Name: Skillet Pineapple Upside Down Cake
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 55 min
Ingredients: 8 pineapple rings (I used canned); 6 Tablespoons unsalted butter; 3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed; 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour; 2 teaspoons baking powder; 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt; 6 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened; 1 cup granulated sugar; 2 large eggs; 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract; 1 Tablespoon dark rum; 1/2 cup pineapple juice; 2 Tablespoons dark rum to top the cake

This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. For more information, please visit my disclosure page.

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

Do you remember all of those Hawaiian Luau recipes that I shared a few months ago? Well I forgot one, so here is my fun twist on a classic Skillet Pineapple Upside Down Cake. It still has all of the yummy sweet flavors that you remember, but I felt the need to add some rum to take it to the next level of awesomeness…..

If you’re not into having rum in your Skillet Pineapple Upside Down Cake, just go ahead and leave it out…we won’t judge. 😉

Do you have your fork ready? Let’s do this.

How to make Skillet Pineapple Upside Down Cake:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt 6 Tablespoons of butter in a 10-inch cast iron skillet…..

No you’re eyes are not deceiving you, I grabbed the wrong skillet. This is a 12-inch skillet, so my cake is thinner…but the pineapple rings fit really nicely, lol

Add 3/4 cup of packed brown sugar, stir to combine…..

Simmer and stir over medium heat for 4 minutes. {reduce heat if necessary to avoid burning}…..

Remove from heat. Arrange pineapple rings on top of the sugar mixture. Place a maraschino cherry in the center of each ring, set aside…..

Beat butter in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in the granulated sugar. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the vanilla and rum.

Mix the flour, baking powder, and salt together and slowly add to the butter mixture, beating on low speed just until blended. Add the pineapple juice, beat until combined.

Spoon the batter over the pineapple rings, spreading evenly to cover the entire skillet…..

Bake cake until golden, and toothpick comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool in the skillet for 5 minutes…..

Place a plate over the skillet and flip to release the cake onto the plate. Replace any pineapple or cherries that may be stuck to the bottom…..

Sprinkle cake with 2 Tablespoons of rum, place plate on a wire rack and allow to cool until ready to serve…..

Yes, this Skillet Pineapple Upside Down Cake is delicious, and yes it is also incredibly sweet…just in case you were wondering. 😉

Notes:

All oven are different, so cooking times are estimates. If the smell has you drooling, it is probably done!
This is the correct cast iron skillet to use {affiliate link} and this is the one that I used.
I did not try this yet, but Coconut Rum would make a nice tropical flavored cake.

More pineapple, coconut, and rum recipes:

Classic Pina Colada

Tropical Pain Killer

or this Tortuga Rum Cake if you are not a fan of coconut or pineapple. 😉

Don’t you just love options? Enjoy!!