Pineapple Upside Down Brownie — pineapple-upside-down brownie
Pineapple-upside-down brownie is an American mash-up: the upside-down-cake pattern of caramelised pineapple rings with a maraschino cherry centred in each, baked over a brownie batter rather than a sponge cake. When inverted, the caramelised top reveals the iconic pineapple-and-cherry pattern.
i. Origin & history
Pineapple upside-down cake was popularised in the 1920s after Dole's pineapple-canning industry boom. The brownie variant is a modern adaptation, combining two American baking icons.
ii. Ingredients
Makes 12 servings · scroll the side panel to adjust
- 60 g unsalted butter (for topping)
- 100 g muscovado sugar
- 6 pineapple rings (tinned)
- 6 maraschino cherries
- 200 g dark chocolate
- 150 g unsalted butter (for batter)
- 200 g caster sugar
- 3 eggs
- 150 g plain flour
- 30 g cocoa
- Pinch salt
- 1 tsp vanilla
iii. Method
- Heat oven to 170 °C. Line a 22 cm square tin with parchment.
- Melt butter for topping; mix with muscovado sugar; spread in the base of the tin.
- Arrange pineapple rings on the sugar layer; place a cherry in each ring centre.
- Make brownie batter: melt chocolate and butter; whisk in sugar and eggs; fold in flour, cocoa, salt, vanilla.
- Pour over the pineapple. Bake 35-40 min until set with a slight wobble.
- Cool 10 min; invert onto a plate.
iv. Tips & common mistakes
- Use the freshest ingredients you can. The recipe relies on them.
- Read the method through first. Several steps must be ready in advance.
- Season patiently. Sweetness and salt are tuned at the end, not the start.
v. Variations
Classic pineapple upside-down cake uses sponge instead of brownie. Modern variations use bananas, peaches, or apricots. Blondie version swaps the dark chocolate base for white chocolate and brown butter, which reads sweeter and lets the pineapple's acidity do more of the work; coconut is a common addition to it.
vi. Common questions
What is pineapple upside down brownie?
Pineapple Upside Down Brownie is pineapple-upside-down brownie, from north american cuisine. When inverted, the caramelised top reveals the iconic pineapple-and-cherry pattern
Where is pineapple upside down brownie from?
Pineapple Upside Down Brownie is from the north american dessert tradition; the recipe and history are detailed above.
How long does pineapple upside down brownie keep?
See the storage note in the Quick facts panel: 3 days at room temperature.