Decadent Upside Down Pineapple Rum Cake

Decadent Upside Down Pineapple Rum Cake

An easy, crowd-pleasing upside-down pineapple rum cake: pineapple slices are soaked in dark rum and brown sugar, lightly grilled, then baked under a tender butter cake and finished with a warm brown-butter rum syrup. Big tropical flavor, simple steps, and a caramelized showpiece top.

5 from 4 votes

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Course: Desserts

Cuisine: Cuban

Keyword: pineapple and rum upside down cake

Prep Time: 20

Cook Time: 1

Servings: servings

Calories: 703kcal

Author: Juyali (ju-ja-lee)

Equipment

A 12-cup bundt pan or a regular springform round cake pan. An electric mixer. Small saucepan, serving plate or cake stand.

Ingredients

For the Grilled Pineapple Topping

6 to 8 cored slices pineapple each 1/4-inch thick
1/4 cup dark rum
3/4 cup brown sugar divided into 1/4 and 1/2 cups
1/4 cup unsalted butter melted butter

For the Cake

3/4 cups 1 1/2 sticks salted butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour cake flour work too
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup whole milk

For the Rum Sauce

6 tablespoons butter unsalted or salted works
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup dark rum
1/4 cup water.

Instructions

Grilled Pineapple Instructions

Cut the pineapple in slices each 1/4-inch thick approximately.
Soak the pineapple in rum - lay the pineapple rings in a shallow pan and cover with rum.
Add 1/4 cup of brown sugar and let it marinade for 10-15 minutes.
Heat a grill or griddle to high heat (or a skillet over medium heat). Grill the rings 2–3 minutes per side until lightly caramelized. Set aside.

Cake Batter

Set a preheated oven to 350°f. Grease the baking pan.
In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar on low speed until creamy. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing until the egg yolk disappears before adding the next. Stir in vanilla.
In a separate bowl, sift and whisk the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, salt).
Add to the wet ingredients in turns: Alternate the flour mixture with milk, and blend mixture just until combined.
Use a rubber spatula to scrape the bowl. The cake batter should look smooth and thick.
Build the Topping in the baking Pan
- Melt butter and pour it over the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup of brown sugar evenly. Arrange the grilled pineapple in a single layer.
Pour batter
over the fruit in the baking pan and level it. Place in the preheated oven. As the cake bakes (about 45–50 minutes), check doneness by inserting a wooden skewer in the center of the cake; a few moist crumbs are fine.

Rum Sauce

In a small saucepan, combine butter, sugar, and water. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then decrease heat and simmer about 15 minutes
until slightly thick. Off the heat, stir in rum for a glossy rum syrup. Use the sauce as is, or for a less alcoholic taste, return it to low heat and simmer 5 minutes more to let some alcohol evaporate.

Cake Soaking

Transfer the cake pan to a cooling rack or wire rack. While hot, poke holes all over the top of the cake with a fork or wooden skewer. Pour or spoon on the rum syrup slowly so it soaks in. Reserve some as remaining glaze for finishing the sides of the cake after unmolding. Let the cake cool 5–10 minutes.
Invert & Finish
Loosen the edges of the cake, then invert it onto a serving plate. Brush the top of the cake and sides of the cake with the remaining glaze. Cool completely before slicing.
Timing & Serving Notes
The flavor deepens by the next day. Warm slices pair nicely with a drizzle of rum sauce and a dollop of ice cream.

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Notes

Storage suggestions:

Room temp: Keep the cake covered on a plate or in an airtight container for up to 2 days; flavors deepen by the next day.
Refrigerate: Store slices in an airttight container for 4–5 days
Freeze: Wrap whole cake or slices in plastic wrap, then foil; freeze up to 2 months. thaw overnight in the fridge.
Extra syrup: Refrigerate leftover rum syrup in a jar for 1 week; rewarm and brush over the cake or stir syrup into spritzers and cocktails for perfect summer drinks.

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