Best Gluten-Free Pineapple Upside Down Cake

Meaningful Eats

Best Gluten-Free Pineapple Upside Down Cake

8 people

This gluten-free pineapple upside-down cake has a buttery, caramelized brown sugar pineapple/cherry topping with the most, tender delicious gluten-free white cake underneath.

This is the best pineapple upside down cake I've ever had - gluten-free or not. See the posts below for the tricks that make it extra delicious!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Diet Gluten Free

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 40

Total Time 1

Author Erin Collins

Ingredients

Topping

4 tablespoons (56g) butter, melted
1/2 cup (106g) brown sugar
8 –10 pineapple rings, patted dry
15 –20 maraschino cherries, patted dry

Dry Ingredients

1 cup + 2 tablespoons (169g) gluten-free measure-for-measure flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt

Other Ingredients

1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
2 large egg whites
1/4 cup (60ml) neutral oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup (60g) sour cream
1/2 cup (120ml) 2% milk

Instructions

FOR THE TOPPING: Pour the melted butter into an ungreased 9×2-inch pie dish or 9-inch round cake pan. Sprinkle the brown sugar evenly over the butter.
Pat the pineapple and cherries with paper towels until they’re very dry. (Wet fruit will make a soggy cake.) Arrange 6-7 pineapple rings and all the cherries on top of the brown sugar. Halve 3 pineapple rings and arrange them around the sides of the pan. Place the pan in the fridge to set the arrangement while you prepare the cake batter.
FOR THE CAKE: Preheat the oven to 375°F. In a medium bowl, whisk together the gluten-free flour, baking powder and salt.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, or using a hand mixer, beat together the sugar, egg whites, oil and vanilla until fully combined, scraping down the bottom and sides of the bowl as needed. Add the sour cream and beat until well-combined.
With the mixer running on low, add ½ of the dry ingredients, followed by ½ of the milk. Mix to combine. Add the remaining ½ dry ingredients and ½ milk, then mix until just combined.
Pour the batter on top of the pineapple arrangement. Bake for 40-45 minutes, until golden and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
Remove the cake from the oven and let cool for 20 minutes before turning it out onto a serving plate. (Do not let the cake cool for more than 20 minutes before turning it out.) Allow the cake to cool completely before serving

Notes

Gluten-Free: I use King Arthur Gluten-Free Measure-for-Measure Flour for best results.

Dairy-Free: Use dairy-free butter, dairy-free sour cream and unsweetened
dairy-free milk of choice.

Nut-Free: This cake is naturally nut-free.

To Make-Ahead: This cake is best the day it's made. If made a few hours ahead, keep it covered at room temperature after it is completely cooled.

To Store: Cover leftovers tightly or store in an airtight container, then refrigerate for up to 2 days. I recommend letting it come to room temperature before serving.

To Freeze: I don't recommend freezing this cake. The pineapple topping releases moisture as it thaws which can make the cake soggy and change the texture.

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