Pineapple Upside Down Bundt Cake
by Sommer Collier — last updated on Jun 24, 2026 I grew up loving classic pineapple upside-down cake, but baking it in a Bundt pan makes it even more fun to serve. The caramelized pineapple and bright maraschino cherries create a gorgeous topping, while the cake stays wonderfully moist and tender. It’s an easy dessert that always gets compliments.
Classic pineapple upside-down cake, with glistening baked pineapple slices and maraschino cherries on top, is a wonderful treat in any form. However, I like this easy upside down cake variation best… I take the nostalgic flavors of the classic dessert, use a boxed yellow cake mix to simplify the prep, and bake everything in a Bundt pan for a beautiful cake that’s incredibly moist and almost effortless. It’s uber-soft and decadent, with a gorgeous fruity top, and it’s so easy to slice and serve. Other than my strawberry bundt cake, it’s my favorite bundt around!
Trisha C – ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ LOVED this!! My husband’s very favorite cake and I am not a baker- he loved it!! The best texture! Thank you so much for making it so easy.
Table of Contents
Sommer’s Recipe Highlights
Allow me to push hard on the bundt cake appeal…
Of course, you can bake an upside-down cake in a rectangular baking dish or a round cake pan. But a Bundt cake is great for many reasons. First, the classic scalloped pattern in a Bundt pan makes it easy to decorate the top of the cake in various ways. It holds the fruit and glaze in place, so it’s less likely to slide around as it bakes.
Second, the slices are tall and elegant (like my cream cheese pound cake) when the upside down cake is baked in a Bundt pan.
Third, the cake as a whole, makes a beautiful centerpiece because the ring of the cake mimics the rings of the pineapple slices. Just imagine the smiles when you set this irresistible dessert on the table at parties and potlucks!
Key Ingredients and Tips
- Butter – I almost always use unsalted butter, so I can control the sodium levels of each recipe. Here it needs to be melted and divided.
- Light brown sugar – To enhance the sweetness of the pineapple without making the cake too sweet.
- Ground cinnamon – The earthy, nutty flavor is delicious with the brown sugar and sweet fruit.
- Canned pineapple rings – I use both the juice and rings in this recipe. So drain the rings, but reserve the juice for later!
- Maraschino cherries – Stems removed.
- Box yellow cake mix – pick your favorite brand.
Note on cake mix: Although I’ve made many cakes from scratch and they are quite delicious, this easy cake recipe turns out just as well using a box cake mix. Yellow cake mix is the perfect variety for an upside-down cake because it’s moist with a delicate texture and bright color. The cake absorbs the brown sugar glaze that is created at the bottom of the pan, once it’s flipped over.
However, if you prefer to make the cake entirely from scratch, we’ve got you covered! Try my easy Homemade Vanilla Cake recipe for a soft, tender, and light crumb.
How to Make
Prep the pan – First, I preheat the oven to 350°F and generously grease every nook and cranny of a 12-cup Bundt pan. Bundt cakes love to stick, so don’t skimp here! Then I dust the pan with a little flour, tapping it around until every surface is coated before dumping out the excess.
Make the caramel layer – Next, I pour some melted butter into the bottom of the pan. In a small bowl, I stir together the brown sugar and cinnamon, then sprinkle the mixture evenly over the butter. As the cake bakes, this melts into a buttery caramel topping that’s absolutely gooey and irresistible.
Find the full recipe with ingredient proportions, detailed instructions, and video tutorial in the printable form at the bottom of the post.
Arrange the fruit in a pretty way – I drain the pineapple slices, making sure to save the juice for the cake batter. Then I arrange the pineapple rings over the brown sugar mixture and tuck maraschino cherries into the centers. Sometimes I cut the pineapple rings in half to create a prettier pattern that fits the pan a little better. Be creative here; it’s your cake!
Mix the batter – In a large mixing bowl, I combine the cake mix, more melted butter, the reserved pineapple juice, and the eggs. If I come up a little short on pineapple juice, I simply top it off with a splash of water or milk until I have the right amount. Then I mix everything until the batter is smooth and well combined. Just be careful not to overmix!
Bake – I gently pour the batter over the fruit, spreading it evenly with a spatula so it reaches all the edges without disturbing the pineapple design underneath. The cake bakes on the center oven rack for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs.
Flip out of the pan – Once it’s out of the oven, I let the cake rest in the pan for 15 to 20 minutes. This gives the caramel topping time to settle while still staying warm enough to release easily. Then comes the fun part! I place my serving platter upside down over the pan, take a deep breath (and sometimes a shot), and confidently flip the whole thing over in one quick motion.
After lifting off the pan, I let any remaining buttery pineapple glaze drizzle down over the top of the cake. It’s one of the best parts! I like serving this cake slightly warm, but it’s just as delicious once it reaches room temperature. A scoop of my homemade vanilla ice cream recipe or a dollop of whipped cream never hurts, either!
Expert Tips
Don’t skimp on greasing the pan – I take my time coating every little nook and cranny of the Bundt pan before dusting it with flour. A few extra seconds here make all the difference when it’s time to flip the cake.
Don’t overmix the batter – Once everything is combined, I stop mixing. Overworking a boxed cake mix can make the cake less tender, and I want every slice to stay soft and moist.
Wait just long enough before flipping – I’ve found that about 15-20 minutes is the sweet spot. If you flip it too soon, the cake can fall apart. Wait too long, and the caramelized topping may stick to the pan instead of the cake. I suggest setting a timer, friend!
Let gravity do the work – After I invert the pan, I leave it alone for a minute or two before lifting the pan. That gives all of the buttery brown sugar glaze time to drizzle over the cake instead of staying behind in the pan. You can scrape the rest out with a spatula and spoon it over the cake to get every last drop of sticky goodness.
Recipe Variations
- Cake mix – Here, I use boxed yellow cake mix. Feel free to use white vanilla cake or a box of pineapple cake mix.
- Gluten-free – Make this easy Bundt cake recipe with your favorite gluten-free cake mix. It will be delicious!
- Dairy-free – Most boxed cake mixes are dairy-free, but be sure to check the ingredients label to be sure. Use your preferred plant-based, vegan, meltable butter substitute.
- Fruit – Use this fantastic, easy recipe as the starting point for other scrumptious types of upside-down Bundt cakes! Skip the cherries and swap pineapple slices with apples, peaches, pears, plums… Any hearty fruit that caramelizes well. PS, I have a separate apple upside-down cake you just have to try!
- Nuts – Shocker, I also have an amazing pecan upside down cake as well.
Storage
This sticky-sweet cake will keep well at room temperature (wrapped well, of course) for up to 3 days. Or cover and refrigerate it for up to a week. When ready to serve it, let the slices sit out at room temperature for 20 minutes. Room-temp cake always tastes and feels the best!
To freeze, wrap the cake in plastic wrap, then in another layer of aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight.
Frequently Asked Questions
Easily make this upside-down cake in a standard 9″ round springform pan, or 9×13″ baking pan. Bake at the same temperature as the Bundt cake. Baking time may increase to 40-45 minutes.
Take the time to let the cake cool completely in the pan before attempting to flip it. Then, I recommend placing the wire rack top-down on the top of the Bundt pan. Hold the bottom of the pan with one hand, and have your other hand on top of the wire rack… Quickly flip! Set the rack down on the counter and slowly lift up the pan.
More Fun Retro Dessert Recipes
Pineapple Upside Down Bundt Cake
Video
Ingredients
- ¾ cup unsalted butter melted and divided
- ¾ cup light brown sugar packed
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 20 ounce can sliced pineapple rings reserve juices
- 8-24 maraschino cherries stems removed
- 15 ounce box yellow cake mix
- 3 large eggs
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Set out a 12-cup Bundt pan. Grease the pan well in every nook and cranny. Then sprinkle a little flour in the pan to dust over the shortening/cooking spray. Dump out any extra flour.
- Pour 1/4 cup of melted butter in the bottom of the Bundt pan. Then combine the brown sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle it evenly across the bottom of the pan.
- Drain the pineapple juices into a measuring cup to reserve for the cake batter.
- Arrange pineapple slices and maraschino cherries in the bottom of the Bundt pan, over the brown sugar. You can leave the rings whole, or slice them in half as I have done.
- Set out a mixing bowl. Combine the cake mix, ½ cup of melted butter, ¾ cup of pineapple juice, and 3 large eggs in the bowl. *If you happen to not have quite enough pineapple juice add additional water/milk until you reach ¾ cup of liquid.
- Mix the batter well, then pour it evenly over the top of the pineapples and cherries.
- Bake the Bundt cake on the center rack for 30 to 35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Let the cake cool for 15 to 20 minutes, on the countertop. Then set out a cake stand or cake plate and carefully flip the Bundt pan over on top of the plate.
- Let any extra glaze run out of the pan over the top of the cake.
- Served warm or at room temperature.
Great recipe!
This cake was a huge hit with my family! It’s so scrumptious and turned out amazing, thank you for the recipe!
So pretty & so delicious!! We love this recipe & make it often!! It’s moist & the pineapple is tender & adds great flavor!
LOVED this!! My husband’s very favorite cake and I am not a baker- he loved it!! The best texture! Thank you so much for making it so easy.