Pineapple and Rum Upside-Down Cake with Brown Butter Filling is the retro dessert done properly — canned pineapple rings and glacé cherries over caramelizing muscovado sugar, a half-spelt sponge beneath, and a rum glaze soaked in at the end. The flip is the drama.
Ready to elevate the classic pineapple cake? This recipe is a game-changer. We start by browning butter with vanilla, creating an incredibly deep, nutty, and aromatic base for the filling. This flavour is beautifully complemented by spelt flour in the sponge, which adds its own subtle, earthy nuttiness. Soaked in a simple rum glaze and layered with that divine brown butter frosting, this cake is a truly sophisticated treat that’s guaranteed to intrigue and delight.
Ingredients
• For the Cake
• 250g (8.8 oz) / 1 cup (240 ml) + 2 tbsp (30 ml) sunflower oil, plus more for the tins
• 5 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 250g (8.8 oz) / 1 ¼ cups light muscovado sugar
• 100g (3.5 oz) / ¾ cup plain all-purpose flour
• 100g (3.5 oz) / ¾ cup spelt flour
• 1 tsp (5 ml) baking powder
• 1 pinch of sea salt
• 1 234g (8.3 oz) / 8 oz (226.8 g) can of pineapple rings
• 6 glacé cherries
• For the Rum Glaze
• 1 tbsp / 15g (0.53 oz) granulated sugar
• 6 tbsp / 90ml dark rum
• For the Filling
• 250g (8.8 oz) / 1 cup (240 ml) + 1 tbsp (15 ml) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 vanilla pod, split with seeds scraped out
• 200g (7.1 oz) / 1 ½ cups icing sugar, sifted
• To Decorate
• 1 punnet of edible flowers (optional)
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 155°C (310°F) / 135°C (275°F) Fan / Gas Mark 3. Lightly oil two 20cm springform cake tins and line the bases with baking parchment.
2. In a large mixing bowl or a stand mixer with the beater attachment, whisk the eggs, oil, and muscovado sugar until well combined.
3. Add the plain flour, spelt flour, baking powder, and salt to the bowl. Mix on a low speed until the are just combined. Do not overmix.
4. Pat 6 pineapple rings dry with kitchen paper. Arrange them in a single layer in the base of one of the prepared tins. Place a glacé cherry in the center hole of each pineapple ring.
5. Divide the cake batter evenly between the two tins. Bake for 35–40 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cakes cool in their tins for 10 minutes before turning them out onto a wire rack.
6. While the cakes are baking, prepare the glaze. Dissolve the granulated sugar in 2 tbsp (30 ml) of boiling water, then stir in the dark rum.
7. As soon as the cakes are on the wire rack, prick them all over with a skewer and brush generously with the rum glaze.
8. To make the filling, place 80g (2.82 oz) of the butter in a small, clean saucepan with the vanilla seeds and the scraped pod. Melt over a low heat. Continue to heat as the butter sizzles and froths. Once the sizzling subsides and the butter turns a golden brown with a nutty aroma, immediately remove it from the heat. Allow it to cool completely, then discard the vanilla pod.
9. In a large bowl or stand mixer, beat the remaining 170g (6 oz) of softened butter until creamy. Gradually beat in the cooled brown butter. Add the sifted icing sugar and beat again until light, fluffy, and thoroughly combined.
10. To assemble, carefully trim the top of the plain sponge (the one without pineapple) to create a flat, even surface. Place it on your serving plate and spread the entire brown butter filling over it. Gently place the pineapple-topped sponge on top. Decorate with edible flowers, if using, before serving.
Nutritional Information
• (per serving)
• Calories: 550 kcal
• Fat: 35g
• Carbohydrates: 52g
• Sugar: 40g
• Protein: 6g
Pro Tips
• Watch the butter like a hawk when browning it. It can go from perfectly nutty to burnt in a matter of seconds. The nutty aroma is your key indicator to take it off the heat.
• If you only have one 20cm tin, simply bake the cakes one after another. Remember to prepare the base with pineapple and cherries for only one of the layers.
• Thoroughly pat the pineapple rings dry before placing them in the tin. This prevents the bottom of your cake from becoming overly soggy.
• For the best texture, ensure your eggs and the butter for the filling are at room temperature before you begin mixing.
FAQ
Q: Can I make this pineapple cake vegan
A: To make this cake vegan, you’ll need to substitute the eggs and butter. Use a reliable vegan egg replacer for the 5 eggs. For the brown butter filling, use a high-quality vegan butter block; note that it may not brown in the same way as dairy butter but will still create a delicious, nutty flavour. The rest of the ingredients are naturally plant-based.
Q: How do I make an alcohol-free rum glaze
A: For a non-alcoholic version of the glaze, simply replace the 6 tbsp (90 ml) of dark rum with 6 tbsp (90 ml) of pineapple juice from the can. To mimic the rum flavour, you can add 1/2 teaspoon (10 ml / 0.3 fl oz) of rum extract to the pineapple juice and sugar mixture.
Q: What is the best way to store this vegetarian pineapple cake
A: Store the assembled cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days due to the butter-based filling. For the best flavour and texture, allow the cake to sit at room temperature for about 20-30 minutes before serving.
Q: Can I use a different flour instead of spelt
A: Yes, if you don’t have spelt flour, you can substitute it with an equal amount of whole wheat flour for a similar nutty taste, or simply use 200g (7.1 oz) of all-purpose flour in total. Using only all-purpose flour will result in a slightly lighter texture and less earthy flavour.
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Pineapple and Rum Upside-Down Cake with Brown Butter Filling
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat the oven to 155°C (310°F) / 135°C Fan / Gas Mark 3. Lightly oil two 20cm springform cake tins and line the bases with baking parchment.
- In a large mixing bowl or a stand mixer with the beater attachment, whisk the eggs, oil, and muscovado sugar until well combined.
- Add the plain flour, spelt flour, baking powder, and salt to the bowl.
- Mix on a low speed until the are just combined.
- Do not overmix.
- Pat 6 pineapple rings dry with kitchen paper.
- Arrange them in a single layer in the base of one of the prepared tins.
- Place a glacé cherry in the center hole of each pineapple ring.
- Divide the cake batter evenly between the two tins.
- Bake for 35–40 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Let the cakes cool in their tins for 10 minutes before turning them out onto a wire rack.
- While the cakes are baking, prepare the glaze. Dissolve the granulated sugar in 2 tbsp (30 ml) of boiling water, then stir in the dark rum.
- As soon as the cakes are on the wire rack, prick them all over with a skewer and brush generously with the rum glaze.
- To make the filling, place 80g (2.82 oz) of the butter in a small, clean saucepan with the vanilla seeds and the scraped pod. Melt over a low heat.
- Continue to heat as the butter sizzles and froths.
- Once the sizzling subsides and the butter turns a golden brown with a nutty aroma, immediately remove it from the heat. Allow it to cool completely, then discard the vanilla pod.
- In a large bowl or stand mixer, beat the remaining 170g (6 oz) of softened butter until creamy. Gradually beat in the cooled brown butter.
- Add the sifted icing sugar and beat again until light, fluffy, and thoroughly combined.
- To assemble, carefully trim the top of the plain sponge (the one without pineapple) to create a flat, even surface.
- Place it on your serving plate and spread the entire brown butter filling over it. Gently place the pineapple-topped sponge on top. Decorate with edible flowers, if using, before serving.
