pineapple upside down cake

Desserts

Pineapple Upside Down Cake

Pineapple upside-down cake was once a retro relic that now ranks among the most classic desserts of all time. Follow our traditional recipe below—no extra frills needed here!

Ingredients

1/3 cup butter, melted
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 can (20 ounces) sliced pineapple
1/2 cup chopped pecans
3 large eggs, separated, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
9 maraschino cherries
whipped topping, optional

Directions

Preheat oven to 375°. In an ungreased 9-in. square baking pan, combine butter and brown sugar. Drain pineapple, reserving 1/3 cup juice. Arrange 9 pineapple slices in a single layer over sugar mixture (refrigerate any remaining slices for another use). Sprinkle pecans over pineapple; set aside.
In a large bowl, beat egg yolks until thick and lemon-colored. Gradually add sugar, beating well. Blend in vanilla and reserved pineapple juice. Combine flour, baking powder and salt; add to batter, beating well.
In a small bowl with clean beaters, beat egg whites on high speed until stiff peaks form; fold into batter. Spoon into pan.
Bake 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Let stand 10 minutes before inverting onto a serving plate. Place a cherry in the center of each pineapple slice. If desired, serve with whipped topping.