Making a Pineapple Upside Down Cake doesn’t have to be intimidating. This slow cooker recipe uses common ingredients and is super easy to follow. You’ll have a delicious dessert to impress your guests in no time!
Slow Cooker Chocolate Lava Cake is another cake recipe that’s not traditionally cooked in the crockpot but with my recipe, it’s totally doable (and yummy)!
Why you should try a pineapple upside down cake in the crock pot
Most traditional pineapple upside down cakes that are made from scratch and baked in the oven call for tons of ingredients, and a long prep time. Thanks to this slow cooker version, you’ll use just a few ingredients, and a process similar to a pineapple dump cake.
Instead of making the cake from scratch, using yellow cake mix makes cooking much easier. And although you can use fresh pineapple, picking up a can of pineapple rings is better.
Recipe Ingredients
- Cake Mix: Yellow cake mix has everything you need to quickly have the cake batter needed to make a simple and tasty cake. If you don’t have yellow cake mix, you can use white cake mix.
- Pineapples: A can of pineapple rings will provide you with the right amount of pineapple as well as the pineapple juice you’ll need to add an extra pineapple flavor.
- Vanilla Extract: This adds a bit of a vanilla flavor that you can barely taste but definitely makes everything taste better.
- Brown Sugar: Provides a tad bit extra sweetness in addition to the fruit.
- Eggs: These are needed as part of the cake box directions.
- Oil: Also part of the ingredients needed to make the cake batter.
- Salted Butter: Butter is melted and mixed with brown sugar to create what will be the top of the cake.
- Cherries: Maraschino cherries are placed inside each pineapple ring to give it the classic pineapple upside down cake look.
- Pineapple Juice: If you’re using canned pineapple rings then you’ll want to save the juice for adding to the cake mix.
Step-by-Step Directions
Step One – In a prepared slow cooker insert, add the melted butter to the bottom and sprinkle over the brown sugar. Lightly mix the two together with a spoon and make sure it is spread evenly on the bottom.
Step Two – Lay the pineapple rings on top of the brown sugar mixture. Add a cherry in the middle of each pineapple.
Step Three – In a medium sized bowl add the dry cake mix, 1 cup of the reserved pineapple juice, eggs, oil, and vanilla. Mix the ingredients together with a spoon until well combined. (Do no not overmix or try to remove the lumps.)
Step Four – Pour batter over the pineapple in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on HIGH for 2 hours (or until the cake is set in the center).
Step Five – Remove the insert to a cooling rack when the cake is done.
Step Six – Let cool for about 20 minutes before attempting to turn it over onto a platter or cutting board. Serve and enjoy!
How to serve
- One of the best ways to serve pineapple upside down cake in the crockpot is at room temperature.
- When it comes to toppings, this cake pairs perfectly with whipped cream, extra cherries, and a drizzle of caramel sauce.
- Consider serving a piece alongside a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a well-rounded dessert treat.
Recipe FAQs
If your slow cooker cooks hot, it may be a little less time. You know your cake is done when the cake is set in the center.
Flipping the cake onto a platter or cutting board works best with two people if possible and let the cake cool a bit before trying.
Often crushed pineapple, pineapple tidbits, or pineapple chunks are used instead of pineapple rings.
Spray your slow cooker HEAVILY with nonstick spray or rub down with butter or oil.
Put any remaining cake in an airtight container and store it on the kitchen counter for up to 2 days. If it takes longer than to eat, you can place it in the fridge for an extra couple of days.
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Slow Cooker Pineapple Upside Down Cake
Equipment Needed:
- cooking spray
Ingredients:
- non stick cooking spray
- ¼ cup salted butter melted
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 20 oz. can pineapple rings (save juices)
- 7-8 maraschino cherries
- 15.25 oz. yellow cake mix (I use betty crocker)
- ½ cup oil
- 1 cup pineapple juice saved from above can
- 3 large eggs
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
Instructions:
- Spray your slow cooker HEAVILY with nonstick spray or rub down with butter or oil.
- Add the melted butter to the bottom of the slow cooker and sprinkle over the brown sugar. Mix lightly with a spoon and spread out evenly over the bottom of your slow cooker.
- Lay down the pineapple rings on top of the brown sugar mixture. My slow cooker fits 6 perfectly. Add a cherry in the middle of each pineapple.
- In a medium sized bowl add the cake mix, 1 cup of pineapple juice (if you don't have enough pineapple juice from the can, add water), eggs, oil and vanilla. Mix with a spoon until combined, do not overmix or try to remove the lumps.
- Pour the batter over the pineapple in the slow cooker.
- Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook on HIGH for 2 hours. If your slow cooker cooks hot, it may be a little less time. You know your cake is done when the cake is set in the center.
- Remove the insert to a cooling rack when the cake is done. Let cool for about 20 minutes before attempting to turn over onto a platter or cutting board.
- Flipping the cake on to a platter or cutting board works best with two people if possible.
How to Video:
Recipe Notes:
- Put any remaining cake in an airtight container and store it on the kitchen counter for up to 3 days. If it takes longer than to eat, you can place it in the fridge for an extra couple of days.
- Often crushed pineapple (or pineapple tidbits) are used instead of pineapple rings.
- Put any remaining cake in an airtight container and store it on the kitchen counter for up to 2 days. If it takes longer than to eat, you can place it in the fridge for an extra couple of days.
Nutrition Information:
Nutrition info is auto-generated. This information is an estimate; if you are on a special diet, please use your own calculations.
Tasty but difficult to get out of the crockpot. It is too deep to flip onto a serving dish and even with lots of cooking spray it stuck to the bottom.
HI JANET. love your website I added 1/2 cup coconut rum and coconut extract
inntead of vanilla to the recipe, extra moist n tasty. people raved about it.please keep up your fantastic website Thank you Poprock
I live in the UK and never use cake mixes. It would be useful to know what is in the cake mixture that would work in a slow cooker. TBH I was disappointed that I won’t be able to make this without a cake mix. I suppose a normal sponge or madeira mixture might work but have no idea what ‘yellow’ Betty Crocker cake mix consists of?
Hi Janet, truthfully I don’t know what’s exactly in it either, it’s a convenience product. A simple recipe like this may work well! https://www.allthingsmamma.com/homemade-cake-mix/