Pineapple upside down cupcakes are mini versions of the classic dessert. They’re made with a moist, one-bowl vanilla cake batter topped with caramelized brown sugar, juicy pineapple, and a cherry on top.
Pineapple Upside Down Cupcakes are a fun mini version of the classic dessert! These individual pineapple upside down cakes from scratch are made with simple ingredients and an easy, one-bowl batter, so they come together in no time.
Each cupcake has a buttery brown sugar topping, pieces of pineapple, and a cherry, so you get all the flavors of pineapple upside down cake in each bite. They’re perfect for parties, potlucks, or whenever you need easy, individual desserts.
Ingredient notes and substitutions
- Butter: If using salted butter, omit the salt.
- Brown sugar: Dark brown sugar will also work in this recipe.
- Maraschino cherries: Feel free to omit if you prefer.
- Pineapple chunks: If 1 can doesn’t have enough pineapple chunks, you can use less per each cupcake, or cut them in half so they’re thinner.
- Flour: You can either weigh the flour or sift it, lightly spoon it into the measuring cup, and level.
- Milk: Using whole milk will give you softer, richer cupcakes.
How to make pineapple upside-down cupcakes
Here you’ll find instructions and step-by-step photos showing how to make this recipe. The full recipe, including ingredients, is given below.
Step 1: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a muffin pan with nonstick spray.
Step 2: For the topping: Cut the butter into twelve ½-tablespoon pieces. Place each piece of butter in each cavity of the muffin pan.
Step 3: Place pan in the oven for 1 minute, or until the butter has melted. Remove from oven.
Step 4: Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of light brown sugar on top of the melted butter in each muffin cavity. Use a spoon to gently spread it evenly.
Step 5: Place 1 maraschino cherry in the center of each, surrounded by 5 pineapple chunks. Set aside.
Step 6: Add all cake ingredients to a large mixing bowl. Whisk until combined.
Step 7: Scoop 3 tablespoons of batter on top of the pineapple and cherry in each muffin cavity, until each is completely full.
Step 8: Bake for 25-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Step 9: Remove cupcakes from the oven, and then use a knife to gently loosen each one from the pan.
Step 10: Let cupcakes cool to room temperature, then invert to serve.
Recipe Tips!
- Greasing the pan: You can grease the pan with a fat like butter rather than using nonstick spray.
- Mixing: I highly recommend whisking the batter by hand to avoid overmixing. Overmixing can give you tough, heavy cupcakes.
Storage
Store any leftover pineapple upside-down cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature. They will keep for 2-3 days when properly stored.
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Pineapple Upside-Down Cupcakes
Equipment
- 12-cup muffin tin
Ingredients
Topping
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 12 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 12 pitted maraschino cherries stems removed
- 20 ounce can pineapple chunks drained
Cupcakes
- 1 ½ cups sifted all purpose flour
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 ¾ teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup milk at room temperature
- ¼ cup unsalted butter melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg at room temperature
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a muffin pan with nonstick spray.
- For the topping: Cut the butter into twelve ½-tablespoon pieces.6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Place each piece of butter in each cavity of the muffin pan.
- Place pan in the oven for 1 minute, or until the butter has melted. Remove from oven.
- Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of light brown sugar on top of the melted butter in each muffin cavity. Use a spoon to gently spread it evenly.12 tablespoons light brown sugar
- Place 1 maraschino cherry in the center of each, surrounded by 5 pineapple chunks. Set aside.12 pitted maraschino cherries, 20 ounce can pineapple chunks
- Add all cake ingredients to a large mixing bowl. Whisk until combined.1 ½ cups sifted all purpose flour, 2/3 cup granulated sugar, 1 ¾ teaspoons baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 cup milk, ¼ cup unsalted butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 large egg
- Scoop 3 tablespoons of batter on top of the pineapple and cherry in each muffin cavity, until each is completely full.
- Bake for 25-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Remove cupcakes from the oven, and then use a knife to gently loosen each one from the pan.
- Let cupcakes cool to room temperature, then invert to serve.
Notes
- Butter: If using salted butter, omit the salt.
- Brown sugar: Dark brown sugar will also work in this recipe.
- Maraschino cherries: Feel free to omit if you prefer.
- Pineapple chunks: If 1 can doesn’t have enough pineapple chunks, you can use less per each cupcake, or cut them in half so they’re thinner.
- Flour: You can either weigh the flour or sift it, lightly spoon it into the measuring cup, and level.
- Milk: Using whole milk will give you softer, richer cupcakes.
- Nutrition values are estimates.
Nutrition
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Comments & Reviews
Beth says
Can you freeze them
Kate Dean says
You can; however, I don’t recommend it. The buttery brown sugar crust “melts” in with freezing and thawing, and you lose that great brown sugar butter crust on the cupcakes.
Lorraine says
Kate: I would like to make these either in the large cupcake tins (3/4 C.), or the mini bundt tins (1 C.). Would I use the same temperature, and how many minutes to bake them?
Kate says
Hi! Unfortunately, I haven’t tested this recipe in those size pans to say for certain.