Pineapple Right-Side-Up Cake
This nutty two-layer pineapple right-side-up cake, filled and frosted with tangy cream cheese frosting and slivered almonds, makes for a lovely dessert.
By Yankee Magazine|Aug 08 2022|
Pineapple Right-Side-Up Cake
Photo Credit: Aimee Tucker“My husband’s godmother made this pineapple right-side-up cake whenever we visited her in the Catskills,” wrote reader Ruth M. Werner. “We think of her whenever we make this easy, delicious dessert.”
How to Make Pineapple Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Yield:
8 to 10 servings
Total Time:
1.5 minutesFor the cake:
Ingredients
Butter for pans
20 oz can crushed pineapple in juice
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pans
1-1/4 cups granulated sugar
3/4 teaspoon table salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2/3 cup chopped toasted almonds
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees; set rack to middle position. Butter and flour two 8-inch cake pans. Pour pineapple into a strainer over a bowl. Press with a spatula; set crushed pineapple aside. Discard juice.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, and baking powder. Add vegetable oil, almonds, eggs, vanilla, and drained pineapple. Beat until smooth. Pour into prepared cake pans and bake until top is nicely browned and a toothpick emerges clean, 35 to 45 minutes. Cool on wire racks to room temperature while you prepare the icing.
For the icing:
Ingredients
8 oz package light (“Neufchatel”) cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 cup (1 stick) salted butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Garnish: slivered almonds
Instructions
Clean out mixing bowl, then add cream cheese and butter and beat together. Add sugar and vanilla. Beat until smooth. Chill until cake reaches room temperature. Ice cake and sprinkle with almonds. Chill until ready to serve.
Very moist and excellent.
I was looking for a nice tea cake … and put just a bit of a spin on this recipe. I put the juice to the side … baked until the top was slightly brown … and sprinkled the juice on. Baked for 5 more minutes. No icing. Having it with minut tea and I am loving it! Thank you.
I remember this cake! I grew up in CT, so my mother was the ultimate New England baker and Tea Party cook.
However, you’ve left out a very important ingredient….the pineapple juice!
I don’t know about anyone else, but cake batter is not supposed to resemble play-doh. Mix all dry ingredients, then add the eggs, oil, vanilla, and…the reserved pineapple juice. Mix on medium speed for 2 minutes, and then fold in pineapple. Let rest for 2 minutes (then stir to bring pineapple up from bottom) and pour into prepared pans. Bake at 350 for 38 minutes. Cool and frost as desired. I added a light pinch of both nutmeg and ginger to my frosting and then sprinkled my frosted cake with coconut.
1 cup of the reserved pineapple juice to be precise. Sorry about that.
do what with the 1 cup reserved pineapple juice?
I came across this recipe in an edition of Yankee Magazine. I have misplaced the recipe. I printed this one. I remember the version in the magazine had an alternative recipe for a square baking dish. Do you have the instructions for this version of this delicious cake.
Thank youl
Can I leave out the almonds?
Hi Judy. We haven’t tested this recipe without the almonds, but suspect you can omit them without hurting the recipe. Let us know how it turns out!
LOVE your articles + recipes, what a great way to start a morning! The article entitled: Northeast’s Harborside Fish Shacks/2012 issue repeated recently is precious!
Please change the recipe! It’s clear that the reseved PINEAPPLE JUICE was left out of the recipe.
I have made this cake and substituted the Almonds with Walnuts. I also only cook with Virgin Olive Oil and used that instead of Vegetable Oil. It was Delicious. I will make it again for special Occasions. (You can also Freeze sliced for later enjoyment, as it freezes well.)
Search for Hummingbird cake. Very similar, just different nuts.
can this cake be made in a 13x9x2 pan.Thank you
I made cakes in a 9 by 13 pan thats ask for round cake pans
So does the reserved pineapple juice go in the cake or the icing?
So, does the reserved pineapple juice go in the icing or the cake?!!
Has the question been answered??? Are you supposed to use the reserved pineapple juice after you strain it??? If so, how much? Please let us know. Thank you.
Thank you for all of the additional hints and suggestions. Look forward to trying this recipe!
Looks n prints great cake n coffee after dinner tonite.
Thanks
I wonder if this cake can be made with a box mix and minor adjustments. You know, the cheaters version.
I’ve read the comments and still don’t know what to do with the reserved pineapple juice. Can someone tell me? Thank you.
Hi there. We’re sorry that this step has been causing so much confusion. After straining the crushed pineapple, you should set aside the crushed pineapple and discard the juice. The juice is not used in the recipe — only the crushed pineapple. Hope this helps! We’ve edited the recipe to clarify for future bakers.
I use the pineapple in 100% juice , and we drink the pineapple juice!! Don’t do this unless you have the “real thing” though.
I just dug out my original recipe that I cut out of the magazine sometime in the 90’s. It’s mostly the same, but the current one mostly just reduces the sugar. Now I need to come up with an excuse to bake the new one.
I wonder if this is the same recipe I have been hunting for. The one I made came out of Yankee magazine many years ago and had a full pound of confectioners sugar in it despite the fact that the text indicated that the recipe was developed by certified dietitians when they wanted a really sweet and decadent cake treat. The recipe made four layers of a cake so tall, so beautiful and sooo delicious I never forgot it. Do you suppose I could double this updated recipe to achieve similar results? And, once and for all, what happens to the pineapple juice? I expect we should drink it and enjoy it, and not put it in the cake. Many thanks for what looks like a great recipe to try this Fall.
Discard the juice?? Why not drink it?
That’s what I do. I drink it. As long as it’s 100%, yup. I’m drinking that stuff. 🙂
In the south,Virginia, we make a lovely cake called Hummingbird cake.This is very much like it.
Delicious! Will definitely make again.
LOVE the tips from those who had this from long ago! Understand why people would want to use the quicker version, ie. cake mix,vanillapudding,etc.Am sure they enjoy it. I am one that enjoys the Real Deal most! Interesting the ?’s about the reserved juice-since the word “reserve” is in the recipe that seems to indicate it would be used in the recipe later. Author says, “No.” Gotta drink it if not using it! Then, at bottom, read the one about actually using it-and that sounded right in the way she explained the consistency. Also, thanks for the tip on 2 spices another baker used the frosting-an added pleasure, sounded like to me. I mean, come on, who does not love a great homemade cake? And pineapple is such a help with digestion. I sometimes drink the 100%pure, no sugar juice to aid my digestion. Make the cake, I say-make the cake! Thanks 1 & all. Happy measuring, mixing and baking-followed by smelling, waiting and eating! Yay for cake! 🙂