Gluten-free Pineapple Upside Down Cake

I love this old fashioned favorite in a gluten-free version that anyone would enjoy. Pineapple upside down cake is classic. It’s such a great sweet treat for summer but still comforting enough for early fall. My husband loves fruit in desserts, so I frequently bake things like this. Let’s get started.

First, I start with a the topping, because it is an upside down cake after all. Spray your pan liberally, otherwise, you will have a super sticky wreck of a cake at the end of this. Melt your butter and add the brown sugar to it. Pour into your Bundt pan and start layering in the fruit.

I place all of the fruit on a paper towel prior to placing them in the pan to help absorb some of the juice. This will help keep your cake from getting soggy once it bakes. I put a lot of fruit in mine using every curve of the Bundt pan for a pineapple slice. You could use half of this amount of fruit, or you can add more by putting the pineapple slices up the side around what will be the bottom of the cake. Set this to the side, and let’s get the cake batter prepared.

I always put all of the dry ingredients together first to insure that they are blended together evenly. King Arthur’s gluten free all purpose baking flour is the best flour for cakes imo. It behaves more like regular flour for cakes at least. Next, add that mixture into the wet ingredients. I use to think this was just something tv bakers did to seem like they knew what they were doing, but there is a real reason why. Baking is science after all which means there is less of a margin for error. It’s done this way to keep your cake batter from clumping together and insures the smoothest texture possible. I usually blend it for about 1 minute on medium speed. Don’t over mix or your batter or your cake will be too dense and have a texture more like a cookie than that of a cake. Ask me how I know.

If you are not much of a do it from scratch kind of person, I have seen people make this with a box cake mix as well. I’m all about convince and am sure the method works very similarly. I will say I haven’t been overly impressed with any gluten-free yellow box cake mixes, so I can’t give any input on trying this method. I have been quite disappointed when craving a fluffy cake and end up with a flat crumbly one which is why I opt to make it from scratch. I developed a wheat allergy to in my early 20s, so I remember what texture and taste things should have which is not cornbread.

Next let’s add that perfectly smooth batter into the Bundt cake pan that we previously lined with fruit and the brown sugar mixture. Take your time when you first start this process especially if you use less fruit to keep from falling over. You’re effort and patience will be rewarded shortly. Let’s get it baked.

I recently got a new oven and am still trying to figure out how long it takes to bake things in it. This cake took about 42 min total at 375 degrees, but I opened the oven more than I should have at the end. Bake times in ovens vary so much. I always give it a little giggle to check it. If you can insert a toothpick into the cake and it come out clean then you are good. That’s a good fail safe when you are unsure. Remove and cool for about 10 minutes. Cover the top of the cake with your cake plate and then flip it over. It should come out perfectly if you didn’t skip the first step. If you skipped it then you are probably looking at a delicious mess. Either way it will taste delicious. Happy baking.

Here is the recipe…