Vegan Pineapple Upside Down Cake
Dec 6, 2021 by Hannah Sunderani
Vegan Pineapple Upside Down Cake
Hi Friends! Today I am sharing my recipe for Vegan Pineapple Upside Down Cake. Oh my goodness you are going to love this cake! It’s sweet, soft and buttery with a caramelized pineapple and cherry topping. The cake texture is p-e-r-f-e-c-t-i-o-n, spongy and moist. Nobody would ever know that this cake is vegan!
I love how retro and throw-back this cake is with its decorative pineapple and cherry topping. In fact, my hubby’s exact comment was, “this looks like a cake my grandma would make, but I’d actually want to eat it!” (I promise you there is no jello in this cake! Haha.)
So, let me tell you exactly how to make this vegan pineapple upside down cake so that you can enjoy it pronto!
Vegan Pineapple Upside Down Cake
This vegan pineapple upside down cake is:
- sweet
- soft
- buttery
- caramelized pineapple topping
- spongy and moist cake interior
- crowd-pleaser (with non-vegans too!)
- made with simple pantry ingredients
I’ve been wanting to make an upside down cake for some time now. Although I love classic cakes, like my vegan lemon almond cake, upside down cakes are my favourite!
Maybe it’s my half British roots? My mum used to make a lot of upside down cakes growing up, and they were always ultra moist and caramelized. It’s come to be my preferred style of cake with a fruity top, moist interior and spongy bottom.
This cake is also a modern (and vegan) twist on a retro style cake. With its decorative and colourful fruit topping. I’m sure you know what I mean? If not, these top 100 retro cake recipes will give you an idea.
Let me tell you, I went through four rounds of recipe testing to perfect this cake, and perfection it is!
What I love about this cake is that it blends homemade comfort with decorative style! The taste and texture is so comforting, like a classic homemade cake, yet the topping is picture perfect and pretty enough to get those”wow!” at the dinner table as you set it down.
But don’t worry – although the pretty pineapple top may look intricate, it’s SO easy to do! So, let me share how to make it and you’ll see just how easy it is.
How to make vegan pineapple upside down cake
This vegan pineapple upside down cake is so easy to make. In a nutshell, we’ll begin by making the pineapple and cherry topping, then pouring the cake batter overtop.
Bake in the oven at 350F/180C for 55 minutes. When the cake is ready we’ll invert it on a baking tray to expose the beautiful pineapple top.
Pineapple Upside Down Cake Topping
The topping for this cake is a mixture of melted vegan butter and light brown sugar. Combine the two ingredients together and this becomes your caramel base!
Then, we decorate with the pineapple! I’ve used canned pineapple slices for this recipe (it’s perfect for cake). Now, it’s helpful to pat the pineapple slices very dry with a clean kitchen towel or paper towel. Otherwise the consistency of the caramel is more wet.
Decorating with cherries is optional – it definitely adds a pretty pop of colour! But it’s up to you whether you want to include. If you decide to use cherries, decorate them inside the pineapple rounds and between the gaps.
How long does this recipe keep?
This cake will keep for up to 5 days. Store in an air-tight container in the fridge.
Can you freeze this vegan pineapple upside down cake?
This cake can be frozen for up to 3 months. I like to pre-cut mine into slices so that you can just thaw one piece at a time. Cut, cover in plastic wrap, and then place in your air-tight container.
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So there we have it, a simple vegan pineapple upside down cake thats sweet, soft and buttery with a caramelized pineapple and cherry topping. It’s a retro style cake that everyone will love, whether you’re vegan or not.
I’m sure you’re going to love this cake as much as we do. If you do make this recipe please let me know in the comments below what you think! I truly love hearing from you, and I’m always here to answer any questions you might have. And of course, tag me on Instagram with your pictures using the hashtag #twospoons. Nothing makes me happier than to see your recreations.
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Vegan Pineapple Upside Down Cake
Ingredients
Topping:
- ¼ cup vegan butter , melted
- ½ cup light brown sugar (or demerara sugar)
- 8-10 slices canned pineapple , pat dry
- 18 maraschino cherries (optional)
Dry Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cup all purpose flour
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup white sugar
- ½ tsp fine sea salt
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp baking soda
Wet Ingredients:
- ¼ cup pineapple juice (reserved from the canned pineapple)
- 1 cup canned coconut milk
- 1/3 cup vegan butter , melted
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F/180C. Start by making the topping: In a 9-inch round cake pan, add the melted vegan butter and sprinkle with the light brown sugar as evenly as possible. Spread as needed with a spatula for an even top.
- Decorate the cake pan with pineapple slices (be sure they are patted dry with a tea towel or paper towel to remove the excess liquid first). Start with one pineapple slice in the centre followed by the remaining slices circling around center pineapple. Place the cherries in between the gaps. Halve 2 to 3 pineapple slices and arrange them around the sides of the pan.
- In a small mixing bowl combine the dry ingredients: flour, brown sugar, white sugar, salt and baking powder.
- In a separate, large mixing bowl, combine the wet ingredients: pineapple juice, coconut milk, melted vegan butter and vanilla extract.
- Pour the dry ingredients into the wet, bit-by-bit, while continuously whisking to form a smooth batter. Gently pour the batter into the cake pan and tilt the pan as needed to make an even layer.
- Bake for 55 minutes (cover the pan with tin foil after 30 minutes, so the cake doesn’t burn, and place back in the oven to continue baking).
- Remove from oven and let sit for 10 minutes on a wire rack, then invert the cake onto a cake stand or serving tray. Gently lift the cake pan upwards to reveal the pineapple topping. Let cool to room temperature. Slice and serve.
Notes
Approvals
Nutrition
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