How to Make an Upside-Down Cake Recipe with Any Fruit

Susan BronsonUpdated: Apr. 03, 2023

Learn how to make this retro dessert with nearly any fruit thanks to this upside-down fruitcake recipe.

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The thought of an upside-down cake likely conjures up images of a retro 1950s cake topped with canned pineapple rings, each studded with a bright red maraschino cherry.

While pineapple upside-down cake is the classic iteration, you’re not definitely not limited to just pineapple. Upside-down cakes can feature seasonal produce like peaches, rhubarb or cherries, or fruits available all year long, like apples or bananas.

How to Make an Upside-Down Fruit Cake With Any Fruit

Banana upside down cake Taste of Home

You can use nearly any fruit—from berries to stone fruits. If your favorite fruit is out of season, use frozen fruit (no thawing necessary). Be sure to incorporate your favorite baking spices, such as cinnamon, cardamom or nutmeg.

The recipe below makes one 10-inch cake.

Ingredients

For the fruit layer:

3 tablespoons butter, unsalted
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
2-3 cups sliced or chopped fruit

For the cake:

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1/2 cup whole milk

Tools

Lodge Skillet Pre Seasoned 10 25 Inch Silicone

We prefer using a cast-iron skillet, as it helps to prevent the butter from burning when caramelizing the sugar, and the handle makes for easy flipping. However, if you don’t have a skillet, a 10-inch cake pan works as well.
Make mixing a breeze with a hand mixer. This nine-speed hand mixer gives a ton of control, so you can go from creaming the butter and sugar to gently combining the milk without skipping a beat.
This silicone spatula is a go-to for the kitchen. It’s incredibly handy when caramelizing the sugar and transferring the cake batter from the bowl to the skillet.

Instructions

Step 1: Caramelize the sugar

Melt three tablespoons of butter in the cast-iron skillet over low heat. Add the brown sugar and stir to combine. Continue to cook until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture begins to bubble. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly.

Step 2: Arrange the fruit

Add the fruit to the skillet in a single layer, making sure to completely cover the bottom of the pan. Set aside.

Step 3: Prep the other ingredients

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.

In a large bowl, cream together the unsalted butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Stir in the vanilla. Beat in the eggs, one at a time.

Step 4: Combine the wet and dry ingredients

Add half the flour mixture to the butter mixture and stir to combine. Then stir in half the milk. Stir in the remaining flour mixture, then the remaining milk and continue stirring until all of the ingredients are just incorporated; do not overmix.

Step 5: Add it all together

Spoon the cake batter evenly over the fruit in the skillet. Bake for 45 to 60 minutes in a 350ºF oven, or until the cake is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

Step 6: Let it cool

Set the skillet on a wire rack and let the cake cool slightly, no more than 10 minutes. As it sits, use a knife to loosen the edges of the cake slightly from the pan.

Step 7: Flip it carefully

Place a cake plate on top of the skillet and, wearing oven mitts, carefully flip the cake out onto the pan. If any fruit has stuck to the bottom of the skillet, simply scrape the pieces from the skillet bottom with a knife to loosen them and place them back on top of the cake. Upside-down cake is best served warm with a scoop of this Test Kitchen-recommended vanilla ice cream.

Upside-Down Cake Tips

Skillet Pineapple Upside Down Cake Exps Fbmz16 6240 D05 31 2b 1

How do you keep an upside-down cake from getting soggy?

There are two main tips to prevent your cake from getting soggy or mushy. The main way is to make sure that your cake has cooked long enough. As noted in the method above, a toothpick poked into the cake should come out clean, without any crumbs or batter sticking, before being removed from the oven.

The second tip is to not add any additional liquid to your batter or cooked cake. That means skipping any juice, syrups or liqueur. By the way, make sure you avoid these common cake mistakes.

How do you know when an upside-down cake is done?

You can tell your upside-down cake is done when the sides of the cake are golden brown, the center of the cake doesn’t jiggle and a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Here’s how to tell when other types of cake are done.

How do you flip an upside-down cake?

There are a few tricks to getting the perfect flip for upside-down cakes. The first step is to let the cake sit for about 5 minutes on a wire rack. Then run a knife along the edge of the pan to loosen up the cake.

Next, fit your serving plate over the pan, get a good grip and flip quickly. And while it may be tempting, Sarah Farmer, Taste of Home‘s executive culinary director, says to let the cake sit as-is for just a minute or two. “The fruit will release easier from the pan if you give gravity a minute to do its thing,” she says.

Then carefully lift the pan straight up and away from the cake. If any pineapple rings or slices of banana are stuck inside, just carefully pry them away with a spatula and reposition. You can always cover up any errors with a bit of ice cream.

And remember: Don’t let the cake stand too long. Flipping the cake while it’s still warm (not hot) will allow the cake and all the caramel to release from the pan. An upside-down cake that’s cooled completely will not come away freely thanks to all the caramel.

How long does an upside-down cake last?

If you have any leftovers, you can store them in an airtight container for up to three days.

Next, learn how to make a crisp with any fruit.

Get Inspired with These Upside-Down Cake Recipes

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Upside-Down Peach Cake Nope, not all upside-down cake recipes start with pineapple! Folks have been flipping over my peach upside-down cake for years. This dessert is very popular with my family and guests. —Terri Kirschner, Carlisle, Indiana Go to Recipe

Classic Pineapple Upside Down Cake Exps Toham23 48510 Dr 11 16 1b

Classic Pineapple Upside-Down CakeThis pineapple upside-down cake is a classic recipe that never goes out of style! It’s delicious with the traditional pineapple, but you can make an upside-down cake with other fruits like peaches or a combination of cranberries and orange. —Bernardine Melton, Paola, Kansas