Healthy Pineapple Upside Down Cake
Every birthday party needs a birthday cake! Why not try something different? This Healthy Pineapple Upside Down Cake is made with common ingredients like Greek yogurt, olive oil, and honey. It’s fluffy, perfectly sweet, and just so delicious!
I made this classic cake for mother-in-law’s birthday this year, because it’s one of her favorites. But you know me, I had to tweak the recipe a bit to make my own version! It’s low in refined sugar, higher in protein, and the cake itself is perfectly sweetened using only honey. I also added Greek yogurt to give the cake a dense, fluffy texture, as well as some added protein! Lastly, I opted for extra virgin olive oil instead of canola oil to add some antioxidants and healthy fats.
Don’t worry though, it doesn’t taste “healthy.” The pineapple slices and brown sugar caramelize together during the baking process, and that sugary goodness drip into the cake when you flip it over to serve. It’s just the right amount of sweet, fruity, and tangy.
This cake truly hits the mark that every cake should – it’s dense, fluffy, sweet, and flavorful. You’re going to love it!
Healthy Pineapple Upside Down Cake
Equipment
- 9" round cake pan
Ingredients
Topping
- ¼ cup salted butter, melted
- ¼ cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1 can pineapple slices, drained
Wet Ingredients
- ⅓ cup plain, full-fat Greek yogurt, I like Fage
- ¼ cup whole milk
- ¼ cup olive oil, extra virgin
- ⅓ cup honey
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 2 eggs, whisked
Dry Ingredients
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ginger
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- In your 9" cake pan, pour melted butter. Tilt the pan to spread it evenly across the bottom of the pan. Pour in brown sugar and spread evenly over the butter. Lastly, arrange pineapple slices over the brown sugar. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together wet ingredients.
- In a medium bowl, combine dry ingredients. Add dry ingredients to wet and mix until just combined.
- Pour batter over the pineapple-lined cake pan. Smooth the top. Bake for 30 minutes, then cover top loosely with foil and bake for 10-15 more minutes (or until a toothpick comes out clean.)
- Loosen the sides of the cake from the pan with a knife. Invert cake onto plate or serving platter and let stand five minutes. Carefully lift the pan off the cake. Allow to cool completely, then enjoy! Store in the fridge.
Notes
- If you’re not serving it immediately, let cool completely then store in the fridge for 3-4 days!