Mini pineapple upside down cake with rum

With the Easter holiday approaching, I thought back on what we used to eat at my grandma’s house for Easter dinner after church.

Table of Contents Show

About Mini Pineapple Upside Down Rum Cakes
notes & tips for these pineapple upside down cakes
More great recipes with cherries
More recipes made with cake mix
Why is my pineapple upside down cake soggy?
Is pineapple upside down cake supposed to be cold?
Can I make pineapple upside down cake the night before?
Can I use fresh pineapple instead of canned?

Somehow Grandma would always manage to throw together the BEST pineapple cake at the last minute. It was like she didn’t even have to think about what she was doing. It was from a box and she never read the directions or measured out any of the ingredients… but it always turned out phenomenal. I think Grandma always timed it at the very last minute so it would be piping hot from the oven when it was time for dessert.

I think if Grandma were here today, she’d sure enjoy these little Pineapple Upside-Down Cupcakes. I’ve seen them around online and have always thought they were so dainty… not to mention that everyone isn’t scrambling to get a slice of cake at the same time (like it used to be at Grandma’s).

It all starts with putting a spoonful of a brown sugar, butter and rum mixture in the bottom of a muffin tin that has been greased or sprayed with cooking spray.

Then place half of a maraschino cherry in the center and surround it with pineapple tidbits. Pour the batter over the top and bake… it’s as simple as that!

Begin this pineapple upside-down cake by making the spiced rum caramel. Bring the whipping cream to the boil and remove from the heat. In a separate pan, saturate the glucose and sugar with a little water and put on a high heat. Cook to a dark caramel

Heat oven to 350°F. Grease 6 (6-oz) individual baking dishes (ramekins) with butter or shortening; place on cookie sheet.

In medium bowl, beat 1/3 cup butter, the brown sugar and 3 tablespoons rum with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Divide mixture evenly among baking dishes. Place in oven 10 minutes or until butter and sugar are melted. Place 1 pineapple slice and 1 cherry in each baking dish; set aside.

In small bowl, with clean beaters, beat egg whites on high speed until stiff peaks form; set aside.

In large bowl, beat 1/2 cup butter and the granulated sugar with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in buttermilk, 1/4 cup rum, the vanilla and egg yolks. On low speed, beat in flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Fold in one-third of the beaten egg whites, then fold in remaining whites. Spoon batter evenly over topping mixture in baking dishes.

Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes. Place small heatproof dessert plate upside down over each baking dish; turn plate and dish over. Let stand 1 minute so topping drizzles over cakes. Remove dish. Serve cakes warm.

Mini spongy yellow cakes topped with sweet pineapple and maraschino cherries that are generously brushed with Don Q Piña (pineapple rum).

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This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Don Q for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

About Mini Pineapple Upside Down Rum Cakes

We’re officially knee deep in the holiday season, and this time of year, there are few things more crowd-pleasing than a perfectly baked cake.

Well, maybe not just any cake. When it comes to planning your festivities, you need to be a bit picky about what baked goods you showcase. It has to be special. Special like, say, a classic pineapple upside down cake, for instance.

Or better yet, how about mini cakes? Then no one needs to worry about curring and serving and everyone can just grab and go.

And, hey, we’re talking about a holiday party, right? Then this cake should have rum. A delicious, exceptional rum aged in American white oak barrels for about a year and infused with natural pineapple juice and natural pineapple flavor.

That is how Don Q Piña is made, and it’s what makes it the perfect fit for these mini pineapple upside down cakes.

Followers of this little food blog know how much I love cooking and baking with spirits, and I especially love when the products have a deep, rich history. I’ve learned that Don Q is made by Destilería Serrallés, and they’ve made rum-making a family tradition, dating all the way back to 1865. They also have an unrivaled passion for quality, and they’ve poured significant time and resources into making their distillery one of the greenest (and environmentally responsible!) in the spirits industry.

Don Q Piña is the newest member of the Destilería Serrallés family. It has bright citrus notes and subtle sweetness, making it ideal for virtually any cocktail calling for a taste of the islands. Or, in this case, perfect for adding a tropical kick to these mini cakes.

And as for how these cakes turned out?

I think it goes without saying that if you love pineapple upside down cakes then you’re guaranteed to love this mini version. It’s everything you love about the classic cake just smaller and individual-sized.

Plus, this is an easy, no-fuss recipe, which is made all the better by the sweet pineapple infusion of Don Q Piña.

You’ll also have plenty of Don Q Piña left over for after-dessert (or during-dessert?) cocktails and martinis.

If you have a favorite after-dessert cocktail, I’d love to hear about it in the comments!

notes & tips for these pineapple upside down cakes

More great recipes with cherries

More recipes made with cake mix

Mini spongy yellow cakes topped with sweet pineapple and maraschino cherries that are generously brushed with Don Q Piña (pineapple rum).

4 tablespoon salted butter, melted
1 can sliced pineapple, thoroughly drained

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a large bowl, add yellow cake mix, eggs*, vegetable oil*, and water*. Whisk until batter is smooth with very little clumps, then set nearby.
Spray a jumbo muffin pan (recipe makes 10 cakes, so you may need 2 pans) with cooking spray. Pour melted butter into the cavities of the muffin pan, distributing it evenly between all 10. Next, spoon in light brown sugar, again distributing evenly. Add a sliced pineapple to each cavity, and then finish by placing a maraschino cherry in the hole of each pineapple ring.
Pour prepared cake mix into each cavity in the muffin tin, filling them up to about 2/3 full.
Bake pineapple upside down cakes for about 20-25 minutes or until a tester comes out with no crumbs attached.
Let cakes cool completely in the muffin tin. If the tops of the cakes are domed, use a knife to cut the top off so that the cakes appear flat. Once cakes have cooled, remove cakes from pan and place on a serving dish upside down so that the pineapple and cherry are on top.
Using a pastry brush, generously coat the tops of the mini pineapple upside down cakes with Don Q Piña.

* Values may vary depending on the brand of cake mix used. When preparing, substitute the ingredients listed on the back of the box for any ingredient marked with a *.

I do my best to provide nutrition information, but please keep in mind that I'm not a certified nutritionist. Any nutritional information discussed or disclosed in this post should only be seen as my best amateur estimates of the correct values.

Why is my pineapple upside down cake soggy?

To prevent a soggy pineapple upside down cake, be sure to blot any excess liquid from your pineapples, and avoid using any additional juice or liquid than the recipe calls for in the cake.

Is pineapple upside down cake supposed to be cold?

This soft, simple dessert can be served warm or cold. Either way, the pineapple flavor will be light and tasty. If you serve it warm, top it with vanilla ice cream for amazing combination. To reheat a frozen or refrigerated cake, simply cover it with aluminum foil and place in the oven until it is warm throughout.

Can I make pineapple upside down cake the night before?

Like most cakes, pineapple upside-down cakes can be made in advance. Warm the cake slightly after it's been refrigerated or frozen and it will taste like it was made the same day!

Can I use fresh pineapple instead of canned?

In many cases, canned pineapple can be substituted for fresh pineapple (and vice versa) in equal measure, which is good to know when you only need a small amount of pineapple for a recipe.