If you love classic Southern desserts with a retro flair, Trisha Yearwood’s Pineapple Upside-Down Cake is a recipe you need in your baking rotation. It’s buttery, rich, and beautifully caramelized with golden pineapple rings and sweet maraschino cherries on top (or technically, on bottom—until you flip it!). I’ve made this several times for cookouts and potlucks, and it never lasts more than a few minutes once sliced!
Whether you’re a longtime Trisha Yearwood fan or just love an old-school dessert that feels like home, this cake brings the wow factor without being fussy.
Trisha has been one of my favorites to follow for a while now and I’m still watching her. I absolutely love this cake recipe and you can definitely make it any time of the year. The ingredients are easy to find all year long.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
🧈 This recipe comes straight from country music star and home-cooking expert Trisha Yearwood. Her recipes are rooted in family tradition and Southern hospitality.
🍒 The pineapples and cherries caramelize into a golden, glossy topping that looks straight out of a bakery window. It’s the kind of cake that impresses without needing any decorating skills.
👩🍳 I’ve made this cake using both shortening and oil, and tested it in both a square and round pan. It’s forgiving, flavorful, and beginner-friendly, while still giving that home-baked taste everyone loves.
Trisha Yearwood has some great cake recipes you might also like Banana Pudding Cake - Trisha Yearwood or her Trisha Yearwood's Blueberry Pancakes.
With caramelized fruit, tender cake, and that signature upside-down reveal, this recipe always wows guests—and it comes together in under an hour.
What Ingredients do I need?
In this section, you can find substitutes or suggestions for certain ingredients. I also will try and list out what the ingredients' purpose is for.
- Butter - Use light butter instead of regular butter
- Light Brown Sugar and White Sugar - Swap ¼ cup of brown sugar substitute
- Pineapple - canned or fresh, the fresh pineapple you will have to cut them into rings yourself
- Maraschino cherries - homemade or from a canned - I have a recipe for homemade Maraschino Cherries here
- Flour - regular all-purpose flour - I have not tested this with other flours - For a lightened version use 1 box of sugar free white or yellow cake mix.
- Baking Powder - to help the cake rise
- Vegetable shortening - can sub vegetable oil for instead of shortening
- Egg - large
Substitution Tips
- Instead of vegetable shortening use ⅓ cup of oil instead
- You can use vegetable oil or softened butter instead of shortening. I’ve used avocado oil and the cake still turned out tender and moist!
- Feel free to use fresh pineapple slices if you have them—just cook them briefly in a skillet with a little sugar to soften before using.
- While all-purpose flour works best for texture, a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend can also work if needed.
How to make Pineapple Upside Down Cake
Step 1 Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Step 2 Place the butter in an 8-by-8-by-2-inch square baking pan and set it over low heat to melt. When melted, sprinkle the brown sugar over the butter.
Step 3 Arrange the pineapple rings in a single layer on top of the sugar, making 3 rows. Cut the maraschino cherries in half, and place one half, cut-side up, in the center of each pineapple ring. Set the pan aside.
Step 4 Sift the flour, baking powder and salt, then sift once more. Set aside. Using an electric mixer, mix together the shortening, granulated sugar, egg and vanilla. Blend in the flour mixture alternately with the milk, beginning and ending with flour. Stir only enough after each addition to combine.
Step 5 Pour the batter carefully into the pineapple-lined baking pan and bake for 40 minutes. Test for doneness by inserting a toothpick in the center or pressing the cake lightly with a fingertip; if the impression springs back, the cake is done. Run a knife around the edges of the pan and place a serving dish on top. Invert the cake onto the serving dish. Leave the pan inverted over the cake for several moments to allow the syrup to soak into the cake.
Serving Suggestions
This cake is perfection on its own, but here are a few ways to take it up a notch:
- Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream - Ninja Creami Vanilla Ice Cream
- Add a dollop of whipped cream and a sprinkle of toasted coconut
- Pair with a fresh fruit salad for a lighter dessert spread
Other Recipes to Try
- Trisha Yearwood's Country Quiche
- Trisha Yearwood's Butterscotch Peanut Butter Bars
- Trisha Yearwood's Blueberry Pancakes
- Banana Pudding Cake - Trisha Yearwood
- Trisha Yearwood's Sweet and Saltines (Cracker Toffee)
If you’ve tried this Pineapple Upside Down Cake recipe or any other recipe on the site, let me know in the comment section how it turned out. Snap a picture and upload it Pinterest.
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Trisha Yearwood's Pineapple Upside Down Cake
- Prep Time: 20min
- Cook Time: 40min
- Total Time: 2 hrs
- Yield: 6 1x
- Category: Easy
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Description
Trisha has been one of my favorites to follow for a while now and I’m still watching her. I absolutely love this cake recipe and you can definitely make it any time of the year. The ingredients are easy to find all year long.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons butter
- ½ cup light brown sugar, packed
- 9 slices canned pineapple in juice, drained
- 5 maraschino cherries
- 1 ½ cups sifted all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅓ cup solid vegetable shortening
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅔ cup milk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Place the butter in an 8-by-8-by-2-inch square baking pan and set it over low heat to melt. When melted, sprinkle the brown sugar over the butter. Arrange the pineapple rings in a single layer on top of the sugar, making 3 rows. Cut the maraschino cherries in half, and place one half, cut-side up, in the center of each pineapple ring. Set the pan aside.
- Sift the flour, baking powder and salt, then sift once more. Set aside. Using an electric mixer, mix together the shortening, granulated sugar, egg and vanilla. Blend in the flour mixture alternately with the milk, beginning and ending with flour. Stir only enough after each addition to combine.
- Pour the batter carefully into the pineapple-lined baking pan and bake for 40 minutes. Test for doneness by inserting a toothpick in the center or pressing the cake lightly with a fingertip; if the impression springs back, the cake is done. Run a knife around the edges of the pan and place a serving dish on top. Invert the cake onto the serving dish. Leave the pan inverted over the cake for several moments to allow the syrup to soak into the cake.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 488
- Sugar: 36G
- Sodium: 119mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Carbohydrates: 76g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 6g
Jennifer Craig says
Love Trisha, and love this cake thanks! thrisha.
Jenna says
No just the rings.
Kathryn Forsyth says
Was I suppose to use the juice from the canned pineapple of trish's pineapple upside down cake receipe? It seemed a little dry. Kathy