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    Home » Recipes

    Vegan Pineapple Upside Down Cake

    Published: Sep 23, 2019 · Modified: Sep 23, 2022 by Larisha Bernard · This post may contain affiliate links · 19 Comments

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    A classic American cake!  With this vegan pineapple upside down cake no one will realize it’s vegan! Caramelized pineapple, with a rich, moist cake will be the perfect summer staple! 

    Pieces of Vegan Pineapple upside down cake.

    Let me start by saying that if you’ve never had a pineapple upside down cake of any sort, then you need to run, not walk, to your local grocer and get all these ingredients ASAP.  The second thing I’ll say is, you will be blown away by how close this vegan pineapple upside down cake tastes like the original. 

    Deliciously sweet cake with caramelized pineapples and a soft, rich, and moist cake.  It’s literally everything you want in a cake!  

    It’s also a showstopper, so if you are trying to impress someone with a cake, but you or they, don’t care for frosting, a vegan pineapple upside down cake is the perfect option.

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    a slice of vegan pineapple upside down cake.

    What ingredients do I need to make vegan pineapple upside down cake?

    In order to make this vegan pineapple upside down cake recipe you need just 12 ingredients!

    Full amounts of each ingredients is listed in the printable recipe card below.

    The ingredients that you need for this vegan pineapple upside cake are: 

    • vegan butter – vegan butter is rich and flavorful, but for this recipe, it’s reacting with the brown sugar to make a sauce that drizzles over the cake once inverted
    • brown sugar – Brown sugar is what we are using for moisture and sweetness. It also helps the caramelization of the pineapples. If you want to learn more about why your sugar may not be vegan, you can learn more by clicking on the link.
    • pineapple slices – it’s a pineapple cake, so we need pineapples. Canned pineapples are the traditional way to make them since they are more moist and all uniform size. However, you can use fresh as well.
    • maraschino cherries (no stems)– These cherries go in the middle of each slice of pineapple. More for color and appearance than anything else.
    • flour – All-purpose flour because we wanted this recipe to be as accessible as possible for everyone.
    • vegan sugar – In the actual cake part, we are using vegan granulated sugar for sweetness. This creams well together with the other ingredients
    • vegan shortening (usually labeled vegetarian or vegetable) – this is to create a more rich and decadent cake using the fat from the shortening without adding a lot of liquid
    • baking powder – added to cake for leavening purposes
    • salt – this helps enhance the flavor and while you may be tempted to reduce or omit, we encourage you not too
    • dairy free milk – Using milk instead of water adds more flavor into the recipe. Use either unsweetened plain or unsweetened vanilla flavored milk, but you don’t want any sweetened milk in this already sweet recipe.
    • vanilla – we are keeping it simple with extract for this recipe since it’s an ingredient that most people already have in their pantry
    • applesauce – what we are using for our egg replacer.
    A slice of vegan pineapple upside down cake on its side to show fluffy inside texture.

    Variations and Substitutions:

    • brown sugar – coconut sugar or date sugar could work here
    • maraschino cherries (no stems)– Fresh cherries can also be used, but they need to be seeded and stems removed
    • flour – Gluten Free flour could also be used. You want a 1:1 gluten free flour blend
    • vegan shortening (usually labeled vegetarian or vegetable) – coconut oil (not melted) could be used here as well
    • applesauce – applesauce can be replaced with other fruit/veg puree like pear puree or sweet potatoes. Bananas would also work but alter the taste. Other options are flax egg, dairy free yogurt or coconut cream.

    While these are all great substitutions, note that any changes from the original recipe will alter the taste and/or texture.

    a single piece of vegan pineapple upside down cake.

    Frequently Asked Questions on how to make vegan pineapple upside down cake:

    Should I use fresh or canned pineapple?

    Canned pineapple are traditionally used because they have consistent shape and moisture levels. That being said, fresh pineapple can also be used. You may need to cut them as you may not be able to get three rows of three across here.

    Can I use fresh cherries instead of jarred?

    Yes. You will want to make sure that you remove the seed and stem from the fresh cherries if using.

    Can I make this Top 8 Allergen friendly pineapple upside down cake?

    You can swap out the flour for gluten free 1:1 blend.
    For the butter, pick a soy free option.
    You can also replace the shortening in the recipe with not melted coconut oil or the same soy free vegan butter.
    Any non-dairy milk will work.

    Can I prep vegan pineapple upside down cake ahead of time?

    This cake is best served warmed right out of the oven within a few days; however it’s still possible to make ahead. 
    You can make this cake 3 days in advance.  Beyond that, because this cake is so moist, you risk mold growth. So, I highly recommend, especially if serving guests, that you don’t make it more than that far in advance. 
    Just make the recipe as directed and once completely cooked and cooled, put in an air safe container and store at room temperature. Warm when serving.

    Can you freeze vegan pineapple upside down cake?

    Yes, you will want to let the recipe cool completely and then store in a freezer safe container. Eat within 3 months. To thaw, let sit at room temperature until completely thawed.

    Vegan strawberry shortcake with layers of frosting on the top and fresh strawberries.

    What other vegan cake recipes should I make?

    Just because you have food allergies or preferences, doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t be able to have great tasting desserts.  We’d even venture to say that these are better than their “normal” counterparts. 

    These are some other dairy free cake recipes that you should try: 

    • Vegan Coconut Cake
    • Vegan Strawberry Cake 
    • The Best Vegan Chocolate Cake
    • Vegan Carrot Cake
    • Vegan Lemon Pound Cake
    • Try these vegan vanilla cupcakes in a cake pan

    Pin this vegan pineapple upside down cake for later: 

    The words vegan pineapple upside down cake overlayed onto a cake.
    Vegan pineapple upside down cake cut into square slices.
    Print Recipe
    4.50 from 12 votes

    Vegan Pineapple Upside Down Cake

    A classic American cake!  With this vegan pineapple upside down cake no one will realize it's vegan! Caramelized pineapple, with a rich, moist cake will be the perfect summer staple! 
    Prep Time12 minutes mins
    Cook Time1 hour hr 15 minutes mins
    Cooling Time5 minutes mins
    Total Time1 hour hr 32 minutes mins
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Servings: 9 pieces
    Calories: 611kcal
    Author: Larisha Bernard

    Ingredients

    • ⅓ cup vegan butter, melted (but not hot)
    • ⅔ cup brown sugar
    • 9 slices pineapple (canned or fresh)
    • 9 maraschino cherries w/o stems (can sub for fresh)
    • ⅔ cup vegan shortening
    • 2 cups vegan sugar
    • 2 cups dairy free milk
    • ½ cup unsweetened applesauce
    • 2 teaspoon vanilla
    • 2 ⅔ cup flour
    • 1 tablespoon baking powder
    • ½ teaspoon salt

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 350°F.
    • Pour melted butter into a 9-inch square pan. Take a little more softened butter and rub along the sides of pan. 
    • Sprinkle brown sugar evenly over the melted butter.  
    • Make 3 rows of 3 pineapple slices and place a cherry in the center of each pineapple.
    • Place the pan into the fridge while you make the batter (Don't skip this step). 
    • In a bowl, cream together vegan shortening and vegan sugar for 3 minutes. 
    • Add in milk, vanilla, and applesauce and beat again until combined.
    • Sift in the flour, baking powder, and salt.  Beat together, scraping down as needed. 
    • Remove the pan from the fridge. Pour the batter over your pineapples and cherries. 
    • Bake cake for 75-90 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
    • Carefully remove from oven and immediately place a heatproof serving plate upside down over cake pan. 
    • Flip the plate and pan over at the same time. 
    • Let sit for 5 minutes. 
    • Very gently remove the pan. 
    • Best served warm.
    • Cake can be stored at room temperature in an air tight dish for up to 3 days. 

    Video

    Notes

    *See post for notes about Top 8 Allergy Free variation
    **Nutritional facts are just estimates. Please utilize your own brand nutritional values to double check against our estimates. 

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1piece | Calories: 611kcal | Carbohydrates: 106g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Sodium: 218mg | Potassium: 386mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 73g | Vitamin A: 575IU | Vitamin C: 44.1mg | Calcium: 164mg | Iron: 2.5mg
    Tried this recipe? 🌟Share So We Can See! @makeitdairyfree or tag #makeitdairyfree!
    A collage of vegan pineapple upside down cake.

    This video was originally published on 6/28/19 and updated on 9/24/19 to add a video.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Rebecca

      November 06, 2021 at 4:44 pm

      Hi! Will the cake still cook the same if I use an 8 or 9 inch round pan instead of square? Thank you!

      Reply
      • LarishaBernard

        February 10, 2022 at 7:49 pm

        Shouldn’t be much difference, but you can check a few minutes early

        Reply
    2. Rick Ahir

      June 16, 2021 at 5:08 pm

      Great recipe! Can I replace the apple sauce with a chia egg? It’s hard to find unsweetened apple sauce in the U.K.

      Reply
      • LarishaBernard

        October 22, 2021 at 10:19 pm

        Yes!

        Reply
    3. Erica

      March 14, 2021 at 4:12 pm

      Can we replace the shortening with soft margarine ?

      Reply
      • LarishaBernard

        April 19, 2021 at 2:41 pm

        Yes

        Reply
    4. Aravind Kumar Jagannathan

      October 30, 2020 at 10:02 pm

      5 stars
      I was able to make a perfect vegan pineapple upside down cake for my son’s 3rd birthday last week by following this recipe. :)). I’m happy that I found this recipe.

      Reply
      • LarishaBernard

        November 02, 2020 at 8:08 pm

        So happy to hear that! We appreciate you taking time to leave a review. Have a great week! Happy Birthday to your son!

        Reply
    5. David Watson

      September 21, 2020 at 10:12 pm

      4 stars
      Very easy to make and very tasty…but just a tad too sweet for my tastes. Next time, I’ll try reducing the sugar to 1 1/2 cups and see how that fares, while also including the pineapple juice that the rings are packed in with the plant milk for a bit more pineapple flavor – I don’t know what it is but baking pineapple steals a lot of its flavor. I had the same thing happen with holiday roasts (vegan and pre-vegan). Weird.

      5 of 5 for ease in making, 4 of 5 for overall flavor. Maybe a little cinnamon and allspice or clove next time and we’ll see how that works. Still, a definite hit that I’ve saved to my collection!

      Reply
    6. David Watson

      September 20, 2020 at 7:58 pm

      Just checked my larder…I have all of the ingredients on hand. The only thing I DON’T have is the time to make it tonight, so I’ll be making this tomorrow and will be sure to snap a pic of it to share with you!

      Reply
      • LarishaBernard

        September 20, 2020 at 8:50 pm

        We can’t wait to hear what you think!

        Reply
    7. Crystal

      June 20, 2020 at 4:58 pm

      Im so confused while making this…. is it 2- 2/3 cup of flour or 2 & 2/3 cup???? It wasn’t at all runny or batter like haha

      Reply
      • LarishaBernard

        June 21, 2020 at 8:09 am

        That measurement means 2 and 2/3 cup flour

        Reply
    8. Balwinder

      June 06, 2020 at 1:54 am

      Can I replace the applesauce with pineapple crushed (pineapple sauce pls. Can’t wait to bake this amazing cake
      Thanks

      Reply
      • LarishaCampbell

        June 09, 2020 at 2:48 pm

        I would puree the pineapple and not just leave crushed so it helps bind. Otherwise yes. Enjoy!

        Reply
    9. Lisa

      April 10, 2020 at 3:52 pm

      What are the measurements for the ingredients?

      Reply
      • LarishaCampbell

        April 30, 2020 at 2:09 am

        It’s right in the printable card above the comment section 🙂

        Reply
    10. Asha

      March 21, 2020 at 7:09 pm

      5 stars
      This recipe was amazing! You’d never know it’s vegan- it can compete with the best pineapple upside down cake. The cake texture was moist and soft. A+
      —I will say I only used 1 cup of sugar in the cake batter though and it was plenty sweet.
      Thanks!

      Reply
      • LarishaCampbell

        April 29, 2020 at 11:02 pm

        Thanks for the update on the change you made! So happy that you liked the recipe! We appreciate you taking the time to leave a review. Have a great week!

        Reply

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