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    Home » Cakes

    Pineapple Upside Down Cake - Gluten Free, Eggless

    Published: Nov 12, 2020 · Modified: Oct 6, 2021 by Taleen Benson · This post may contain affiliate links · Any nutrition info provided is estimated and will vary based on the brands used or with any substitutions · 28 Comments

    Jump to Recipe

    This is the BEST pineapple upside down cake from scratch. This easy cake is so deliciously moist and features a gooey brown sugar topping.

    Slice of pineapple upside down cake on white plate.

    When Matt and I got married four years ago, we were both very much on the same page about where we wanted to honeymoon: Maui. I had never been to Hawaii, but everything about it sounded perfect.

    It ended up being the most peaceful and relaxing getaway -- we soaked in the incredible views, did a whole lot of nothing and, of course, had some really amazing food.

    While we thoroughly enjoyed all of the pulled pork, fish tacos, and poke that Maui had to offer, one dish that will always stand out to us is the pineapple upside down cake we had (admittedly more than once) at Pineapple Grill (which has sadly since closed). This was pre-allergies so Matt didn't have to worry about it being gluten free or eggless.

    All this to say: we love a good pineapple upside down cake. So of course I had to attempt my own homemade version. I'll admit, I initially went in to test this with low expectations.

    Coming up with my own eggless pineapple upside down cake from scratch felt intimidating enough, but then to make it a gluten free cake, too? Yikes. So I can't tell you how thrilled I was when I nailed it. I just couldn't wait to get on here and write up this post!!!

    Easy pineapple upside down cake topped with rings of pineapple.

    Why You'll Love This Cake...

    • For one thing, it's such a pretty cake. It doesn't require any frosting, but I still consider it a showstopper and a beautiful dessert to serve at a brunch or dinner party.
    • That deliciously gooey brown sugar topping paired with the juicy pineapple slices... so, so good.
    • This gluten free pineapple upside down cake is extra moist thanks to the Greek yogurt (which also helps bind and lets us get away without eggs here), milk, and the pineapple juice.

    What You'll Need...

    • Your typical dry ingredients: flour for structure, baking powder + baking soda (you'll use both leaveners here since you have acidity from the yogurt and pineapple) for lift, salt for flavor.
    • The fat: unsalted butter.
    • The flavor: granulated sugar, pineapple juice, and vanilla extract.
    • A little extra moisture: Greek yogurt + milk.
    • For that gooey topping: melted unsalted butter, brown sugar, canned pineapple slices.

    How To Make...

    To make this super easy pineapple upside down cake, we'll start with the topping. You're simply going to mix some brown sugar with melted butter and pour into your greased cake pan. You can technically use either an 8" or 9" round pan, although I've tried the 8" and did get some overflow. More on that later.

    Once the melted butter and sugar is swirled around and covers the entire bottom of your pan, place the pineapple slices down in a single layer. I always use canned slices and have never tried this cake with fresh pineapple. The added bonus with the can is you have pineapple juice, which you will need to preserve for your cake batter.

    While many people also add maraschino cherries to their pineapple upside down cake, neither Matt nor I are a fan of those so I leave them out.

    Slice of easy pineapple upside down cake.

    Now you can move onto the actual cake, which is really simple. You'll whisk together your dry ingredients and set aside. Then, cream the butter with the sugar and add in the yogurt, milk, pineapple juice, and vanilla extract. Once that's combined, add your dry ingredients and stir until you have cake batter! Pour into your prepared pan and bake on 350ºF for about 35 minutes.

    Pro tip: place your round pan on top of a baking sheet, and put the whole thing in the oven that way. As I mentioned, you may experience some overflow with this gluten free pineapple upside down cake... nothing major and nothing to be concerned about, but it's much cleaner with a baking sheet underneath to catch any spillage. Because the top of the cake is technically going to be the bottom, it's not a big deal if it does rise over a bit.

    Easy pineapple upside down cake on a white stand.

    Once the cake is out, let it cool for 10 minutes. Then, run a knife along the edges to separate the cake from the sides of the pan. Place your plate on top and flip! If you've greased the pan thoroughly, you shouldn't have any trouble getting the cake out.

    For More Gluten Free Cake Recipes, Check Out My...

    • Orange olive oil cake
    • Peach upside down cake
    • Jam cake
    • Marble cake
    • Apple cake

    Pineapple Upside Down Cake - Gluten Free, Eggless

    Print Recipe
    An extra moist cake topped with gooey brown sugar and juicy pineapple slices!
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine American
    Keyword cake, eggless, gluten free, pineapple
    Total Time 1 hr
    Servings 1 round cake
    Author Taleen Benson

    Ingredients

    For the topping:

    • ¼ cup butter melted
    • ⅓ cup brown sugar
    • 5-6 slices canned pineapple

    For the cake:

    • 1 ½ cups (222g) gluten free flour blend
    • 2 teaspoons baking powder
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
    • ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter room temperature
    • ⅔ cup (133g) granulated sugar
    • ½ cup (113g) Greek yogurt room temperature
    • ¼ cup (60ml) milk room temperature
    • ¼ cup (60ml) pineapple juice preserved from canned slices
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9" round cake pan. To make the topping, mix brown sugar into the melted butter and pour into the pan, swirling to cover the entire bottom of the pan. Place a single layer of pineapple slices onto the melted butter and sugar mixture and set aside.
    • In a small bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. Set aside.
    • Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter with the sugar. Add the Greek yogurt, milk, pineapple juice, and vanilla extract and mix until combined.
    • Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and stir on low speed until just combined.
    • Pour the batter into the prepared pan, spreading evenly. Place the cake pan onto a baking sheet (optional, but recommended in case of spillage). Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
    • Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Use a knife to separate the sides of the cake from the pan, then invert cake onto a plate.

    Notes

    • I've also tried making this cake in an 8" round cake pan and it does work, however I did experience some overflow. This is why I recommend placing the round pan on top of a baking sheet before putting into the oven, regardless of which size you use, just in case you have a bit of spillage. In any case, because the top of the cake will actually be the bottom once you invert it to serve, it's OK if the top overflows slightly.

    Did you make my easy pineapple upside down cake? Tag me on Instagram @justastastyblog and #justastastyblog.


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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Ramona says

      June 17, 2020 at 1:15 pm

      Oh, yes, this just reminds me that it is about time to make a beautiful pineapple upside-down cake and I definitely wasn't o try this eggless and gluten-free version.

      Reply
      • Taleen says

        June 17, 2020 at 1:20 pm

        Thank you, Ramona! Hope you love it!

        Reply
    2. Lesli Schwartz says

      June 17, 2020 at 1:30 pm

      This pineapple cake looks so moist and beautiful! I love a good upsidedown cake for summer picnics. Will be bookmarking this recipe!

      Reply
      • Taleen says

        June 17, 2020 at 4:16 pm

        Thank you, Lesli! Please let me know how you like it!

        Reply
    3. Jere Cassidy says

      June 17, 2020 at 2:38 pm

      I agree about the gooey topping, it is the best part of this pineapple upside-down cake. I happen to have the gluten free flour from Bob's Red Mills so I can't wait to make this cake.

      Reply
      • Taleen says

        June 17, 2020 at 4:16 pm

        Thanks, Jere! Please let me know how it turns out!

        Reply
    4. Marta says

      June 17, 2020 at 3:30 pm

      I haven't made a pineapple upside down cake in ages, so I'm happy that I actually have everything I need to make this one!

      Reply
      • Taleen says

        June 17, 2020 at 4:16 pm

        Yay! Please let me know if you try it!

        Reply
    5. Stine Mari says

      June 18, 2020 at 12:47 am

      This cake is so beautiful! I love pineapple and the brown sugar pair perfectly with it! Awesome that it's gluten free and eggless too, makes it a great party cake.

      Reply
      • Taleen says

        June 18, 2020 at 4:04 pm

        Thank you so much! I love pineapple and brown sugar together, too!

        Reply
    6. sapana says

      June 19, 2020 at 9:01 am

      5 stars
      Pineapple upside down cake looks so moist and delicious. Your post is tempting me to try it soon.

      Reply
      • Taleen says

        June 19, 2020 at 9:16 am

        Thank you, Sapana!

        Reply
    7. Renu says

      June 20, 2020 at 11:45 am

      5 stars
      The texture of the cake is very nice and soft. I love pineapple cakes and specially upside down as it has a good caramelised effect.

      Reply
      • Taleen says

        June 20, 2020 at 7:12 pm

        Thank you, Renu! I love that too.

        Reply
    8. Diana says

      June 20, 2020 at 5:43 pm

      5 stars
      Thank you for posting this amazing recipe. I'm always looking for great desserts that fit my family's dietary needs.

      Reply
      • Taleen says

        June 20, 2020 at 7:12 pm

        I'm so glad you found it helpful, Diana! Please let me know if you try it.

        Reply
    9. Emily says

      June 20, 2020 at 7:21 pm

      5 stars
      This is one of my favorite desserts, something is just so satisfying about pineapple upside down cake!

      Reply
      • Taleen says

        June 20, 2020 at 7:48 pm

        I totally agree!

        Reply
    10. Jar of Lemons says

      June 20, 2020 at 7:39 pm

      5 stars
      I'm really impressed with this recipe! I think a pineapple upside-down cake from scratch is hard enough to attempt but the fact that you created it without eggs and gluten-free is mind-blowing to me! Well done!

      Reply
      • Taleen says

        June 20, 2020 at 7:49 pm

        Thank you so much! It was a fun challenge.

        Reply
    11. Gail Montero says

      June 20, 2020 at 8:49 pm

      5 stars
      I love a good classic recipe and you made it even better by making it completely gluten-free! My gluten-free hubby would love this!

      Reply
      • Taleen says

        June 21, 2020 at 1:30 pm

        Thank you, Gail! My husband is the GF one in our house too, and this cake is his favorite!

        Reply
    12. Jacqui DeBono says

      June 21, 2020 at 1:52 pm

      5 stars
      I haven't made pineapple cake in such a long time. I love how sticky and moist this looks. Perfect with a big dollop of ice cream or thick double cream!

      Reply
      • Taleen says

        June 21, 2020 at 1:58 pm

        Thank you, Jacqui! I agree, ice cream would go great with this cake!

        Reply
    13. Lathiya says

      June 23, 2020 at 2:36 pm

      5 stars
      I have always wanted to make Pineapple upside-down cake. This gluten-free cake looks fabulous. I'm sure it has great flavors.

      Reply
      • Taleen says

        June 23, 2020 at 3:04 pm

        Thank you, Lathiya!

        Reply
    14. Joyce says

      June 24, 2020 at 5:22 am

      5 stars
      Wow! I love everything with pineapple in it! I have to give this recipe a try! Love how you made it without eggs too! Thanks for sharing

      Reply
      • Taleen says

        June 24, 2020 at 9:33 am

        Thanks, Joyce! Please let me know if you try it!

        Reply

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    Hi there! I'm Taleen... a Los Angeles based advertising professional by day, baker by night. Bringing you gluten-free recipes and general tips + tricks for navigating allergies.

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