Spiced Pineapple Upside-down Cake Recipe | Waitrose & Partners (2024)

FAQs

Why is my pineapple upside-down cake soggy? ›

My #1 Tip for the Topping: Blot the wet pineapples and maraschino cherries before using. The more liquid in the fruit, the more liquid that won't “set.” Excess liquid creates an unpleasantly wet cake.

Store pineapple upside-down cake covered in the refrigerator to retain the texture and moistness as much as possible and enjoy it within 2 or 3 days.

To get the goo to stay where you want it and not impede the release of the cake, line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper or a silicone cake-pan liner after you grease the pan. That should allow easy removal, and then you can peel the paper off of the cake.

A well-buttered pan and the naturally seasoned cast iron surface will prevent the topping layer of the cake from sticking—more on that later. For mini upside-down cakes, the mini cake pan is just the right size.

Cool the cake slightly before removing from the pan.

The hardest part of making pineapple upside-down cake is the maneuver which turns the bottom of the cake pan into the top of the cake. Cooling the baked cake slightly before flipping it allows the topping to cool and stick to the cake before turning out.

Your cake is often subject to sinking in the middle due to various factors, including inaccurate oven temperature, excessive or insufficient leavening agent, overmixing of the batter, or premature opening of the oven door. Moisture loss or incorrect ingredient ratios may also play a role.

When you flip the cake over so the pineapples are on the top, that caramel mixture seeps into the cake and makes this pineapple upside down cake so tender and moist. We prefer to serve this pineapple upside down cake a little warm, but you can easily serve it cold, straight out of the refrigerator.

In order to keep the fruit in place and protect the caramel from sticking, line the bottom of the pan with parchment. A smooth stovetop caramel is also key to the perfect upside-down cake. This recipe uses reserved pineapple juice and cornstarch to ensure the caramel stays nice and velvety.

Let the cake rest for 5 minutes once you remove it from the oven. Then, flip the cake onto a cooling rack upside down and let it rest for about 5 minutes before you remove the pan. A little trick here is to use a grid cooling rack, not one that has big gaps.

You can infuse your mix with extra flavors when you use other liquids. For example, you could use orange or pineapple juice instead of water (in a 1:1 ratio) for a tropical twist.

How to tell if pineapple upside-down cake is done? ›

Bake 50 to 55 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Immediately place heatproof serving plate upside down over pan; turn plate and pan over. Leave pan over cake a few minutes so brown sugar mixture can drizzle over cake; remove pan. Serve warm.

If you're looking for a substitute for maraschino cherries in a pineapple upside-down cake, fresh cherries or other preserved cherries can work well. Even raspberries, blackberries, or small halved strawberries could work.

If your cake has a soggy middle, the first thing to try is bringing the temperature down a little and baking for slightly longer. I'd suggest reducing the temperature by 20 degrees and increasing the baking time for 7 minutes.

Problem: The edges of my cake are soggy.

This happens when the cake isn't turned out onto your cooling rack soon enough and condensation has built up on the inside of the tin.

Soggy bottoms

This normally happens when the oven is not hot enough or the pastry is not baked for long enough. However, it can also be because too much water was added to the dough.

Pineapple chunks are preserved in juice; no matter how much straining you do, some pineapple juice will remain. The juice seeps into the dough and crust, making them soggy.