Sweet caramelized pineapple and gooey brown sugar sauce top a fluffy, buttery vanilla cake in this vegan pineapple upside down cake recipe. It’s an absolutely showstopping plant based dessert!

Homemade pineapple upside down cake

I am so excited about this recipe.

It was my first time ever making pineapple upside down cake, and I was afraid it might fall apart when flipped. I slowly removed the tray to reveal…

A stunning, fancy, perfectly intact cake with bright red cherries, golden pineapple rings, and a layer of soft cake underneath.

And it tastes even better than it looks. I cut the cake into squares and brought it to a tropical theme party.

People loved it, with both vegans and non vegans asking me for the recipe!

You will also love this Vegan Carrot Cake

Full recipe video

Vegan pineapple cake ingredients

Pineapple – You need crushed pineapple in the cake base and sliced pineapple rings for the topping.

I always buy canned pineapple for convenience. However, you can use fresh pineapple if you prefer.

Flour – I like white all purpose flour or spelt flour. For a gluten free cake, Bob’s Red Mill all purpose gluten free baking flour works well.

Oat flour and whole wheat flour yield dense results, so I do not recommend either of those here. And to avoid a dry or crumbly pineapple cake, please do not use almond flour or coconut flour. (Try this Chocolate Almond Flour Cake instead.)

Sugar – The recipe calls for granulated white sugar in the cake and brown sugar for the sauce. As long as you follow the gram measurements, feel free to substitute coconut sugar. Pure maple syrup works in the sauce but is not recommended for the base.

Vegan butter – Choose your favorite brand of dairy free butter for the brown butter sauce. Or coconut oil is a great option too.

Baking powder – This ingredient is a leavening agent and helps the eggless cake to rise perfectly. It also contributes to the light, airy texture.

Oil – Coconut and vegetable oil work equally well. For those who want an oil free cake and do not mind a more muffin like texture, you may swap the oil for mashed banana.

Cherries (optional) – For authentic old fashioned pineapple upside down cake, add one maraschino cherry to the center of each pineapple ring before baking. Or go for a healthy option and use pitted fresh cherries.

Fun Recipe Variation:
Instead of cake batter, spread the filling from this Vegan Cheesecake over pineapple rings in a baking pan, to create a vegan pineapple cheesecake!

How to make vegan pineapple upside down cake

1. Melt the plant based butter or coconut oil in either the microwave or a saucepan over low medium heat.
2. Stir in the brown sugar until mostly dissolved.
3. Spread this brown sugar glaze evenly into the bottom of a 9×13 inch rectangular baking pan.
4. Arrange the sliced pineapple over the sauce. If desired, place a cherry into the centers. Set the pan aside.
5. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
6. In a large mixing bowl, stir the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda well.
7. Stir in the crushed pineapple, water, oil, and pure vanilla extract to create a pineapple cake batter.
8. Using a spatula, smooth the batter over the fruit rings in the baking pan.
9. Bake on the center rack of the preheated oven for twenty eight minutes, or until the cake is lightly browned and cooked through.
10. Let cool, then use a knife to carefully go around the sides and loosen the cake.
11. Invert onto a long serving platter or a baking tray. Cut into slices, and enjoy.

Katie’s tips for best results

• I recommend buying two cans of pineapple rings (or one small and one large can), because each can typically only contains around ten slices. You will need twelve rings to properly cover the surface of a 9×13 inch pan.
• For the best soft and moist cake, do not drain the pineapple juice when measuring the crushed pineapple.
• To avoid over activating the gluten, stir the batter just until evenly mixed.
• The vegan browned butter sauce acts as its own frosting. But if you want to top the cake, feel free to do so with Coconut Whipped Cream or Coconut Ice Cream.
• Once fully cooled, refrigerate leftovers in a covered container for up to five days. Or slice and freeze, stored in an airtight container for up to a month. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or for a few minutes in a warm oven before serving.
• When cut into mini squares like I show above, this is a great recipe to feed a crowd. Guests at summer barbecues, potlucks, and block parties love bite size desserts!

The cake was adapted from this Vegan Coffee Cake.

More pineapple recipes

Pineapple Pie

Pineapple Cauliflower

Piña Colada Smoothie

Carrot Cake Bars

Pineapple Muffins

Coconut Curry

Pineapple Cupcakes

Pineapple Bread