An update on a classic, my pineapple upside down cake with crushed pineapple is so easy to make. I use store-bought cake mix as a shortcut, and the results are light, fluffy, and fruity!
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I don’t know about you, but I love taking classic recipes that I grew up with and updating them to meet my preferences.
Not only is it a great way to find inspiration, but it’s also a fun way to connect to your roots.
Many of my childhood memories are centered around food — when I smell certain dishes I’m instantly thrown back in time!
One dessert that would always make its way onto the table is pineapple upside down cake with cake mix.
It’s such a fun dessert. The concept is pretty simple: layer fruit, sugar, and butter on the bottom of a pan before you add the cake batter.
After it’s done baking, pop it out of the pan and turn it upside down.
You’ll get a perfectly baked cake with an already-baked topping ready to enjoy. And using crushed pineapple makes the process a whole lot easier!
What you’ll need for Pineapple Upside Down Cake with Cake Mix
- Butter
- Light brown sugar
- Maraschino cherries
- Crushed pineapple – 20 oz can (or pineapple rings)
- Yellow cake mix
- Water
- Vegetable oil
- Eggs
- Pecans – roasted
- All-purpose flour
How to Make Pineapple Upside Down Cake With Crushed Pineapple
A full printable version of this recipe with ingredient measurements is available at the bottom of this post.
STEP ONE: After you’ve set your oven to 350 degrees F, grease a 10-inch bundt cake pan with nonstick spray.
You can also use a 9×13 baking pan for your crushed pineapple upside down cake if you don’t have a bundt pan.
STEP TWO: Whisk together the melted butter and brown sugar in a medium-sized bowl. Pour the mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan, then sprinkle the crushed pineapple on top.
I use Dole pineapple, but you can use what you like. Add the maraschino cherries, pushing them down over the crushed pineapple.
STEP THREE: Add the cake mix, water, vegetable oil, and eggs to a large bowl and whisk. I like using Duncan Hines yellow cake mix or Betty Crocker best.
In a separate smaller bowl, toss the pecans in flour until they’re evenly coated. Incorporate the nuts and flour into the cake batter and mix.
STEP FOUR: Pour the cake batter over the crushed pineapple and cherries and bake the cake for 35-40 minutes.
As soon as it’s done baking, run a knife along the edge of the pan to loosen it. Quickly but carefully flip the cake onto a serving platter — don’t remove the pan just yet!
STEP FIVE: Allow the cake to sit upside down in the pan for about 10 minutes before finally lifting the pan from the crushed pineapple upside down cake. Let it cool, slice, and enjoy!
Making Pineapple Upside Down Cake From Box in advance
You can make pineapple upside down cake with cake mix up to 24 hours in advance.
Some folks prefer it this way — the extra time gives the ingredients a chance to settle, which will make the cake more flavorful.
If you want to get ahead for an upcoming party, I say go for it!
Variations of this Recipe for Pineapple Upside Down Cake
- Use pineapple rings. Stick with the old-fashioned method and use pineapple rings instead of using crushed pineapple.
- Use a different fruit. Apples, cherries, and peaches are good choices for any cake recipe with crushed pineapple. Or you could combine a few.
- Make the cake from scratch. I like to use yellow cake mix as a shortcut for this crushed pineapple upside down cake recipe. You can feel free to make your cake from scratch instead.
Can You Make Crushed Pineapple?
Absolutely! If you have fresh pineapple at home that you want to use for this recipe, simply place it in a food processor or blender and purée until smooth.
Again, drain any excess moisture!
Tips for making Upside Down Pineapple Cake
Make sure to fully drain the pineapple before adding it to your crushed pineapple cake!
There is a ton of excess moisture in canned crushed pineapple. I typically use a fine mesh strainer to drain it before using it.
Should Pineapple Upside Down Cake with Cake Mix be Served Cold?
You can enjoy your crushed pineapple cake warm, room temperature, or cold. Go with your personal preference! I like mine warm.
How do you get Pineapple Upside Down Cake to not stick to the pan?
It’s super important to grease your bundt pan fully before adding the brown sugar mixture. This keeps the cake from sticking to the pan.
Once the upside-down cake is out of the oven, let it cool for 10 minutes before attempting to flip it. If you try to flip the cake without cooling, it will stick and could even fall apart.
What to serve with Old Fashioned Pineapple Upside Down Cake
- Instant Pot Scalloped Potatoes and Ham
- Air Fryer Pork Roast
- Air Fryer Grilled Chicken
- Air Fryer Asparagus
- Air Fryer Baby Carrots
- Instant Pot Garlic Mashed Potatoes
- For serving: Vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, Cool Whip
Other Cake Recipes You’ll Love:
- Pecan Upside Down Cake
- Strawberry Banana Cake
- Easy Angel Food Cake Recipe
- Raspberry and White Chocolate Loaf Cake
- Air Fryer Cake
- Strawberry Shortcake Crumble
- Bisquick Coffee Cake Recipe
Pineapple Upside Down Cake (From Box)
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons butter melted
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 1 cup maraschino cherries drained
- 1 can 20 ounces crushed pineapple, drained very well
- 1 box yellow cake mix
- 1 cup water*
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil
- 3 large eggs*
- 1 cup chopped roasted pecans
- 2 tablespoons all purpose flour.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F and grease a 10” bundt pan generously with nonstick baking spray.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the melted butter and brown sugar. Pour the mixture into the bottom of the greased bundt pan.
- Sprinkle the crushed pineapple over the brown sugar layer.
- Place the maraschino cherries around the pan, pushing them slightly into the brown sugar.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the cake mix, water, vegetable oil, and eggs.
- In a small bowl, toss the pecans and flour until the nuts are evenly coated. Add the nuts and flour to the cake batter and stir to combine.
- Pour the cake batter over the crushed pineapple.
- Bake the cake for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Immediately run a knife around the edge of the pan then invert the cake onto your cake stand or platter. The best way to do this is to place the cake stand over the top of the bundt pan and then quickly but carefully flip it over– Don’t try to just flip the cake over onto a platter.
- Allow the cake to sit in the bundt pan for 10 minutes (this will help it release from the pan). After 10 minutes, carefully lift the bundt pan off the cake and allow it to cool completely.
- Once cooled, slice and enjoy.
Pineapple upside down cake was one of my mother’s go to recipes for dessert.
After draining the pineapple, she would use the pineapple juice to replace part or all of the water in the cake mix recipe. This gave the cake layer a really intense pineapple flavor and it smelled really amazing when it was baking.
She usually used the yellow cake mix as well, but sometimes would use a lemon cake mix instead.
If crushed pineapple wasn’t available, she would coarsely chop pineapple slices into small pieces. We tried it with a blender once, but likely the coarse chopping method better.
If there was any pineapple juice left, she would freeze in a small container for future use. She always said it was too good to waste.
Your mother’s pineapple upside down cake method sounds amazing! Using pineapple juice to intensify the flavor and aroma of the cake was a clever touch. Adapting with different cake mixes and freezing leftover juice were smart moves too. Her creativity in the kitchen shines through!
I have been following your recipe suggestions for about a year now. Extremely yummy and informative. Thankyou Mimi
I am so glad you are enjoying the recipes, Mimi! I love making them!
Great recipe. Thank you. This is my favorite cake. My mother always bake this cake for my birthday. I did switch out the water for pineapple juice from the can and melted butter for the oil. Will be baking this cake again.
Hi Anne, I’m so glad you enjoy the cake!