Piña Colada Upside Down Cake #SundaySupper

Looking for a luscious dessert that tastes as good as it smells while baking?  With this Piña Colada Upside Down Cake, you will feel like you have been transported to a tropical local.  Flip flops not required to enjoy.

This cake uses regular boxed cake mix but then it is given an ‘island vibe’ by using Coconut Crème Jell-O Pudding mix and pineapple juice instead of oil.  

While baking it makes your home smell like coconut and pineapple. There’s nothing like the wonderful smells of coconut and pineapple wafting through your home while this cake bakes.  

How to make a tropical twist on upside down cake:

To start, grease two 8″x8″ pans to make 2 cakes. 

*Why did you choose to make 2 cakes? I wanted to send over the second one to my in-laws as a ‘Thank you’ for all the help they did on our new back deck.  Feel free to make this in one pan only using baking directions according to the type of boxed cake mix you use. Using two pans also makes the process of ‘turning the cake upside down’ easier.

In the bottom of your greased pan pour the 1/2 cup of melted butter, dividing into each pan if you’re making 2 cakes.  Then add your brown sugar again dividing if making 2 cakes. 

Drain the pineapple into another bowl so that you can make sure you reserve the liquid to use for the cake mix. Now add the pineapple to the pans. 

Sprinkle the coconut and place cherries on top of the butter and brown sugar mix.

For the cake batter to a bowl add the cake mix, Jell-O pudding, eggs, milk, and reserved pineapple juice.  Mix with an electric mixer until well combined, 3-5 minutes or so. 

*TIP for skipping the oil in boxed cake mixes: Using the reserved pineapple juice eliminates the need for oil that is normally required to make cake mix from the box.

Pour batter over the top of your delicious pineapple and coconut.

Bake for 34 minutes at 350 degrees or according to the directions on the cake mix for the type of dish you are using. Once the cake has cooled, place a plate inverted on top of the pan. Flip plate over. When the pan is removed you should now have the pineapple & coconut mixture facing up.

Cut the cake and serve with generous portions of whipped cream. And here you are…..

From our home in the Bottom Left of the Mitten to yours ~ Enjoy!

Piña Colada Upside Down Cake

The smell of this Piña Colada Upside Down Cake baking will make your feel like you’ve been transported to the tropics. Flip flops not required to enjoy.

4.84 from 6 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Dessert

Keyword: dessert

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 34 minutes minutes

Servings: 8 slices

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 20 ounce can crushed pineapple drained, save 1/3 cup juice for cake mix)
• 1/2 cup Maraschino cherries
• 1 cup flaked coconut, sweetened
• 1 box classic white cake mix
• 1 cup whole milk
• 3.4 ounce pkg Coconut Creme Jello-O pudding
• 1/3 cup pineapple juice reserved from crushed pineapple
• 3 eggs
• Whipped Cream for topping

Instructions

• Grease two 8"x8" pans to make 2 cakes.
• In the bottom of your greased pan pour the 1/2 cup of melted butter, dividing into each pan if you're making 2 cakes. Then add your brown sugar again dividing if making 2 cakes.
• Drain the pineapple into another bowl so that you can make sure you reserve the liquid to use for the cake mix. Now add the pineapple to the pans.
• Sprinkle the coconut and place cherries on top of the butter and brown sugar mix.
• For the cake batter to a bowl add the cake mix, Jell-O pudding, eggs, milk, and reserved pineapple juice. Mix with an electric mixer until well combined, 3-5 minutes or so.
• Pour batter over the top of your delicious pineapple and coconut.
• Bake for 34 minutes at 350 degrees or according to the directions on the cake mix for the type of dish you are using.
• When the cake has baked, let cool compeltley.
• Once the cake has cooled, place a plate inverted on top of the pan. Flip plate over. When the pan is removed you should now have the pineapple & coconut mixture facing up.
• Cut the cake and serve with whipped cream.

Tried this recipe?Mention @mittenmommy or tag #mittenmovienight!

Originally published in July of 2016. Updated photos & recipe May of 2020.

Great Starts

• Coconut Granola Bowla by Family Foodie
• Gluten Free Coconut French Toast by Gluten Free Crumbley
• Make Ahead Healthy Piña Colada Breakfast Parfait by Easy Cooking with Molly
• Piña Colada Granola (grain free) by My Life Cookbook
• Piña Colada Nut Bread by Where Latin Meets Lagniappe
• Piña Colada Overnight Oats by Take A Bite Out of Boca
• Piña Colada Pancakes by Dizzy Busy and Hungry

Dive in with Sides and Appetizers

• Easy Piña Colada Salad by April Golightly
• Piña Colada Coleslaw by Culinary Adventures with Camilla

Coco-Nutty Main Dishes

• Chickpea Potato Curry by Sunday Supper Movement
• Piña Colada Chicken and Rice by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
• Piña Colada Chicken Skewers by The Crumby Cupcake
• Pineapple Barbecue Chops with Colada Slaw by A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
• Slow Cooker Pineapple Chicken Curry by Caroline’s Cooking

“Col-lots-a” Desserts

• Coconut Pound Cake by Cosmopolitan Cornbread
• Cookies and Coconut Cream Popsicles by Books n’ Cooks
• Creamy Dairy-Free Vegan Coconut Ice Cream by Positively Stacey
• Easy Piña Colada Fudge by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
• Easy Piña Colada Poke Cake by Crazed Mom
• Homemade Samoas by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• How to make a Piña Colada Flan by Asian In America
• Island Breeze Piña Colada Panna Cotta by The Weekend Gourmet
• Kheer by What Smells So Good?
• Mini Roasted Blueberry and Coconut Cream Trifles by Cupcakes & Kale Chips
• Piña Colada Bars by Dessert Geek
• Piña Colada Cream Pie by Cookin’ Mimi
• Piña Colada Cupcakes by The Redhead Baker
• Piña Colada Energy Balls by Wholistic Woman
• Piña Colada Ice Cream by Palatable Pastime
• Piña Colada Rice Pudding by Hardly A Goddess
• Piña Colada Trifle by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Piña Colada Upside Down Cake by Bottom Left of the Mitten
• Pineapple Coconut Pudding by Magnolia Days
• Samoa Smacky Delicious Mix by Cooking With Carlee
• Toasted Coconut Sour Cherry Sundae by Pies and Plots
• Tropical Fruit Cups by The Freshman Cook

Sweet to Sip Beverages

• Boozy Coconut & Caramel Milkshakes by Momma’s Meals
• Coconut Banana Rum Smoothie by Desserts Required
• Coquito by Monica’s Table
• Lime Coconut Lassi by Food Lust People Love
• Piña Colada Freeze by Grumpy’s Honeybunch
• Piña Colada Smoothie by A Mind Full Mom
• Spiced Piña Colada by Family Around the Table

Last Updated on July 2, 2021 by Erin@BottomLeftoftheMitten