Mini Pineapple Upside-Down Cakes
Mini Pineapple Upside-Down Cakes
Yield: 12 cakes
Equipment: standard 12-cup muffin pan; bowls; rack
Time and setting: 350°F; 20–24 minutes
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons melted butter
- 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 can (20 ounces) pineapple rings in juice, drained
- 12 maraschino cherries, optional
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/3 cup oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Method
- Heat oven to 350°F; grease 12 wells. Mix butter and brown sugar; divide among wells.
- Cut pineapple into pieces and divide evenly; add cherries.
- Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt. Whisk sugar, eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla separately; fold together.
- Divide batter. Bake 20–24 minutes until tester has no wet batter. Rest 5 minutes, loosen edges, and invert onto rack.
Preparation notes
Read the full method first, prepare the pan, and arrange ingredients in order. Keep raw egg or poultry tools separate from ready-to-eat food. Divide the batch evenly and preserve the stated rest, chill, or cooling period.
Substitutions
Fresh pineapple may replace canned if finely cut and patted dry. Omit cherries without replacement.
Storage and safety
Refrigerate within 2 hours up to 4 days. Reheat gently. Freeze wrapped cakes up to 1 month.
Planning and consistent results
Measure every ingredient before beginning and keep the listed ingredient state—cold, softened, drained, or frozen—because it affects texture. Use the stated equipment capacity and divide the mixture for the stated yield. Begin checking at the low end of the time range, then rely on the visual cue and thermometer endpoint rather than the clock alone.
For neat portions, use a level scoop or measured spoon and keep portions equal. Let baked or chilled recipes complete their stated resting period before cutting or filling. If a substitution changes moisture or fat, make only that one change on the first batch rather than altering several variables together.
Label stored portions with the preparation date. Reheat only what is needed and avoid repeated warming and cooling. Check all packaged-product labels for allergens and formulation changes. Any garnish should be measured separately and must not be used to infer diet-program points or nutrition values.
