Pineapple Upside Down Mug Cake

Pineapple Upside Down Mug Cake creates individual servings of moist yellow cake topped with pineapple slices, maraschino cherries, and melted brown sugar, just like the baked cake, but this quick and easy dessert is ready in just one microwave minute.

Why you'll love this recipe

• The shelf stable ingredients can be packed in a care package so that the care package recipient can enjoy making and eating fresh and warm microwave mug cakes.
• These little microwave cakes taste just like the baked version of Pineapple Upside Down Cake, complete with a melted brown sugar topping, pineapple ring, and maraschino cherries.
• Microwave mug cakes are the perfect treat for late night sweet cravings, portion control, and dorm or barracks living.

Combining a flavored cake mix with angel food cake mix is the secret to quickly and easily making all of the cake mix mug cake recipes on The Monday Box.

In order to create an upside down cake, there are a couple of extra steps to making this dessert that are different from regular Pineapple Mug Cake or Pina Colada Mug Cake.

Usually when making mug cakes, the batter is mixed in the same mug in which it is cooked. For this cake, the brown sugar, pineapple, and cherries are positioned at the bottom of the cooking bowl, and the cake mixture batter is mixed in a separate bowl, then poured on top.

Once the mug cake is cooked, instead of eating the cake straight out of the mug/bowl in which it’s cooked, this recipe suggests turning the cake out of the mug/bowl onto a plate for a real upside down cake experience.

Ingredients

Instructions

This is an overview of the instructions. The full instructions are in the recipe card below.

1. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of brown sugar at the bottom of a mug or small bowl coated with cooking spray.
2. Place 1 pineapple ring on top of the brown sugar and 2 cherries in the hole of the ring.
3. In a separate mug/bowl, stir together 3 tablespoons of cake mix, 2 tablespoons of water, and 1 tablespoon pineapple syrup/topping. Pour batter into the prepared mug on top of the pineapple.
4. Place the mug onto a small plate to catch any possible overflow drips and microwave on high for 1 minute.
5. Immediately upon removing from the microwave, run a knife gently around the sides of the bowl to loosen the cake from the bowl. Dump the cake onto a plate and eat immediately.

Storage

Microwave mug cakes are intended to be eaten immediately after cooking. Make only the amount of cakes needed right away. Stored mug cakes have an unappealing texture.

Tips

• Pineapple Upside Down Mug Cakes can be made in mugs or in the little cardboard snack bowls found in the dollar bin or party aisle at Target. Small microwaveable dessert bowls work too.
• Placing the bowl or mug on a plate for microwaving is important , just in case there is any overflow while cooking.
• Be sure to run a butter knife all the way around the sides of the cake immediately after zapping so that the cake doesn’t stick to the bowl when turned over.
• Use the pineapple topping (not syrup) found in the ice cream or baking aisle or use pineapple jam. Bon Maman brand makes a pineapple-passion fruit jam that works well in this recipe.

Related recipes

This Cake Mix Mug Cake recipe is the place to start. Get all the tips and tricks for creating mug cakes in all of your favorite flavors with this easy recipe.

Orange Mug Cake glistens with orange marmalade on top and inside.

Coconut and marshmallow are a tasty combination in Coconut Snowball Mug Cake.

Do you love the flavor of Biscoff cookies? Wait until you try a Biscoff Mug Cake! This microwave cake has cookie butter and bits of Biscoff cookies.

Hot Chocolate Mug Cake is rich, chocolaty, and topped with marshmallow.

Microwave Peach Cobbler, has sweet peaches peeking out of the crunchy biscuit dough. Make this mug cake with fresh peaches or shelf stable canned peaches or pie filling.

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Pineapple Upside Down Cake in a Mug

These fluffy, vanilla microwave mug cakes are topped with a slice of pineapple and a maraschino cherry. Ready to eat in one minute!

5 from 1 vote

Pin Recipe Print Rate

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 2 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 1 minute minute

Total Time: 3 minutes minutes

Servings: 24

Calories: 147kcal

Author: Wendy Sondov

Ingredients

• 1 box Angel Food Cake mix
• 1 box yellow cake mix
• Non-stick spray if not using disposable cups and not shipping by air
• Water
• 1 jar pineapple ice cream topping or pineapple jam
• 1 bag brown sugar
• 2 jars maraschino cherries
• 2 20 oz. cans pineapple rings 10 rings in each can, packed in pineapple juice, drained

Instructions

• In a gallon sized ziplock bag, combine the two boxes of cake mix. Shake the bag to mix thoroughly.
• Lightly coat the inside of a small microwaveable bowl with nonstick spray or use a disposable microwave safe paper snack cup. (Without the spray the bowl is harder to clean.)
• Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of brown sugar at the bottom of the cup/bowl.
• Place 1 pineapple ring on top of the brown sugar and 2 cherries in the hole of the ring.
• (Here comes the 3-2-1 part) In a separate mug/bowl, stir together 3 tablespoons of cake mix, 2 tablespoons of water, and 1 tablespoon pineapple syrup/topping . Mix to combine thoroughly.
• Pour the batter into the prepared cooking bowl on top of the pineapple.
• Place the bowl on a small plate to catch any possible overflow drips and microwave on high for 1 minute.
• Immediately upon removing from the microwave, run a knife gently around the sides of the bowl to loosen the cake from the bowl.
• Dump the cake onto a plate and eat immediately.

Notes

• Use mugs or in the little cardboard snack bowls found in the dollar bin or party aisle at Target. Small microwaveable dessert bowls work too.
• Be sure to run a butter knife all the way around the sides of the cake immediately after zapping so that the cake doesn’t stick to the bowl when turned over.
• Use the pineapple topping (not syrup) found in the ice cream or baking aisle or use pineapple jam. Bon Maman brand makes a pineapple- passion fruit jam that works well in this recipe

Packing tips

• Combine the two cake mixes into a labeled gallon-size ziplock bag.
• Include a measuring spoon, a bag of brown sugar, pineapple rings packed in juice, a jar of maraschino cherries, and a jar of pineapple ice cream topping.
• Include microwave safe paper snack cups/bowls, small paper plates, and plastic spoons.

Nutrition

Calories: 147kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 304mg | Potassium: 77mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 1IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 56mg | Iron: 1mg

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First Published: May 25, 2016. Last Updated: January 24, 2025. Updated for additional information and better reader experience.

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