Retro Recipe Redo is a new Quick Dish series that gives old recipe faves a mini makeover so they’re easier and quicker for today’s busy cooks.
Variations
- Lower the fat: Cut the butter down to 1/4 cup for the brown-sugar topping mixture if you really, really must. I looooove butter, so I kept it at the old-fashioned proportion, but (as much as I hate to admit it) the recipe works great either way.
- Flavor the water: Instead of plain water, use water plus juice from the pineapple can and maraschino cherries jar to add up to the same liquid measurement for the cake batter.
- Add other fruit: Peaches or blueberries or other stuff work with (or instead of) the pineapple. Experiment!
- Oh, nuts! Sprinkle chopped pecans or walnuts over the brown sugar to add the crunch you love.
- Gluten free: Yep, there’s even an easy gluten free version that starts with a Betty Crocker gluten free cake mix.
Easy Pineapple Upside-Down Cake
Ingredients
- 1 (18 ounce) boxes yellow cake mix
- 3 eggs ( or as called for by your cake mix)
- 1/3 cup oil ( or as called for by your cake mix)
- 1 1/3 cups water ( or as called for by your cake mix)
- 1 cup dark brown sugar
- 1/4-1/2 cup butter
- 1 (20 ounce) cans sliced pineapple
- 1 (8 ounce) jars maraschino cherries (optional)
- halved walnuts (optional)
Directions
- Follow instructions on cake box for making an oblong single layer cake.
- Prepare cake batter and set aside.
- Cut up butter in small pieces and place all over the bottom of the oblong pan specified on cake box.
- Sprinkle brown sugar generously over the butter.
- Place pan on the stove (or in the oven) and heat slowly until butter and sugar melt to a liquid then remove from heat.
- Evenly space the pineapple slices around the bottom of pan in the heated sugar and butter.
- Place the cherries and nuts between the pineapple slices (Tho the cherries and nuts look nice and taste great, they are optional).
- Pour cake batter on top of the pineapple/cherry/nut mixture.
- Place in oven and bake as directed on cake box.
- As soon as cake is done place a plate over the cake and turn upside down and carefully remove pan.
- If you wait too long the sugar will harden and be difficult to remove.
- Note: Peaches may be used in place of pineapple.
