Moist Tropical Pineapple Cake
There’s a special kind of joy that comes from turning a simple tin of fruit into something truly spectacular. For me, that joy is encapsulated in this glorious Pineapple Cake. The aroma that fills the kitchen as it bakes—a sweet, buttery scent mingling with the tang of caramelising pineapple—is enough to make any day feel like a sunny one. This isn’t just a cake with fruit in it; it’s a moist, tender sponge that acts as the perfect base for a shimmering, jewel-like topping of pineapple rings and cherries, all nestled in a rich brown sugar caramel. It’s a wonderfully nostalgic bake that feels both comforting and a little bit fancy.
This is my go-to recipe when I need something that feels special but doesn’t demand hours of complicated steps. It’s a tropical cake that delivers on flavour and texture every single time, with a buttery crumb that just melts in your mouth. Whether you’re planning a family get-together in the garden, need a cheerful dessert to brighten up a rainy Sunday, or simply want a delicious slice to enjoy with a cup of tea, this bake always gets compliments. It’s the kind of fruit cake that even people who claim not to like fruit cake will ask for a second slice of.
Recipe Overview
This recipe creates a classic upside-down pineapple cake, where the topping is made first in the bottom of the tin before being covered with a light, buttery sponge batter. When baked and inverted, it reveals a stunning, glossy top. The crumb is exceptionally soft and stays moist for days, thanks to the buttermilk in the batter. After testing this recipe five times, I finally nailed the perfect balance between a moist crumb and a beautifully caramelised, non-soggy top. It’s a straightforward process that yields impressive results.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Servings: 8-10 slices
- Difficulty: Easy
Why You’ll Love This Pineapple Cake
- Genuine Flavour: The buttery sponge has a distinct note of vanilla that pairs beautifully with the sharp, sweet tang of the caramelised pineapple. The brown sugar topping creates a deep, toffee-like sauce that soaks into the cake just enough.
- Ready in an Hour: From gathering your ingredients to pulling the finished cake from the oven, the whole process takes about 60 minutes, making it an ideal bake when you want something impressive without a huge time commitment.
- A Flexible Recipe: This cake is wonderful as is, but also very adaptable. You can add a tablespoon of dark rum or a pinch of ground cinnamon to the caramel for extra warmth, or even swap the cherries for pecans in the centre of the pineapple rings.
- Great for Summer Gatherings: It works beautifully for a weekend family lunch, a summer BBQ dessert, or as the centrepiece for an afternoon tea. It’s a fantastic summer dessert that travels well, too.
- Family Tested: My children adore this cake and always fight over who gets the piece with the most cherry. It’s one of the few bakes that disappears completely within a day of me making it.
Ingredients You’ll Need
For this recipe, we’re using simple, readily available ingredients. The key to a great cake is using good quality basics. I always use tinned pineapple rings in their own juice, not syrup, as the heavy syrup can make the final caramel far too sweet and cloying. Ensure your butter, eggs, and buttermilk are at room temperature before you start – it makes a real difference.
- For the Topping:
- 85g unsalted butter, softened
- 85g soft light brown sugar
- 1 x 435g tin pineapple rings in juice, drained
- 8-10 glacé cherries
- For the Cake Batter:
- 225g plain flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
- ¼ tsp fine sea salt
- 150g unsalted butter, softened
- 150g caster sugar
- 2 large free-range eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 120ml buttermilk
Ashley’s Tip: If you don’t have buttermilk, you can easily make your own. Just add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar to 120ml of whole milk, stir, and let it stand for 5-10 minutes until it thickens slightly. It works perfectly!
How to Make Pineapple Cake
The process is quite methodical. We’ll start by creating the beautiful caramel and pineapple base directly in the baking tin, then we’ll mix a simple, light sponge to pour over the top. The magic happens in the oven and, of course, during “the big flip” at the end!
- Preheat and Prepare: Preheat your oven to 180°C (160°C fan/Gas Mark 4). Grease a 23cm (9-inch) round cake tin and line the base with a circle of baking parchment.
- Make the Caramel Topping: In a small saucepan, melt the 85g of butter and 85g of soft light brown sugar over a low heat, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Pour this mixture into the prepared cake tin and spread it evenly across the base.
- Arrange the Fruit: Pat the drained pineapple rings dry with a bit of kitchen roll – this is a key step to prevent a soggy cake! Arrange the rings neatly on top of the caramel base. Place a glacé cherry in the centre of each pineapple ring and dot any remaining cherries in the gaps.
- Start the Cake Batter: In a large bowl, using an electric hand mixer or a stand mixer, cream together the 150g of softened butter and 150g of caster sugar until the mixture is pale, light, and fluffy. This should take about 3-4 minutes. This creaming method is vital for a light cake.
- Add Eggs and Vanilla: Beat in the eggs one at a time, adding a tablespoon of your flour with the second egg to help prevent the mixture from curdling. Once incorporated, mix in the vanilla extract.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, sift together the plain flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, and salt.
- Alternate Wet and Dry: Add one-third of the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix on a low speed until just combined. Pour in half of the buttermilk and mix again. Repeat this process, ending with the final third of the flour mixture. I find that mixing until the last streaks of flour just disappear is best; be careful not to overmix.
- Assemble and Bake: Carefully spoon the cake batter over the pineapple layer in the tin, spreading it gently with a spatula to create an even surface. Bake in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes. The cake is ready when it’s golden brown and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
- Rest and Invert: Let the cake cool in the tin on a wire rack for 10 minutes. This is important – don’t skip it! Run a knife around the edge of the cake to loosen it, then place a serving plate over the top of the tin and, with confidence, flip it over. Lift the tin away to reveal the beautiful pineapple topping.
Tips From My Kitchen
- Room Temperature is Key: For a smooth, uniform batter, your butter, eggs, and buttermilk absolutely must be at room temperature. Cold ingredients don’t combine well and can lead to a dense, heavy cake.
- The Secret to a Perfect Top: I learned that blotting the pineapple rings with kitchen roll before placing them in the tin is a game-changer. It removes excess juice that could otherwise make the cake soggy and prevent the caramel from forming properly.
- Make-Ahead Ease: This cake is fantastic on the day it’s made, but you can bake it a day in advance. Store it, once cool, in an airtight container at room temperature. The flavours will have even more time to meld together.
- Storage Savvy: Store any leftover Pineapple Cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. If your kitchen is particularly warm, you can store it in the fridge for up to 5 days, but allow it to come to room temperature for 30 minutes before serving for the best texture.
Equipment You’ll Need
You don’t need any highly specialised equipment for this recipe, just standard baking essentials.
- 23cm (9-inch) round cake tin (not loose-bottomed)
- Electric hand mixer or stand mixer
- Mixing bowls
- Baking parchment
- Wire cooling rack
- Small saucepan
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Using a Loose-Bottomed Tin: The delicious brown sugar caramel will leak out of a loose-bottomed or springform tin during baking, creating a sticky mess in your oven. Always use a solid, one-piece cake tin for this recipe.
- Overmixing the Batter: Once you add the flour, mix only until it’s just incorporated. Overmixing develops the gluten in the flour, which will result in a tough, chewy cake rather than a light and tender one.
- Inverting the Cake Too Soon (or Too Late): If you try to turn the cake out immediately, it might fall apart. If you wait too long and let it cool completely in the tin, the caramel will set hard and the cake will stick. That 10-minute rest is the sweet spot.
What to Serve With Pineapple Cake
This moist cake is truly delicious on its own, but a simple accompaniment can elevate it further. It’s a versatile dessert that pairs well with creamy, tangy, or even boozy flavours.
- A Dollop of Cream: A spoonful of thick crème fraîche or coconut cream cuts through the sweetness beautifully and enhances the tropical notes.
- Vanilla Ice Cream: A scoop of good-quality vanilla bean ice cream melting into the warm cake is a classic pairing that always works.
- A Drizzle of Rum: For an adult-only treat, a small drizzle of dark rum over each slice just before serving adds a wonderful warmth and complexity. It’s a great partner for another simple meal like these Salmon Cakes for a complete, easy dinner.
Frequently Asked Questions
Pineapple Cake
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat and Prepare: Preheat your oven to 180°C (160°C fan/Gas Mark 4). Grease a 23cm (9-inch) round cake tin and line the base with a circle of baking parchment.
- Make the Caramel Topping: In a small saucepan, melt the 85g of butter and 85g of soft light brown sugar over a low heat, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Pour this mixture into the prepared cake tin and spread it evenly across the base.
- Arrange the Fruit: Pat the drained pineapple rings dry with a bit of kitchen roll – this is a key step to prevent a soggy cake! Arrange the rings neatly on top of the caramel base. Place a glacé cherry in the centre of each pineapple ring and dot any remaining cherries in the gaps.
- Start the Cake Batter: In a large bowl, using an electric hand mixer or a stand mixer, cream together the 150g of softened butter and 150g of caster sugar until the mixture is pale, light, and fluffy. This should take about 3-4 minutes. This creaming method is vital for a light cake.
- Add Eggs and Vanilla: Beat in the eggs one at a time, adding a tablespoon of your flour with the second egg to help prevent the mixture from curdling. Once incorporated, mix in the vanilla extract.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, sift together the plain flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, and salt.
- Alternate Wet and Dry: Add one-third of the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix on a low speed until just combined. Pour in half of the buttermilk and mix again. Repeat this process, ending with the final third of the flour mixture. I find that mixing until the last streaks of flour just disappear is best; be careful not to overmix.
- Assemble and Bake: Carefully spoon the cake batter over the pineapple layer in the tin, spreading it gently with a spatula to create an even surface. Bake in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes. The cake is ready when it's golden brown and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
- Rest and Invert: Let the cake cool in the tin on a wire rack for 10 minutes. This is important – don't skip it! Run a knife around the edge of the cake to loosen it, then place a serving plate over the top of the tin and, with confidence, flip it over. Lift the tin away to reveal the beautiful pineapple topping.
Notes
I really hope you enjoy making this Pineapple Cake as much as my family and I enjoy eating it. It’s such a cheerful, sunny bake that brings a little bit of tropical warmth to any occasion. If you’re looking for another stunning bake, you might also love my Rose Gold Cake. Please do let me know how you get on in the comments below – I love hearing about your kitchen creations! Happy baking.
– Ashley Rivera
