Pineapple Upside Down Ginger Cake

This is what happens when a gingerbread cake meets a pineapple upside down cake, and the result is better than either one alone. Molasses, cinnamon, and ground ginger give the batter a warm, spiced depth that pairs beautifully with the caramelized pineapple rings hiding underneath.

The brown sugar melts into the butter on the bottom of the pan, creating a sticky caramel layer that becomes the glossy topping when you flip the cake out. Patting the pineapple slices dry before arranging them is a small step that matters. Wet pineapple dilutes the caramel and can make the bottom of the cake soggy.

Flip the cake immediately when it comes out of the oven. Hesitate, and the caramel hardens in the pan, taking chunks of cake with it. Have your serving platter ready before the timer goes off.

Kitchen Tips

• Swirl the melted butter to coat the entire bottom of the pan before adding brown sugar. Uncoated spots stick.
• Use room-temperature eggs and milk. Cold ingredients can cause the butter in the batter to seize, resulting in a lumpy, uneven crumb.
• Don’t overbake. A cake tester near the center should come out clean, but the edges will still look slightly moist from the caramel working its way up.
• Maraschino cherry halves in the pineapple rings are classic. Press them gently into the brown sugar so they stay in place during baking.

Variations

• Bourbon caramel: Add a tablespoon of bourbon to the melted brown sugar butter for a boozy, deeper caramel layer.
• Spiced pear version: Replace the pineapple with thinly sliced pears fanned across the bottom for an autumn take.