When you wish to impress guests, make this divine gluten free upside down pineapple bundt cake. While it looks fancy, it’s not any more difficult to make. This version has more pineapple flavor, more pineapple, and a caramel syrup that keeps the entire cake moist and delicious.
For a traditional pineapple upside down cake see Gluten Free Pineapple Upside Down Cake Recipe.
Links You May Need:
Carla’s Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour Blend Recipe
The Perfect Homemade Whipped Cream
How Much Cake Does This Recipe Make?
A typical two-layer cake recipe calls for 2 cups of flour, 1 cup per layer. This recipe calls for 1-1/2 cup of flour. Therefore, this recipe makes about 1-1/2 layer of cake in one single layer plus the fruit.
Gluten Free Pineapple Upside Down Bundt Cake
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 4-8 sliced pineapple rings* drained, patted dry with paper towels, and sliced in half
- 4 gluten free maraschino cherries *Royal Harvest). drained and cut in halves
- Neutral-flavored oil for pan
- 3/4 cup light or golden brown sugar
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter cut into 4 pieces
- 1 teaspoon water
For the Cake:
- 1-1/2 cups Carla's Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour Blend Recipe** plus 1 tablespoon for dusting (200 g)
- 2 teaspoons gluten-free baking powder (Rumford's)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter or dairy-free margarine at room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large or extra-large eggs separated, at room temperature (or 4 tablespoons liquid from can of cannellini beans in place of 2 egg whites + 2 extra tbsp butter or margarine in place of 2 egg yolks)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons pineapple juice from the can or milk or part of each
- Whipped Cream (optional)
Instructions
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To Make the Toppings:
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Oil a shallow silicone*** or metal bundt pan. Dust it with flour and shake out any excess. (Flour dusting is especially important for metal pan because they tend to make the edges crisp. Flour keeps them soft.)
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While the pineapple and cherries drain, prepare the caramel sauce. Melt the butter and brown sugar in a saucepan, without stirring much until it all melts and comes together. Stir until smooth. See tips in the below Notes section.****
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Pour the caramel sauce into the prepared pan. Place pineapple halves in the sauce, pushing them to the very bottom and place cherry halves in between every two pineapple pieces, also pushing them to the bottom. Set aside.
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To Make the Cake:
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Preheat the oven to 350ºF with a shelf in the center.
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In a medium-size bowl, whisk together the flour blend, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
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Beat the softened butter, sugar, and egg yolks for about 3 minutes or until fluffy and the sugar breaks down. Add the vanilla and beat until just combined.
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Add one-third of the flour mixture and half of the pineapple juice to the mixing bowl and beat on medium-low speed until combined. Repeat. Lastly, add the remaining flour mixture and mix on medium speed until smooth. Scoop the thick batter into a clean bowl and wash the mixing bowl well and dry.
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Add the egg whites to the clean bowl and beat on medium-high speed until soft peaks are reached. Fold half of the egg whites into the batter until no white streaks or clumps remain. Then repeat with the remaining egg whites.
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If using a silicone mold, place it on a baking sheet. Scoop the thick batter into the pan, distributing as evenly as possible.
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Bake 40 - 45 minutes or until the cake springs back when lightly touched. You don't want to leave any dents in the cake when lightly press down.
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Remove from the oven and place it on a wire rack (without a baking sheet) to cool 10 minutes.
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Place a serving plate on top of the warm cake and invert without lifting off mold or pan. Allow the cake pan to remain on top for 30 seconds. Then, remove the pan/mold. Allow the cake to cool to room temperature prior to serving.
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For Baking in Advance: You may freeze the cake at this point without covering it. Then place toothpicks in the top, in about 6 places, and cover with a double layer of plastic wrap. Place in the freezer until ready to serve. Then, thaw at room temperature at least 2 hours prior to serving.
Tips
*When you use 8 slices of pineapple, there is so much pineapple juice that it creates a pineapple-caramel sauce that covers the entire cake. However, because there is so much juice, it makes the center edges of the cake quite soft, almost like uncooked batter but not quite. If you prefer a thicker caramel and less wet center edge, only use 4 full slices of pineapple.
**You have the choice of using tapioca flour or cornstarch in the flour blend recipe. I used cornstarch for mine.
***Silicone molds do not brown and harden the sides of cakes as metal pans do. However, metal retains heat, creating a higher risen, lighter cake.
***You want to prevent sugar from sticking to the sides of the saucepan. Heat until it reaches 200ºF. (If you overheat it, the butter will separate from the sugar. If this occurs, immediately cool down the mixture. Add 1/2 tablespoon of cold butter and place the saucepan on top of a frozen item from your freezer while constantly stirring until smooth and the butter incorporates into the sugar.
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