Calling all dessert lovers! Craving a taste of sunshine? These Mini Pineapple Upside Down Cake are the perfect answer. Made with store-bought sponge cakes, they're incredibly easy to whip up and deliver that delightful caramelized pineapple flavor we all know and love.
Plus, they're conveniently sized for individual portions – no need to fight over who gets the bigger slice!
The beauty of this recipe is its versatility. You can whip them up in a flash using your trusty air fryer, making them ideal for a last-minute sweet tooth fix. But these little cakes are also perfect for camping adventures! With minimal ingredients and no fancy equipment required, they're a guaranteed crowd-pleaser around the campfire.
Here's what you'll need:
- Sponge cakes (enough for the number of cakes you want to make)
- Butter
- Brown Sugar
- Canned pineapple rings (sliced)
- Pineapple Juice (Reserved from canned pineapple)
- Maraschino cherries (optional)
Air Fryer Method:
- Preheat your air fryer to 350°F (175°C).
- Spread 1 tablespoon softened butter on top of sponge cake.
- On a plate place 1 tablespoon brown sugar and dip pineapple ring into brown sugar allowing the juices from the pineapple to stick the brown sugar and coat.
- Add 1 tablespoon brown sugar to sponge cake on top of butter then top with brown sugar coated pineapple ring.
- Pour 1 tablespoon reserved Pineapple Juices into hole of pineapple ring
- Top with 1 maraschino cherry
- Wrap mini pineapple cake with foil and place upside down in Air Fryer basket.
- Cook at 350F Degrees for 7-9 minutes or until heated through.
- Let cool slightly before carefully removing the cakes with a utensil.
- Carefully unwrap from foil and top with whipped cream, ice cream, and/or caramel drizzle.
The trick is to add pineapple juice in the center hole on the brown sugar and sponge cake. This will help make that delicious rich sweetened cake we all love.
Tightly wrap the foil around each individual cake, creating a little sealed package.
Now comes the fun part! Carefully flip the wrapped cake upside down, so the foil "cup" holds the cake in place.
Place the wrapped, upside-down cake directly in your air fryer basket. This way, the delicious pineapple juices and caramelized sugar will pool at the bottom during cooking, just like a classic upside-down cake.
Campfire Method:
- Follow steps 2-7 from the air fryer method above.
- Wrap each Mini Pineapple Cake with aluminum foil and seal tightly.
- Place foil packets upside down and into a dutch oven or throw onto the hot coals of a campfire. Keeping away from open flames for 5-7 minutes.
- Carefully remove the packages from the heat and let them cool slightly before unwrapping.
Pro Tips:
- Don't overcook the cakes! Keep an eye on them during the last couple of minutes to prevent burning.
- Want to add a little extra somethin' somethin'? Drizzle some melted white chocolate or caramel sauce over the warm cakes before serving.
- Try serving with Salted Caramel Ice Cream or even Homemade Ice Cream for an added treat.
- Leftovers? No problem! Store these mini cakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
The beauty of this recipe is its simplicity. Since it uses store-bought sponge cakes and just a few other ingredients, you can skip pulling out extra tools like mini muffin tins, a hand mixer, a mixing bowl, paper liners, or even a saucepan!
Planning a camping trip? I've got you covered with other great camping recipes to make your time in nature the best yet! Try Fun S'more on a Stick Recipe, Dutch Oven Peach Cobbler , Dutch Oven Potatoes with Cheese, Cowboy Beans a Dutch Oven full of Baked Beans, Easy Campfire S'mores, and my favorite Easy Campfire Cones a Fruit Waffle Cones Dessert.
Mini Pineapple Upside Down Cakes
Ingredients
- 4 Sponge Cakes - round
- 4 Tablespoons Butter - softened
- 8 Tablespoons Brown Sugar - Divided
- 4 Pineapple Rings
- 4 Tablespoons Pineapple Juice - Reserved from Can
- 4 Maraschino Cherries
Instructions
- Preheat Air Fryer to 350F Degrees
- Place 1 round sponge cake on large square of Aluminum Foil 4 Sponge Cakes
- Spread softened butter on top of sponge cake 4 Tablespoons Butter
- Pour 1 tablespoon brown sugar onto butter 8 Tablespoons Brown Sugar
- On a separate plate place 4 tablespoons brown sugar and dip pineapple rings into brown sugar allowing rings to coat on both sides 4 Pineapple Rings
- Place coated pineapple ring on top of sponge cake with butter and brown sugar
- Pour 1 Tablespoon pineapple juices into center of ring on sponge cake 4 Tablespoons Pineapple Juice
- Top with Maraschino Cherry 4 Maraschino Cherries
- Carefully wrap mini pineapple cake with aluminum foil and tightly seal
- Turn foil packet over and place into Air Fryer Basket
- Air Fry for 7-9 minutes or until cake is heated through and butter and brown sugar have coated cake.
- Allow packet to cool for a few minutes before opening
- Serve Mini Pineapple Upside Down cake with a caramel drizzle, or add Ice Cream or Whipping Cream.
Notes
Additional Serving Ideas
- Ice Cream: Vanilla, Salted Caramel, Pineapple Sherbet
- Sauce: Caramel, White Chocolate
Storage
Store leftover cakes in a sealed container or use a ZipLoc BagNutrition Disclaimer
All nutrition values are approximate and calculated by a plugin and are provided as a courtesy. Adding or subtracting ingredients will change the nutritional value.
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