Moist.
Did I just make you cringe? I want to say people either hate or love the word, but really, it’s more like hate or … tolerate.
In this case, I hope you can tolerate, because “moist” is a really good thing when we’re talking cake, am I right? Especially pineapple upside down cake – and this vegan pineapple upside down cake definitely embodies the word.
Golden, caramely, bites of juicy pineapple, and – yes – moist vanilla cake. Nothing better, am I right?
For this vegan pineapple upside down cake recipe, I set out to create something that tasted just like the traditional version that’s made with dairy and eggs. But I didn’t want it to be overly complicated. And it’s not! We’re talking pineapple and brown sugar in a skillet, then a super easy (and I mean easy!) cake batter made with oil, applesauce, reserved pineapple juice, flour, sugar, vanilla (lots of it!) and not much else.
The first time I sort of winged (wung?) it and it came out (muy delicioso hand gesture) so good! I was actually kind of floored. And happy. Because having a recipe work out perfectly the very first time in food blogger land is a happy, happy thing.
Okay, so we’ve got pineapple. Sliced, because of course. Grab your cast-iron pan (a must) and warm the pineapple slices along with the brown sugar.
Yum.
And then some maraschino cherries. I chose vegetable-dyed maraschinos but if you’re not strict about it, go traditional. (Note that some maraschino cherries are not vegan – you can find more details here.)
And then, something I’ve never put into pineapple upside down cake before but they do it here and I thought hey, why not – an entire can of crushed pineapple! Just drain then get that pineapple into all the nooks and crannies. Trust me. So worth it.
Then, the cake batter! It whips together so simply and takes but one bowl and a minute or so to whip up. Glorious, glorious, glorious.
Bake that bad boy, let cool for a bit, and flip!
Oh, glorious cake. Glorious, moist, golden cake.
I mean, I’m sorry! But it’s true!
More Vegan Cake Recipes
- This dairy-free and vegan chocolate cake is so moist and chocolatey! It’s a go-to anytime someone requests chocolate cake. .
- Flag cakes are so nostalgic! American flag sheet cake is vegan and the frosting can be easily made dairy-free/vegan too!
- Mug cakes are a brilliant way to tame a sweet tooth. Vegan peanut butter mug cake is so rich! I adore this chocolate mint mug cake also.
Vegan Pineapple Upside Down Cake
Ingredients
Pineapple layer:
- 2 tablespoons Earth Balance vegan butter (can sub regular butter if not vegan)
- 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
- 1 20-ounce can sliced pineapple, drained (reserve the juice!)
- 1 20-ounce can crushed pineapple, drained well
Cake:
- 1/2 cup applesauce
- 1/2 cup canola oil
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup reserved pineapple juice
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
Equipment:
- One (10-inch cast-iron skillet)
- 12- inch or larger cake platter
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Place skillet over medium heat. Add the butter. Once it melts, stir in the brown sugar and cook, stirring constantly, until the sugar melts, about two minutes. Remove from heat and add the drained sliced pineapple. Place maraschino cherries in pineapple holes. Spread drained crushed pineapple into the crevices and over the top. Use it all!
- To a large mixing bowl, add the applesauce, canola oil, sugar, pineapple juice, and vanilla. Mix until combined. Place a fine-mesh sieve over the top of the bowl. Add the flour, baking powder, and salt and sift over the wet ingredients. Using a wooden spoon or spatula, mix the dry ingredients with the wet until incorporated.
- Spread the batter evenly over the top of the pineapple.
- Bake for about 35 minutes, until the cake begins to turn golden brown on the top and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake layer comes out clean.
- Remove from oven and let cool for about 10 minutes.
- Time to flip! Have a large cake plate or tray ready. Loosen the sides of the cake with a butter knife. Place the platter upside down over the top of the skillet and quickly flip the skillet over, inverting the cake onto the platter.
- Serve immediately (vegan vanilla ice cream or vegan whipped cream are great partners!) or let cool completely then refrigerate until ready to serve. Cake keeps well in the fridge for up 2-3 days.
I’m so glad you’re here! I’m a vegetarian home cook, certified plant-based pro, and mom. I’m married to an enthusiastic carnivore, and my mission is to achieve peace in the kitchen – one tasty recipe at a time. These days, with a name like mine, I also try not to ask to speak to the manager.
This looks really good. Thank you for the vegan recipes!
Is there any other fruit I can substitute for the cherries? I don’t like cherries very much and I was wondering what else I could use?
Thank you!
Just leave them off – they’re just for decoration really. 🙂
I really want to try this recipe but before I do I wanted to say if you live in the U.S. you’ll need to use organic or raw sugar in order for it to be vegan. Here in the U.S. regular sugar and brown sugar are processed using bone char and therefore not vegan.
I’m going to make my own brown sugar using organic cane sugar mixed with molasses then I’ll come back and give a review. Thanks for the recipe! 😊
Thanks for the reminder! I try to spell that out in most of my vegan recipes but sometimes I forget + assume if folks are vegan they’ll know that about sugar. But it’s always nicer to include more info rather than less! I’ll edit my recipe. 🙂 Thanks again!
It looks perfect! I must give it a try.
I hope you do! We love this one so much.
Kare,
Can I make this in a cake pan instead of a cast iron skillet?
Thanks,
Carolyn
Namkeen and snacks are mostly used by people during their tea-time. Without namkeen and snacks they feel their tea is incomplete. Harlilal offers various types of namkeen and snacks in their outlet. They sell those products in the different price range and in different quantity. They offer different types of bhujiyas, mini samosa, namkeen biscuits, etc.
Your pineapple upside-down cake recipe is looking so sweet and tasty. I will try it for my kids. Thank You
I tried making this gluten free and used coconut flour. I really didn’t work out at all. The texture was grainy and it was dry, while at the same time being moist. ??? I’ll try it again w/regular flour.
Ah, coconut flour is super tricky! It requires a lot more moisture; definitely not a one-to-one sub. Perhaps a cup-for-cup gluten-free flour substitute?
I’m not sure if I did something wrong but I followed the recipe exactly, except I used pineapple chunks instead and caramelized sugar to adhere the pineapple to the cake. But the cake turned out oily. It wasn’t terrible but it certainly wasn’t very appetizing either.
This recipe is a HIT! Our new favorite. Thank you!
I’m so glad it was a hit for you! Thank you so much for coming back and leaving a review. 🙂
Can this be made in a regular cake pan instead of skillet?