Savor the deliciousness of a yellow cake infused with caramel sauce, courtesy of butter and brown sugar, and adorned with pineapple and cherry pieces, all expertly crafted in a cast iron skillet.

Easy Pineapple Upside-Down Cast Iron Skillet Cake Recipe

If you have never tried Pineapple Upside-Down Cast Iron Skillet Cake before, it is a delicious yellow cake saturated with caramel sauce (thank you butter and brown sugar!) and studded with pineapple and cherry pieces. This particular recipe has a nice addition of pecan halves which add a bit of crunch and flavor to the cake.

Easy Pineapple Upside-Down Cast Iron Skillet Cake

The one issue I have about this recipe is that a cast-iron skillet is used instead of a cake pan.

You can use whatever pan you’d like, but you will have to wing it when it comes to altering the temperature and cooking time.

Easy Pineapple Upside-Down Cast Iron Skillet Cake

If you’d like, you can serve it with a bit of lightly sweetened whipped cream, or for the more indulgent folks, a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Ingredients for Pineapple Upside-Down Cast Iron Skillet Cake

  • butter or margarine
  • light brown sugar
  • pineapple slices
  • pecan halves
  • maraschino cherries
  • eggs
  • sugar
  • flour
  • baking powder
  • ground cinnamon
  • salt
  •  vanilla extract
  • cream of tartar

My changes: 

  • I was out of pecans, so I skipped them. 
  • Added 1/4 teaspoon of ground cloves. 
  • Used 1 large can of crushed pineapple drained, reserving the juice.
Easy Pineapple Upside-Down Cake Recipe

Easy Pineapple Upside-Down Cast Iron Skillet Cake Recipe

A delicious yellow cake that is saturated with caramel sauce (thank you butter and brown sugar!) and studded with pineapple and cherry pieces made in a cast iron skillet.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup butter or margarine
  • 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
  • 3 8 ounce cans pineapple slices, undrained
  • 10 pecan halves
  • 11 maraschino cherries halved
  • 2 large eggs separated
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
  • My changes: Was out of pecans so skipped them. Added 1/4 teaspoon of ground cloves. Used 1 large can crushed pineapple drained, reserving the juice.

Instructions 

  • Melt butter in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet over low heat. Sprinkle brown sugar in skillet. Remove from heat.
  • Drain pineapple, reserving 1/4 cup juice. Set juice aside. Cut pineapple slices in half, reserving 1 whole slice.
  • Place whole pineapple slice in center of skillet. Arrange 10 pineapple pieces, spoke fashion, around whole slice in center of skillet. Place a pecan half and a cherry half between each piece of pineapple. Place a cherry half in center of whole pineapple slice.
  • Arrange remaining pineapple pieces, cut side up, around sides of skillet. Place a cherry half in center of each piece of pineapple around sides of skillet.
  • Beat 3 egg yolks at high speed with an electric mixer until thick and pale; gradually add 1 cup granulated sugar, beating well.
  • Combine flour and next 3 ingredients; stir well. Add to egg mixture alternately with reserved 1/4 cup pineapple juice. Stir in vanilla.
  • Beat egg whites and cream of tartar at high speed until stiff peaks form; fold beaten egg whites into batter. Pour batter over pineapple in skillet.
  • Bake at 350-f degrees for 45-50 minutes or until cake is set. Let cool 5 to 10 minutes. Invert cake onto a serving plate. Scrape any remaining glaze from skillet onto cake. Cut into wedges to serve.