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Pineapple Upside-Down Carrot Cake Recipe for Moist Layered Dessert

Pineapple Upside Down Carrot Cake blends two beloved comfort cakes into one irresistible dessert. Deeply caramelized pineapple creates a glossy, buttery topping for a moist carrot cake made with very fine shredded carrots — a combination you’ll wish you’d tried sooner.

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If you’re watching calories or avoiding sweets, consider this fair warning: this cake is dangerously good. I’m not usually a huge cake person — frosting especially doesn’t win me over unless it’s cream cheese — but this one broke my rules. I’ve eaten far more than I should and I’m only mildly repentant.

Upside-down cakes are a weakness of mine. Whether pineapple, cranberry, blueberry, or apple, giving fruit a buttery sugar bath until it caramelizes creates irresistible flavor and texture. And carrot cake is another exception to my usual indifference: when made the right way it’s a total winner.

My Carrot Cake Preferences

I prefer a pared-down carrot cake without chunky add-ins. My personal rules are:

  1. No nuts in the cake—walnuts are fine as a snack, but not in my carrot cake.
  2. No dried fruit or shredded coconut in the batter.
  3. No heavy, dense substitutions (coarse whole wheat, liquid sweeteners in place of sugar) that turn cake into a dry brick.
  4. No pineapple stirred into the batter.

So why an upside-down version with pineapple? Because caramelizing the fruit produces deep, complex flavors you can’t get by folding pineapple into the batter. The dark, sticky caramelized bits on top are the payoff — rich, buttery, and intensely satisfying.

If you prefer mix-ins, feel free to add them, but I think the caramelized pineapple atop the cake will more than satisfy your taste buds. Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a drizzle of crème fraîche for an especially decadent bite.

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And yes, I know I apologized earlier — but if you’ve made it this far, I’m guessing you forgive me. Go ahead: slice another piece. You won’t regret it.

Pineapple Upside Down Carrot Cake: Caramelized, deep brown, buttery pineapple crowns perfect, sweet carrot cake. Top warm pieces with vanilla ice cream or a drizzle of creme fraiche for an over-the-top indulgent treat.

Pineapple Upside Down Carrot Cake

Rebecca Lindamood

Caramelized, deep brown, buttery pineapple crowns atop a sweet, tender carrot cake. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or a drizzle of crème fraîche for an indulgent treat.
Adapted from Zoe François’ Ultimate Carrot Cake. This version omits dried fruit, walnuts, coconut, and frosting, refines the carrot texture, and tops the cake with caramelized pineapple.

Ingredients

Ingredients for cake batter:

  • 1 pound finely grated then chopped carrots see notes
  • 4 extra large eggs at 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; Bourbon Vanilla raw sugar recommended)
  • 1 cup crushed pineapple, drained and squeezed to remove excess juice

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°F.

To prepare the pineapple caramel layer:

  • Spray a bundt pan (or six mini bundt pans) with non-stick cooking spray.
  • Dot the bottom of the pan evenly with pieces of softened butter.
  • Sprinkle the turbinado sugar over the butter.
  • Evenly distribute the drained pineapple over the sugar.

To prepare the carrot cake batter:

  • In a bowl, whisk together eggs, granulated and brown sugar, oil, vanilla, and orange zest.
  • In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices.
  • Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir with a wooden spoon until combined and no dry pockets remain.
  • Add the carrots all at once and fold gently into the batter.
  • Scrape the batter evenly into the prepared pan(s), filling no higher than two-thirds full.
  • Bake 25–30 minutes for mini bundt pans or 60–70 minutes for a regular bundt pan, or until a straw inserted in the center comes out clean. If using mini pans, test each cake.
  • Let the cake rest in the pan(s) for five minutes, then invert onto a serving platter.
  • For best flavor, serve while still warm.

Notes

For a finer carrot texture, Zoe François suggests coarsely grating then chopping. I prefer using a fine grating disc in the food processor and pulsing briefly with the blade. This creates a lighter texture that’s easier for picky eaters to enjoy while keeping the cake tender.

Nutrition

Calories: 575 kcal
Carbohydrates: 112 g
Protein: 7 g
Fat: 11 g
Saturated Fat: 4 g
Cholesterol: 96 mg
Sodium: 410 mg
Potassium: 437 mg
Fiber: 3 g
Sugar: 80 g
Vitamin A: 9800 IU
Vitamin C: 10 mg
Calcium: 101 mg
Iron: 2.6 mg

Nutritional information is an estimate. Calculate with your actual ingredients using your preferred nutrition calculator.

Did you make this recipe?

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Pineapple Upside Down Carrot Cake: Caramelized, deep brown, buttery pineapple crowns perfect, sweet carrot cake. Top warm pieces with vanilla ice cream or a drizzle of creme fraiche for an over-the-top indulgent treat.