This easy pineapple upside-down cake is so quick to make – it uses just 4 ingredients and needs no special equipment – tastes delicious and keeps well too.Not only that but it is vegan and fat free. This post contains step by step photos and tips to enable anyone to make this cake. No cake mix. No Mixer!
Easy Pineapple Upside-Down Cake
I don’t bake fancy decorated cakes very often. Complicated recipes leave me wondering: is all this really going to give me a tastier cake? And then thinking that the answer is actually no.
But I can’t get away from it: I do like cake so I’m always looking for recipes that are both tasty and easy and this fantastic retro 4 ingredient easy pineapple upside-down cake is the perfect example.
It uses only four ingredients – a can of pineapple in juice, self-raising flour, glacé cherries and sugar. And as this cake uses the entire can of pineapple rings and the juice there is no wastage or leftovers. I add a little water to increase the amount of batter and give a nicely sized cake.
A regular 8″/20cm round cake tin is slightly too small to hold the 7 slices of pineapple so you will need to trim them slightly to fit.
As cans of pineapple rings always seem to hold eight slices the extra ring is chopped, added to any other trimmings and mixed into the batter.
Why make 4 Ingredient Easy Pineapple Upside Down Cake?
- This is a fat free, vegan cake
- Made from scratch – no boxed cake mix!
- Only uses store cupboard ingredients
- No food waste or leftovers, as it uses up the entire can of pineapple – juice and fruit!
- It keeps well; I think the flavour and texture actually improves on day 2, making it a great make-ahead cake.
- The cake batter mixes easily with a spoon or spatula – no need for a stand or even a hand held mixer.
- The recipe is really forgiving – meaning you don’t need accurate scales or experience with using cups (how much flour does one pack into a cup?)
How to make 4 Ingredient Easy Pineapple Upside Down Cake
Step 1– Grab your ingredients – yes – just four ingredients!
- Canned pineapple rings in juice – use a strainer to separate the juice and the rings. Remember to keep the juice!
- Self raising flour
- Caster sugar
- Glace cherries
Step 2– Put the oven on 170°C(Fan)/340°F/Gas Mark 5 to heat up. The cake needs to go into a hot oven, so wait for it to reach the correct temperature before you start to prepare the cake.
Step 3 – grease a loose bottomed 8″ / 20cm cake tin with vegetable oil or cake release spray, and line the bottom with baking paper (grease-proof paper or baking parchment). Lightly oil the top of the paper.
Place a pineapple ring in the centre of the tin and arrange 6 more around it. Depending on the size of the pineapple rings you may need to trim some of the outside edges off to make them fit.
Cut 4 glacé cherries in half and place a piece; cut side down, in the centre of each pineapple ring.
Step 4 – finely chop any extra pineapple and trimmings, as well as the glace cherries. Add 2 tbs of water to the pineapple juice.
Add the flour, sugar and chopped fruit to the juice.
Step 5 – mix the flour, sugar and fruit into the juice with a spoon or spatula to make a thick batter. The acidic pineapple juice reacts with the raising agent in the flour and the batter will develop an airy, mousse like texture.
Bake the cake tin on a baking tray covered with a sheet of kitchen foil or a silicon mat, to catch any juice that seeps out (the juice burns and will leave a burnt ring on you baking tray – I’ve done it and know).
Step 7 – Test to see if the cake is cooked. Once ready the top will be golden and springy to touch. A tooth pick pushed into the middle of the cake will come out clean. If needed return the cake to the oven for another 5 minutes before checking again.
When it’s done, allow to cool for 5 minutes.
Step 8 – Run a knife round the edge to make sure the cake hasn’t stuck to the edge of the pan. I find the easiest way to remove a cake from a loose bottomed pan is to stand the pan on a tin and gently push down on the cake pan.
Then put an upside down wire cooling rack over the cake and careful flip it over. Use a pointed knife to gently lift the base of the cake pan, checking it hasn’t stuck around the edge. Slowly and carefully peel off the parchment paper using a knife if any fruit gets stuck to it.
4 Ingredient Easy Pineapple Cake Hints and Tips
- If you don’t have self raising flour then add 2 teaspoons of baking powder to regular cake or plain flour and mix well before using.
- You can make a more grown up version by substituting maraschino cherries instead of glace.
- I use golden caster sugar – but any caster sugar is fine. Even granulated will work.
- Make sure you strain the pineapple juice well.
- Because of the reaction between the raising agent and the pineapple juice you need to bake the cake as soon as you have mixed the batter. Heat the oven and prepare the cake pan before you make the batter.
- This fat free cake is far better on the second day after the sponge has absorbed more juice from the fruit.
- The cake is fine left at room temperature for a day. If the weather is hot, or for any longer than a day, wrap and keep in the fridge – the pieces of pineapple will ferment if you leave it out. Eat within 3 days.
- Serve with whipped vegan coconut cream to make a pina colada cake
4 Ingredient Pineapple Upside-Down Cake
Ingredients
- 410 g canned pineapple rings in juice
- 10 glacé cherries
- 100 g caster sugar ((I prefer golden))
- 185 g self raising flour
Instructions
- Measure out the self-raising flour and sugar. Switch the oven on to 170°C(Fan)/340°F/Gas Mark 5 to heat up. The cake needs to go into a hot oven, so you might want to wait for it to reach temperature before you start to mix the batter.
- Grease a loose bottomed 8" / 20cm cake tin with vegetable oil or cake release spray, and line the bottom with baking paper (greaseproof paper or baking parchment). Lightly oil the top of the paper. Place the cake tin onto a piece of kitchen foil on a baking tray.
- Drain the juice from the tin of pineapple rings, keeping both the pineapple and the juice. Pour the juice into a 1 litre/2 pint mixing bowl, and add 2tbs of cold water.
- Place a pineapple ring in the centre of the tin and arrange 6 more around it. You may need to trim some of their outside edge off to make them fit. Cut 4 glacé cherries in half and place in the centre of each pineapple ring.
- Finely chop the remaining pineapple and any trimmings, as well as the remaining 6 glacé cherries, and add to the juice.
- Add the flour and sugar to the juice and mix with a spoon or spatula to make a thick batter. The acidic pineapple juice reacts with the raising agent in the flour and the batter will develop an airy mousse like texture.
- Quickly spread the batter over the pineapple rings and glace cherries, gently shake the cake pan from side to side to spread the batter out and immediately put in the oven to bake for 35 minutes.
- Test to see if the cake is cooked. When it's ready the top will be golden and springy to touch. A tooth pick pushed into the middle of the cake will come out clean. If needed return the cake to the oven for another 5 minutes before checking again.
- Run a knife round the edge to make sure the cake hasn't stuck to the pan. I find the easiest way to remove a cake from a loose bottomed pan is to stand the pan on an unopened can and gently push down on the cake pan.
- Put a wire cooling rack over the cake and carefully flip it over, so that the pineapple is on top. Use a pointed knife to gently lift the base of the cake pan, checking it hasn't stuck around the edge, and lift it off. Slowly and carefully peel off the parchment paper using a knife if any fruit gets stuck to it.
Notes
- If you don't have self raising flour then add 2 teaspoons of baking powder to regular cake or plain flour and mix well before using.
- You can make a more grown up version by substituting maraschino cherries instead of glace.
- I use golden caster sugar - but any caster sugar is fine. Even granulated will work.
- Make sure you strain the pineapple juice well.
- Because of the reaction between the raising agent and the pineapple juice you need to bake the cake as soon as you have mixed the batter.
- Heat the oven and prepare the cake pan before you make the batter.
- This fat free cake is far better on the second day after the sponge has absorbed more juice from the fruit. (The cake is fine left at room temperature for a day, but if the weather is hot, or for any longer than a day, wrap and keep in the fridge)
- This recipe is 8 Weight Watchers Smart Points per portion
Video
Recipe for easy pineapple upside-down cake inspired by Three Ingredient Baking by Sarah Rainey
Linda
This cake looks so pretty and sounds so easy! What a great dessert to fix when unexpected company stops by. I love the fact that it uses only 4 ingredients that I usually have in my pantry. Can’t wait to try it!
Helen
So easy to make and perfect for a quick bake.
Maria
This cake is the cake of dreams. So pretty and sounds yummy. Can’t believe it only has four ingredients.
Helen
Such a tasty cake.
Brenda
This is something my Grandmother used to make. I remember how delicious is was. Great with hot custard.
Helen
It would make a delicious pudding with custard.
Sherri
Forgiving recipes are exactly what I need! Complicated and I just don’t get along. lol :) Love how easy this cake is to prepare and that it’s vegan too! A win, win for our family! Absolute deliciousness!
Helen
I’m so glad you like it – it is SO easy to make and I love that it uses everything up!
Kristina
So simple yet such a pretty cake! Vegan and fat-free, could it get any better!?
Helen
It’s super delicious too!
Jacqueline Debono
I’m not a great cake maker but this sounds so easy and delicious I really need to try it!
Helen
So easy to make, you cannot go wrong.
rebecca
pineapple upside down cakes are just so pretty! I love how easy this looks too!
Helen
They really are pretty, perfect for serving to guests.
Ursula Peters
Such a good looking cake, it may be simple but it sounds scrummy!
Helen
Really delicious.
Kelly Watson
Pineapple and cake! What a wonderful combination and it looks so pretty. Very clever.
Helen
Such an easy bake.
Tasha
I have never had a cake like this before, it looks amazing. Love that it is so easy to make.
Helen
So very easy to make and delicious.
Andy Lowe
Now this is a proper cake! It looks great and so good to just use a handful of ingredients.
Helen
I do like simple and successful recipes.
Cally Gray
This looks like a great cake and so easy to make.
Tammy
I love how the rings of pineapple end up on top. such a pretty cake and I bet it tastes amazing.
Amanda
I’m impressed that you can make such a great cake from so little. Definitely going to try this.
Lottie
A cake with pineapple sounds amazing. I love how it looks when you turn it out.
Sybil Taylor
I always think pineapple upside-down cake looks wonderful. It’s one of my favourite recipes, particularly as it doesn’t have thick frosting on it.
Erica
This is a great recipe for an easy bake. Perfect for a hurry cake.
Morganna Donald
I can’t believe this is a fat free cake, what a great recipe. Can’t wait to try it out.
Isaac Tucker
A simple but successful recipe for a good quick bake. An all round pleaser.
Kristy D
Wow, this looks great. I’ve not had anything like this before. Pineapple is one of my favorites.
Sadie Porter
Fat free pudding is always going to get a thumbs up from me. Looks great.
Kat
Help. Had a little problem. Converted the recipe for USA and volume since no scale available, but our can sizes are different here. What is the amount of pineapple juice and total amount of liquid (volume) used in this recipe? Took a guess but it came out very doughy even though it “tested” done. Flavor was good but had to cook individual pieces. Can’t wait to make it correctly!
Helen
Hi Kat, I’ll test volumes next time I make it. For all baking I really recommend buying some electronic kitchen scales, which will let you make all those lovely European and British recipes easily. You can get some for around $10. There is another issue that US all purpose flour is different from British flour too, which can effect the results.