14 Pretty Upside-Down Cakes Baked in Your Cast-Iron Skillet

Updated: Feb. 02, 2024

Combine two of grandma's favorite things: upside-down cake and a trusty cast-iron skillet. These vintage desserts are beautiful AND delicious. Plus, you can find our whole cast iron cooking guide here.

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Spiced Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

I often bake this beautiful cake in my large cast-iron skillet and turn it out onto a pizza pan. —Jennifer Sergesketter, Newburgh, Indiana

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Rhubarb Upside-Down Cake

I’ve baked this cake every spring for many years, and my family loves it! Use your own fresh rhubarb, hit up a farmers market or find a neighbor who will trade stalks for the recipe! —Helen Breman, Mattydale, New York
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Plum Upside-Down Cake

Since my husband liked pineapple upside-down cake, I decided to give this recipe a try one night when we were expecting guests for dinner. Everyone pronounced this cake "Delicious!" and asked for seconds.—Bobbie Talbott, Veneta, Oregon
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Cranberry Pecan Upside-Down Cake

At our house, cranberries are a favorite. I made this dessert for the first time in the 1990s. It started out as a pineapple upside down cake—I just changed a few things around! It keeps and travels well, so it’s perfect for taking to church dinners. And we love to share it with our son and grandchildren. —Doris Heath, Franklin, North Carolina
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Banana Skillet Upside-Down Cake

My grandmother gave me my first cast iron skillet, and I've been cooking and baking with it ever since. Sometimes I add drained maraschino cherries to this banana skillet dessert and serve it with a ice cream. —Terri Merritts, Nashville, Tennessee
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Upside-Down Apple Cake with Butterscotch Topping

This cake is a favorite of mine. I love the smell of the apples and butterscotch as it is baking. It fills the house with a perfect autumn aroma. —Sabrina Haught, Spencer, West Virginia
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Skillet Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

For a change of pace, you can substitute fresh or frozen peach slices for the pineapple in this old-fashioned recipe. —Bernardine Melton, Paola, Kansas
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Upside Down Orange Cake

This cast-iron cake from the blog Family Spice gets a double-dose of orange flavor. Fresh Valencia orange slices grace the top of the cake, while freshly squeezed orange juice flavors the batter.
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Homemade Rhubarb Upside-Down Cake

This light and airy yellow cake is moist but not too sweet, and the caramelized rhubarb topping adds tangy flavor and visual appeal. We like it served with strawberry ice cream. —Joyce Rowe, Stratham, New Hampshire
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Upside-Down Pear Pancake

There’s a pear tree in my yard that inspires me to bake with its fragrant fruit. This upside-down pancake works best with a firm pear, not one that is fully ripe. —Helen Nelander, Boulder Creek, California
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Peach Praline Upside-Down Cake

This cake is filled with fresh peaches, roasted Saigon cinnamon, roasted ground ginger and toasted pecans – and that makes it different. — Jeanette Nelson, Sophia, West Virginia
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Raspberry Peach Upside Down Cake

Need a pretty pick-me-up? Look no further than this stunning raspberry peach cake from the blog My Invisible Crown. It’s the perfect treat to welcome warmer weather.
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Blueberry Upside-Down Skillet Cake

Living in Maine, I am lucky to have an endless amount of wild blueberries. This recipe's similar to a pineapple upside down cake. It's easy, light and also great with cranberries. —Nettie Moore, Belfast, Maine