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Tropical upside-down cake

Name: Tropical upside-down cake
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Yield: Serves 12
Ingredients: For the pineapple topping; 2 tbsp soft light brown sugar; 30g unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing; Small tin (about 227g) pineapple rings in juice, drained and juice reserved; 4 glacé or maraschino cherries, halved; For the sponge; 175g unsalted butter at room temperature; 175g caster sugar; 175g self-raising flour; 3 large free-range eggs; 50g desiccated coconut; ½ tsp vanilla bean paste; Pinch ground cinnamon

Published: 13 Jul 18
Updated: 18 Mar 24

Turn any frown upside-down with this scrumptious recipe for tropical upside-down cake made with juicy pineapple and dessicated coconut.

See our similar easy pineapple upside-down cake.

Easy
May 2015

Test kitchen approved

Serves 12
Hands-on time 15 min, oven time 1 hour

Turn any frown upside-down with this scrumptious recipe for tropical upside-down cake made with juicy pineapple and dessicated coconut.

See our similar easy pineapple upside-down cake.

Nutrition: per serving

Calories: 305kcals
Fat: 18.9g (12g saturated)
Protein: 3.9g
Carbohydrates: 31g (20.7g sugars)
Fibre: 1.5g
Salt: 0.2g

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Ingredients

For the pineapple topping

2 tbsp soft light brown sugar
30g unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
Small tin (about 227g) pineapple rings in juice, drained and juice reserved
4 glacé or maraschino cherries, halved

For the sponge

175g unsalted butter at room temperature
175g caster sugar
175g self-raising flour
3 large free-range eggs
50g desiccated coconut
½ tsp vanilla bean paste
Pinch ground cinnamon

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Method

Heat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas 4. Grease and line the base of a 20cm round cake tin with baking paper. To make the topping, mix the brown sugar and the 30g butter in a small bowl, then spread across the base of the tin with a spatula to cover (this will help the pineapple to caramelise).
Place a pineapple ring in the centre of the tin. Slice the remaining rings into half-moons, then arrange around the centre ring, cut sides against the edge of the tin. Place a cherry, cut-side up, in the middle of each pineapple piece.
For the sponge, put all the sponge ingredients in a large mixing bowl with 3 tbsp of the reserved pineapple juice. Beat with a wooden spoon until fully combined. Spoon the batter over the pineapples, then smooth the surface with the back of a spoon.

Bake in the middle of the oven for 1 hour or until the sponge is risen and golden, and a skewer pushed into the centre comes out clean (see tip). Leave to cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack, carefully peel off the baking paper and leave to cool completely. Serve with a cuppa.