It’s a beautiful centerpiece and reliably delicious.
Serving Suggestions
This Pineapple Upside Down Pound Cake is delicious on its own. For extras, serve with:
- Vanilla ice cream
- Whipped cream
- Fresh fruit
More Cake Recipes
- Plain Cake Recipe
- Pineapple Upside Down Cake (single-layer)
- Southern Lemon Pound Cake
- Vanilla Pound Cake
Recipe Frequently Asked Questions
If the cake is runny, it may be from too much liquid in the batter or baking it for too short a time. Measure liquids carefully and bake until a skewer comes out clean.
Grease every inch of the pan with butter and coat it with a light dusting of flour. This helps the cake release cleanly when you invert it.
Gummy texture often comes from over-creaming butter and sugar or overmixing the batter after adding flour. Mix until ingredients are just combined and avoid excessive beating.
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Pineapple Upside Down Pound Cake
Prep: 30 mins • Cook: 1 hr 10 mins • Total: 1 hr 40 mins • Servings: 15
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened, plus 1 tablespoon for greasing pan
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup buttermilk (or milk + 1 tablespoon vinegar)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 6 large eggs, room temperature
Bottom of Pan
- 5 pineapple rings (from fresh pineapple or canned)
- 5 maraschino cherries, stems removed
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease a 10-inch bundt pan with butter, dust with a tablespoon of flour, and shake out the excess.
- Arrange the pineapple rings on the bottom of the pan and place a maraschino cherry in each ring. Sprinkle the brown sugar over the rings and drizzle with melted butter.
- In a large bowl or stand mixer, beat the softened butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add the granulated sugar and beat until light and fluffy.
- Mix in the buttermilk and vanilla extract until combined.
- Whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg. Add to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined.
- Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Pour the batter over the pineapple arrangement, spreading evenly. Smooth the top with a spatula.
- Bake for about 1 hour and 10 minutes, or until the top is golden and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Tent with foil if the cake browns too quickly in the last 10 minutes.
- Cool the cake in the pan for 10 minutes, then run a knife around the edges and invert onto a wire rack to cool completely. Slice and serve.
Notes
- Buttermilk substitute: Add 1 tablespoon vinegar to a measuring cup and fill to 1 cup with milk.
- Storage: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3–4 days. To freeze, wrap in parchment and aluminum foil and freeze.
- Optional add-ins: Stir in shredded coconut or crushed pineapple for extra texture and flavor.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 504 kcal | Carbohydrates: 71 g | Protein: 6 g | Fat: 23 g | Saturated Fat: 11 g | Sugar: 44 g | Fiber: 1 g
Additional Info
Course: Dessert • Cuisine: American, Southern