Mini Pineapple Upside Down Cakes Recipe

Mini Pineapple Upside Down Cakes are the sweet, bright, and cheerful dessert to make your day better!

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These little cakes are like tropical sunshine baked into a muffin pan. Mini Pineapple Upside Down Cakes are a masterpiece.

I still remember the first time I tried pineapple upside-down cake as a kid. My mom flipped the pan, and there was heaven staring at me, haha!

It was love at first bite! But let’s be honest: sometimes you don’t want a huge cake. Sometimes you just want a smaller, cute-as-a-button version. 

You might be thinking, “Aren’t little cakes more work?” Actually, no! This is an easy recipe that you can make in a jumbo muffin tin (or regular muffin tins if that’s what you have).

The steps are simple: a bit of butter, some brown sugar for caramel-like sweetness, a maraschino cherry in the center, and then a spoonful of cake batter on top.

Once these bake up, you flip them out, and boom! Golden brown mini pineapple upside-down cakes ready to impress anyone lucky enough to snag one.

There’s also something so satisfying about seeing these Mini Pineapple Upside Down Cakes. Let’s jump into it!

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1. Portion Control Made Fun
   By using a muffin pan, you get little cakes that are easy to share. 
2. Moist and Flavorful
   The pineapple juice, combined with softened butter and brown sugar, keeps the cakes moist. 
3. Simple and Classic
   These are basically a simple yellow cake in mini form, but with a twist. 

• Unsalted butter
• Light brown sugar
• Pineapple rings
• Maraschino cherries
• Cake flour
• Baking powder
• Fine sea salt
• Granulated sugar
• Eggs
• Crushed pineapple
• Vanilla extract
• Buttermilk

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1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray 12 sections of a jumbo muffin tin with baking cooking spray, set aside.
2. Add the butter and brown sugar to a small saucepan. Whisk constantly until the sugar is melted 3-5 minutes. 
3. Evenly divide the sauce among the 12 sections of the jumbo muffin tin.
4. Add a pineapple ring on top of the sauce and place a cherry in the center, repeat with the remaining muffin tin sections. Set aside.
5. In a large bowl, stir together the cake flour, baking powder, and salt, set aside.
6. In the body of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment add the butter, sugar, and brown sugar. Cream together for 3 minutes until light and fluffy.
7. Add the eggs one at a time, making sure the first one is mixed in before adding the next. 

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1. Stir in the pineapple and vanilla.
2. Add half of the flour mixture and mix it in. 
3. Add half of the buttermilk and mix it in. Repeat one more time until fully combined. Scrape down the sides as needed.
4. Divide the batter among the 12 sections of the muffin tin. Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

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1. Take the cakes out of the oven and let them sit in the tin on the countertop for 10 minutes. Place a sheet tray on top of the tin and carefully flip the tray over with the muffin tin on top. Wait 5 minutes, then lift the muffin tin off the cakes.
2. Let cool and serve warm or room temperature.

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DO I HAVE TO USE CAKE FLOUR?

No, you don’t have to. If you only have all-purpose flour, that’s fine.

There’s a neat trick: for every cup of cake flour required, measure 1 cup all-purpose flour, remove 2 tablespoons, and replace them with 2 tablespoons of cornstarch. That’s it!

This homemade blend works well if you don’t have true cake flour on hand.

WHAT KIND OF TIN IS USED?

These are baked in a jumbo muffin tin.

But if you only have regular muffin tins, you can still make individual cakes—just be sure to adjust the bake time slightly.

Your mini pineapple cakes might finish baking a few minutes earlier.

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ANY ADDITIONS?

Feeling creative? Here are some ways to change things up:

• Almond Extract: Swap out some vanilla for a splash of almond extract.
• Pecan Halves: Place a pecan half next to the cherry for extra crunch.
• Coconut Flakes: Sprinkle shredded coconut on top of the pineapple before adding the batter.
• Whipped Cream: A dollop of whipped cream on the finished cakes adds a light, airy touch.
• Rum Splash: Add a teaspoon of rum to the brown sugar mix in the small saucepan for a tropical twist.
• Cinnamon Dusting: Stir a pinch of cinnamon into the dry ingredients for a warm flavor.
• Citrus Zest: Grate a bit of lemon or orange zest into the cake batter for a bright pop.
• Blueberries: Swap out the cherry for a few fresh blueberries if you’re feeling adventurous.
• Caramel Sauce: If you really want sweet, drizzle some caramel over the pineapple after flipping them out.

ANY SUBSTITUTIONS?

Looking to switch things around? Try these six ideas:

• Cup vegetable oil instead of butter in the batter if you prefer an oil-based cake.
• Pineapple tidbits in place of rings if that’s what you have at home—just arrange them carefully in the bottom of each muffin tin.
• Paper liners if you’re nervous about sticking. However, the classic method calls for no liners, so you can see that lovely fruit on top.
• Egg yolks only if you want an even richer, denser cake—though you might need to adjust the liquid.
• Vegan butter if you’re looking to avoid dairy—just be mindful that flavor and texture can vary.

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Refrigerator:
Place your mini cakes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Let them come back to room temperature before serving, or warm them slightly in the microwave for that fresh-baked feel.

Freezer:
These mini desserts also freeze well!

Wrap each cake in plastic, then in foil, and store in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.

Thaw overnight in the fridge or on the counter for a couple of hours.

They’ll still be delicious after defrosting.

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And that’s how you make Mini Pineapple Upside Down Cakes—little bites of tropical sunshine you can enjoy any time of year.

Life’s short—why not celebrate with a mini cake? Enjoy!

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5 from 2 votes

Mini Pineapple Upside Down Cakes Recipe

Author Dana DeVolk

Prep: 15 minutes mins

Cook: 30 minutes mins

Mini Pineapple Upside Down Cakes are the sweet, bright, and cheerful dessert to make your day better!

Servings 12 servings

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Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• ▢ 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• ▢ ¾ cup light brown sugar packed
• ▢ 12 pineapple rings
• ▢ 12 maraschino cherries without stems

For the cake:

• ▢ 2 ¾ cup cake flour
• ▢ 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ▢ ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
• ▢ 1 cup unsalted butter softened
• ▢ 1 cup granulated sugar
• ▢ ¾ cup light brown sugar packed
• ▢ 4 large eggs room temp
• ▢ ½ cup crushed pineapple
• ▢ 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• ▢ ¾ cup buttermilk room temp

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray 12 sections of a jumbo muffin tin with baking cooking spray, set aside.
• Add the butter and brown sugar to a small saucepan. Whisk constantly until the sugar is melted 3-5 minutes.
  4 tablespoons unsalted butter, ¾ cup light brown sugar
• Evenly divide the sauce among the 12 sections of the jumbo muffin tin.
• Add a pineapple ring on top of the sauce and place a cherry in the center, repeat with the remaining muffin tin sections. Set aside.
  12 pineapple rings, 12 maraschino cherries without stems
• In a large bowl, stir together the cake flour, baking powder, and salt, set aside.
  2 ¾ cup cake flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
• In the body of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment add the butter, sugar, and brown sugar. Cream together for 3 minutes until light and fluffy.
  1 cup unsalted butter, 1 cup granulated sugar, ¾ cup light brown sugar
• Add the eggs one at a time, making sure the first one is mixed in before adding the next.
  4 large eggs
• Stir in the pineapple and vanilla.
  ½ cup crushed pineapple, 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• Add half of the flour mixture and mix it in.
• Add half of the buttermilk and mix it in. Repeat one more time until fully combined. Scrape down the sides as needed.
  ¾ cup buttermilk
• Divide the batter among the 12 sections of the muffin tin. Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
• Take the cakes out of the oven and let them sit in the tin on the countertop for 10 minutes. Place a sheet tray on top of the tin and carefully flip the tray over with the muffin tin on top. Wait 5 minutes, then lift the muffin tin off the cakes.
• Let cool and serve warm or room temperature.

Notes

• Don’t Overfill: Leave a little room at the top of the muffin cups so your batter doesn’t spill over. 
• Use a Butter Knife: If the cakes won’t budge after flipping, run a butter knife around the edges to loosen them, but be gentle—no one wants a split pineapple ring!
• Check for Golden Brown: You’ll know they’re done when the tops (which become the bottoms) are lightly golden brown. A toothpick in the center of the cake should come out clean.
• Cool Before Flipping: Let them rest for about 10 minutes. Flipping too soon can cause hot syrup to run everywhere—ouch!
• Divide Batter Evenly: If you want each cake the same size, use a measuring cup or scoop so you don’t guess and end up with tall or short ones.
• Experiment: This is a classic dessert, but add your flair. Whether it’s fresh pineapple slices or a drizzle of chocolate, it’s your time to shine!

Nutrition

Calories: 524kcal | Carbohydrates: 78g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 107mg | Sodium: 146mg | Potassium: 265mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 56g | Vitamin A: 730IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 101mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition Disclaimer

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

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