This Paleo pineapple upside-down cake is made entirely from scratch and is incredibly moist. The flavorful almond flour pineapple cake is easy to make and healthier than it's traditional counterpart! This simple summer dessert is SCD, Paleo, gluten free, grain free, dairy free, and refined sugar free.
I absolutely adore all fruit and pineapple is certainly one of my favorites!
Combine it with my favorite dessert (cake) and I'm a happy lady!
This homemade pineapple upside-down cake has a fresh pineapple puree added to the batter to help enhance the tropical flavor.
The cake is dense, moist, and incredibly delicious!
What is an upside-down cake?
An upside-down cake has fruit layered along the bottom of a pan with the cake baked on top.
Prior to serving, the cake is inverted so that the fruit is now on top as opposed to the bottom!
Wanna know one of my favorite things about an upside-down cake? No frosting is needed!!!!!
How to make the pineapple puree
Let's begin by discussing how to tell when a pineapple is ripe!
Hold the fruit in your hand and give it a gentle squeeze, if the pineapple gives slightly, you've got a keeper!
Another way to tell if you've got a ripe pineapple is to give the stem a good sniff (yes, I've done this in a grocery store and yes, I've gotten odd looks!).
A ripe pineapple will smell sweet.
Now that we've got that out of the way, let's discuss the easiest way to slice a pineapple into rings.
Begin by laying the pineapple on its side and cutting off the top and bottom.
Now stand it up on the cutting board and cut off the skin (photos 1-3).
Lay the pineapple back down and slice eight ¼ inch rings (set aside the rest of the pineapple for a minute, we're not done with it yet).
Then take a small round cookie cutter or use a paring knife to cut out the core.
Either leave the pineapple slices whole or cut in half.
Set the pineapple rings aside (photos 4-6).
Take the large piece of pineapple you have left and cut it in half.
Stand one half up and cut around the core.
Throw the core away and cut the rest of the pineapple into chunks.
Follow the same steps for the other pineapple half (photos 7 & 8).
Place the pineapple chunks into a small saucepan over medium heat.
When the pineapple begins to bubble, drop the heat to medium-low and stir occasionally (photo 9).
Once the pineapple has softened and most of the liquid is gone, remove from the heat.
Use an immersion blender or transfer to a high speed blender to turn the pineapple into a smooth puree (photo 10)!
Allow the puree to cool completely before adding to the cake batter.
Pineapple Puree Tips:
- Most canned pineapple has added ingredients, which is why I recommend fresh pineapple.
- You can use frozen pineapple for the puree BUT you'll still need fresh pineapple rings for the cake.
- Be sure to use ripe pineapple for a stronger pineapple flavor in the cake.
Ingredients for the paleo pineapple upside-down cake
- blanched finely ground almond flour
- baking soda
- fine sea salt
- honey
- pineapple puree
- eggs
- almond extract
- coconut oil
- lemon juice
- cinnamon
- fresh pineapple rings
- fresh or frozen sweet cherries (optional)
Preparing the cake pan!
Use coconut oil to grease the bottom and sides of an 8x8 square cake pan (a 9" round pan will also work).
Then line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper.
Whisk together honey and cinnamon in a measuring cup before pouring into the cake pan.
Use an offset spatula to spread the honey mixture around the bottom of the pan (photo 11).
Now, here's the fun part...it's time to use the fresh pineapple slices to decorate the cake (photo 12)!
Remember, however you decide to decorate the bottom of the cake will end up being the TOP of the cake once it's inverted, so it's worth it to take some time placing the pineapple just where you want it!
NOTE:
A traditional pineapple upside-down cake also uses jarred marichino cherries for decoration.
Since I haven't been able to find a brand that's not filled with loads of syrup and added ingredients, I've opted not to bake my cake with cherries.
However, feel free to use fresh pitted cherries or frozen cherries to decorate the cake along with the pineapple.
How to make the paleo pineapple upside-down cake
Begin by whisking together the dry ingredients in a large bowl (photo 13).
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the honey, pineapple puree, almond extract, coconut oil, and lemon juice.
With the mixer on low speed, add the eggs one at a time until well incorporated. Then slowly add in the dry ingredients.
Continue mixing until well combined but DO NOT over mix!
Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and use an offset spatula to smooth the top (photos 14 & 15).
Place the pan in the oven to bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until the top is a golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. (photo 16)
Allow the cake to cool for 20 minutes before inverting it onto a serving platter or plate.
Serve and enjoy either on its own or with a dollop of whipped coconut cream or dairy free vanilla ice cream!
Try these other fruity desserts!
- Strawberry Almond Flour Cake
- Blueberry Lemon Trifle
- Easy Fruit Pizza
- Cherry Peach Crumble
- Upside-Down Pear Cake
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NOTE: If following the SCD diet, I suggest contacting the company to verify ingredients before using any prepackaged products.
Inspired by A Taste Of Home's Classic Pineapple Upside-Down Cake
Recipe
Paleo Pineapple Upside-Down Cake
Ingredients
Pineapple Decor and Pineapple Puree
- 2 pound pineapple
Honey Cinnamon Sauce
- ⅓ cup honey
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Almond Flour Pineapple Cake
- 3 cups blanched finely ground almond flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¼ cup honey (I suggest a lighter honey such as clover)
- ½ cup pineapple puree
- 3 large eggs (at room temperature)
- ½ Tablespoon almond extract
- 2 Tablespoons melted coconut oil (should NOT be hot) plus more for greasing pan
- handful of fresh or frozen cherries (optional)
Instructions
- Grease the sides and bottom of an 8x8 cake pan with coconut oil, then line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper.
- Mix the ¼ cup of honey and ⅛ teaspoon of cinnamon together before pouring the mixture into the prepared pan. Use an offset spatula to spread the sauce and ensure it covers the entire bottom of the pan. Set aside.
Pineapple Decor and Pineapple Puree
- Cut the top and bottom off of a whole pineapple, then slice off the skin. Lay the pineapple on its side and slice eight to ten ¼" rings. Use a paring knife to cut the core off of each ring.
- Arrange the pineapple on the bottom of the prepared cake pan. If you've decided to use cherries, add them in this step.
- Once the pineapple is arranged to your liking, set the pan aside.
- Remove the core from the remaining pineapple and chop. Place the chopped pineapple in a small saucepan over medium heat. Once the pineapple begins to bubble and boil, drop the heat to medium-low. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the pineapple has softened and the liquid has reduced by half. It should take around 20 minutes.
- Transfer to a blender and blend until smooth. Allow the puree to cool to room temperature before using it in the cake batter.
Almond Flour Pineapple Cake
- Preheat oven to 325F.
- Whisk together the almond flour, baking soda, and sea salt in a large bowl. Set aside.
- Add the honey, pineapple puree, almond extract, and melted coconut oil in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on low speed until well combined.
- With the mixer running, add the eggs one at a time. Once the eggs are well incorporated, slowly add the dry ingredients. Stop to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Do not over mix!
- Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and use an offset spatula to smooth out the top.
- Place on the middle rack in the oven and bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until the top is a golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Allow the cake to cool for about 20 minutes before running a sharp knife around the outside of the cake to loosen it from the pan. Place a serving dish or plate on top of the cake and flip it over. The cake should easily slide out of the pan.
- Slice and serve the cake once cooled completely.
Notes
- The pineapple puree can be made the day before making the cake.
- Frozen pineapple chunks can be used to make the puree but fresh pineapple rings will still be needed to decorate the top of the cake.
- All ingredients should be at room temp prior to making the cake.
- The post has other tips in regards to making the pineapple upside-down cake.
Katie
This was the BEST pineapple upside down cake ever! My parents do not like paleo desserts typically and they loved this cake. I will be making this again for a friend's birthday, as she cannot eat refined sugar or grains. It will be a hit!
Jennifer Brown
Yay, I'm so happy the cake was a hit with all! I hope your friends has a lovely birthday and enjoys the cake as much as your parents did.
Joy
Thank you for this wonderful recipe. I am confused about something. In photo 14 it looks like there is honey around the pineapple that has been laid in the bottom of the pan. However, the recipe says to add the honey into the batter. I know this is absolutely an oversight on my part because you are so wonderfully detailed. Would you mind telling me what I am seeing with the pineapple in photo 14, please?
Jennifer Brown
Hi Joy, sorry for the delayed response. What you're seeing around the pineapple slices in photo 14 is a mixture of honey and cinnamon. Photos 11 and 12, which are under the heading Preparing the Cake Pan, show that mixture being made and poured into the cake pan. Within the recipe card I also have a separate section under the Ingredients called Honey Cinnamon Sauce. Hope this helps!
Frankie Klein
I made this pineapple cake n it was a hit. The whole family loved it
Thank you
Jennifer
So happy it was enjoyed by all!
Lindsey H
I made this the other day and, while it was delicious, it had a strong soda flavor. I'm wondering if there was supposed to be an acid added into the batter?
Jennifer
I’m happy to hear that you enjoyed the cake, it’s one of my family’s favorites! In this recipe, the pineapple purée adds the acid. Are you sure you didn’t accidentally add 1 Tablespoon of baking soda instead of 1 teaspoon?