Pineapple Upside Down Carrot Cake blends two beloved comfort desserts into one: a moist, classic carrot cake crowned with deeply caramelized pineapple that forms a sticky, flavorful glaze. The finely shredded carrots give the cake a tender texture, and the caramelized fruit brings a rich, buttery sweetness you’ll wish you’d tried sooner.
If you’re watching calories or trying to avoid sweets, consider this your fair warning: this cake is dangerously good. I’ve eaten far more than I should while testing this recipe and I don’t regret a bite. My sincerest apologies to anyone who values restraint.
I’m not usually someone who obsesses over cake. Most cakes are fine with me—I’ll take a slice at a gathering but I won’t fight for the last piece. I’m not a big fan of frosting unless it’s cream cheese, so cake is often “meh” in my book. But upside-down cakes and carrot cakes are two exceptions.
I adore upside-down cakes—pineapple, blueberry, cranberry, apple—anything that gets butter, sugar, and fruit caramelized beneath batter. That caramelized layer is irresistible. I’m also picky about carrot cake. Here are my non-negotiables:
- No nuts in the cake. I enjoy a bowl of toasted walnuts, just not mixed into my carrot cake.
- No dried fruit or shredded coconut mixed in. I prefer the cake’s texture to stay smooth and uniform.
- Keep the cake light and tender—don’t swap in overly heavy flours or dense sweeteners that produce a dry, hockey-puck texture.
- No pineapple mixed into the batter. If you’re going to have pineapple in this cake, it belongs caramelized on top, not dispersed through the crumb.
Some might wonder if adding pineapple as an upside-down layer violates my own rules. It does not. The upside-down method caramelizes the fruit so it develops dark, sticky, deeply flavored bits that you cannot replicate by stirring canned or fresh pineapple into the batter. In my opinion, that caramelized richness is the best part.
If you prefer to add mix-ins like nuts or raisins, feel free—recipes should be adapted to taste—but I find the contrast between the caramelized pineapple and the fine-textured carrot cake to be all the excitement this dessert needs.
Serve a warm slice with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a drizzle of crème fraîche for an indulgent finish. If you try it, you might forgive me for tempting you. If you want to make the caramel layer even more special, use a turbinado raw sugar—Bourbon Vanilla Raw Sugar is a delicious option if you have it on hand.
Pineapple Upside Down Carrot Cake
Rebecca Lindamood
Ingredients
Ingredients for cake batter:
- 1 pound finely grated then chopped carrots see notes
- 4 extra large eggs, room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 1/4 cups canola oil
- 2/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons real vanilla extract
- finely grated zest of one orange
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- a pinch of ground cloves
Ingredients for pineapple caramel layer:
- 4 tablespoons butter softened to room temperature
- 1/2 cup raw sugar turbinado preferred
- 1 cup crushed pineapple drained and squeezed to remove excess juice
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
To prepare the pineapple caramel layer:
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Spray a bundt pan (or six mini bundt pans) with non-stick spray.
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Dot the bottom of the pan with pieces of softened butter, spreading them evenly. For mini pans, divide the butter between them.
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Sprinkle the turbinado sugar over the butter, dividing evenly for mini pans.
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Arrange the drained, crushed pineapple evenly over the sugar.
To prepare the carrot cake batter:
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In a mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, granulated and brown sugar, oil, vanilla, and orange zest.
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In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices.
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Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir with a wooden spoon until no dry pockets remain.
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Fold in the prepared carrots all at once until evenly distributed.
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Scrape the batter into the prepared pan(s), filling no more than two-thirds full.
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Bake 25–30 minutes for mini bundts or 60–70 minutes for a standard bundt, until a straw inserted into the center comes out clean. If using mini pans, test each one.
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Let the cake rest in the pan for five minutes, then invert onto a serving platter.
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For best flavor, serve while still warm.
Notes
Nutrition
Carbohydrates: 112 g
Protein: 7 g
Fat: 11 g
Nutritional information is an estimate. Calculate using the specific ingredients you use for exact values.
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