Kids Kitchen: Pineapple Upside Down Cake
I’m slightly embarrassed to admit this, but this pineapple upside down skillet cake is the first time we’ve actually used our cast iron skillet! And I can’t even take credit for this one — this is a kids kitchen recipe!
I don’t know how or when, but Ella somehow heard about skillet cakes and begged to make one.
At first, I thought the idea was cool but probably only something people do when camping, and I doubted that it would be that good. However, we researched “skillet cakes” and discovered that pineapple upside down cakes were originally made in skillets. Just the thought of that sticky, caramelized topping and fluffy cake was enough to make me agree immediately!
I normally try to make our dessert recipes as healthy as possible, but this being our first skillet cake and a kids kitchen recipe, I didn’t want to risk having it be a total flop so while we’ve reduced the sugar compared to most other pineapple upside down cake recipes that I’ve seen (and replaced it with pineapple juice), there is still a bit in our version.
How to Make Pineapple Upside Down Skillet Cake
First, gather your ingredients:
- 8 Tablespoons butter, softened
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 1/2 can pineapple slices
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 Tablespoon dark rum, optional (adds to the caramel flavour)
- 1/2 cup pineapple juice (I just use the juice from the can – as long as you’re not using pineapple slices in syrup)
And – don’t forget to grab a cast iron skillet!
First, start off by melting some brown sugar and butter in your cast iron skillet to make a caramel. Use a candy thermometer if you have one and try to get the syrup between 250 and 300F.
While I was busy making the caramel sauce, Ella whipped up the cake batter. Since skillet recipes are supposed to be easy and bare bones, we simply used a wooden spoon to mix our batter and didn’t really follow any order — adding wet and dry ingredients in no particular order.
Layer your pineapple slices or segments overtop of your caramel sauce and then pour your cake batter overtop.
Place the whole skillet in the oven and bake at 350F for 40 minutes until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
Remove the cake from the oven and allow the skillet to cool for this next tricky bit (which would make for a bit of wow factor in front of guests… provided you don’t drop the heavy skillet!)
Place your serving tray ontop of the skillet, secure the tray with one hand, and then slowly and carefully flip the skillet onto the tray to transfer and release the cake onto the serving tray! Your pineapple garnishes should be on top, held in place by that gorgeous, sticky caramel.
This pineapple upside down skillet cake was light and moist, and incredibly easy! The hardest part was knowing when to turn off the heat on the caramel sauce, which is right at the beginning and easy enough to start again if you accidentally burn a batch (and undercooking is not anything to be concerned about).
I can’t get enough of the little crunchy bits of caramel and the tender, cooked pineapple that contrast the fluffy not-too-sweet cake, and Ella insisted this was the perfect “tea cake.” We opted not to garnish with maraschino cherries to try to keep our cake as authentic and natural as possible. I kind of think it looks prettier without them.
The best part of this kids kitchen recipe was that Ella was incredibly proud of her work, and really any kid can do the majority of this recipe independently — I hope you give it a try!
Kids Kitchen: Pineapple Upside Down Cake
Ingredients
- CARAMEL TOPPING:
- 8 Tablespoons butter, softened
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 1/2 can pineapple slices
- CAKE:
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 Tablespoon dark rum, optional (adds to the caramel flavour)
- 1/2 cup pineapple juice
Instructions
Melt butter in skillet and add brown sugar to make a caramel. Use a candy thermometer if you have one and try to get the syrup between 250 and 300F.
Meanwhile, stir together the cake ingredients. If you want to, you can whip the butter and sugar, add in the eggs, mix the dry ingredients separately and then incorporate, but this recipe really can just be stirred together.
Once the caramel is complete, take it off the heat and layer on the pineapple slices in your chosen pattern overtop of your caramel sauce, and then pour on your cake batter.
Place the whole skillet in the oven and bake at 350F for 40 minutes until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
Remove the cake from the oven and allow the skillet to cool for this next tricky bit (which would make for a bit of wow factor in front of guests... provided you don't drop the heavy skillet!)
Place your serving tray ontop of the skillet, secure the tray with one hand, and then slowly and carefully flip the skillet onto the tray to transfer and release the cake onto the serving tray! Your pineapple garnishes should be on top, held in place by that gorgeous, sticky caramel.
If you liked this post, be sure to check out our other Kids Kitchen ideas, including No-Churn Root Beer Float Ice Cream and Chocolate Chip Monkey Bread.
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I recently bought a cast iron skillet but still have yet to use it. This recipe looks like a great first try for my new skillet!
YAY! Let me know if you tried it, Melinda 🙂
I’m impressed with Miss G’s cooking skills! It looks quite delicious!
Thank you, Beth!
Delicious! Thank you for sharing! Now I want some!
I’m glad you tried it! The coconut sugar substitution was brilliant!
Yum! This looks delicious! I love how the kiddos can help make this recipe too! So cute!
I don’t get to make anything independently anymore! LOL The help is great, though 😉
This looks so delicious!!
Thanks, Elaine!
This is so creative and looks delicious! Yum!
Thanks, Vanessa!
Hello, as I read the recipe ingredients it calls for 8 tbs of butter along with brown sugar for the caramel.
The cake ingredient section doesn’t call for any butter, but when I read the directions for assembling the cake I saw this:
“If you want to, you can whip the BUTTER
and sugar, add in the eggs, mix the dry
ingredients separately and then
incorporate.”
Did you mean to reserve some of the softened buster for the cake batter? I ended up adding a little olive oil to the cake batter since it seemed dry.
Thanks,
Sarah
Hello, as I read the recipe ingredients it calls for 8 tbsp of butter along with brown sugar for the caramel.
The cake ingredient section doesn’t call for any butter, but when I read the directions for assembling the cake I saw this:
“If you want to, you can whip the BUTTER
and sugar, add in the eggs, mix the dry
ingredients separately & then incorporate.”
Did you mean to reserve some of the softened butter for the cake batter? I ended up adding a little olive oil to the cake batter since it seemed dry.
Thanks,
Sarah