I continue to focus on national food holidays more than usual these days. A fact that has brought a little annoyance to Son. In fact, he told me he didn’t want to hear about food holidays anymore. LOL Nevertheless I persist. Seizing on days like National Pineapple Upside Down Cake Day tomorrow is a way to bring some focus and happiness to the day plus it makes the day even more special. No, it’s not just another day after all. And judging by all the gluten-free Pineapple Upside Down Cake recipes that Iβve found on gluten-free friendsβ blogs—and the brand new recipes I’ve just discovered!—thatβs a day that many of you are thrilled to celebrate!
I love that this Pineapple Upside Down Cake recipe collection is more than simply Pineapple Upside Down Cake recipes. There are also more treats for us pineapple lovers. Treats like dump cake, cupcakes, pancakes, muffins, and even a cocktail recipe! I’ll admit that I especially love that last one. Slurp.
As always, I have each recipe labeled—gluten free, grain free, dairy free, egg free, sugar free, paleo, etc.—to let you know if it will fit your personal dietary restrictions or your momentary ingredient needs (or lack thereof).
Gluten-Free Pineapple Upside Down Cake Recipes
~ Grain-Free Pineapple Upside Down Cake from A Girl Worth Saving ~ gluten free, grain free, refined sugar free, with dairy-free, paleo, primal options (For more recipes like this one, be sure to check out Kelly’s cookbook, Paleo Eats: 111 Comforting Gluten-Free, Grain-Free and Dairy-Free Recipes for the Foodie in You.)
~ Instant Pot Pineapple Upside Down Cake from Better Better ~ gluten free, vegetarian, with dairy-free, egg-free options
Gluten-Free Instant Pot Pineapple Upside Down Cake from Better Batter
~ Masa Pineapple Upside Down Cake from Skinny GF Chef ~ gluten free, refined sugar free, vegetarian, with dairy-free options
Gluten-Free Almond Masa Pineapple Upside Down Cake from Skinny GF Chef
~ Mini Pineapple Upside Down Cakes from Cook IT Allergy Free (this site is no longer active so I’ve included the link via the Wayback Machine internet archive) ~ gluten free with dairy-free, egg-free, refined sugar-free, vegan options
~ Pineapple Upside Down Cake from All Day I Dream About Food ~ gluten free, grain free, vegetarian, low-carb (You’ll want to check out all of Carolyn’s gluten-free, low-carb, keto cookbooks.)
~ Pineapple Upside Down Cake from And Love It, Too! ~ gluten free, grain free, dairy free, refined sugar free, vegetarian, paleo, primal
~ Pineapple Upside Down Cake from As Delicious As It Looks ~ gluten free, vegetarian, Low-FODMAP
~ Pineapple Upside Down Cake from Faithfully Gluten Free ~ gluten free, vegetarian (Jeanine is the author of The Everything Guide to Living Gluten-Free: The Ultimate Cooking, Diet, and Lifestyle Guide for Gluten-Free Families!)
~ Pineapple Upside Down Cake from Flippin’ Delicious ~ gluten free, with dairy-free option
~ Pineapple Upside Down Cake from Mama Knows Gluten Free ~ gluten free, vegetarian, with dairy-free option
~ Pineapple Upside Down Cake from Better Batter ~ gluten free, egg free, vegetarian (Note: Better Batter makes a very popular gluten-free all-purpose flour mix.)
~ Pineapple Upside Down Cake from Better Batter ~ gluten free, with dairy-free option
Gluten-Free Pineapple Upside Down Cake from Better Batter
~ Pineapple Upside Down Cakes from Fearless Dining ~ gluten free, dairy free, vegetarian
~ Pineapple Upside Down Cake from GF Jules ~ gluten free, vegetarian, with dairy-free options (Jules has her own gluten-free flour mix, baking mixes, and more. They’re quite popular in the gf community! Click the cake link and you’ll find links to them all. Jules is also the author of several highly regarded books—including Free for All Cooking: 150 Easy Gluten-Free, Allergy-Friendly Recipes the Whole Family Can Enjoy and The First Year: Celiac Disease and Living Gluten-Free: An Essential Guide for the Newly Diagnosed.)
~ Pineapple Upside Down Cake from Lynnβs Kitchen Adventures ~ gluten free, vegetarian
~ Pineapple Upside Down Cake from Real Everything ~ gluten free, grain free, dairy free, refined sugar free, vegetarian, paleo, primal (Stacy and Matt have several outstanding cookbooks that make living paleo and/or eating real food easier and more delicious.)
~ Gluten-Free Pineapple Upside Down Cupcakes with Maraschino Cherry Frosting from Mama Knows Gluten Free ~ gluten free, egg free, vegetarian
Gluten-Free Pineapple Upside Down Cupcakes with Maraschino Cherry Frosting from Mama Knows Gluten Free
~ Pineapple Upside Down Cake Donut Holes from In Johnnaβs Kitchen ~ gluten free, grain free, dairy free, egg free, vegan, raw, paleo, primal
~ Pineapple Upside Down Martinis from Delicious As It Looks ~ gluten free, dairy free, egg free, vegan (Dianne is the author of The Low-FODMAP Cookbook: 100 Delicious, Gut-Friendly Recipes for IBS and other Digestive Disorders.)
~ Pineapple Upside Down Pancakes from Chocolate Covered Katie ~ gluten free (use gluten-free options), dairy free, egg free, vegan, with refined sugar-free and sugar-free options (Katie is the author of Chocolate-Covered Katie: Over 80 Delicious Recipes That Are Secretly Good for You.)
More Gluten-Free Pineapple Dessert Recipes
~ Cherry Pineapple Dump Cake from Go Dairy Free ~ gluten free (use gluten-free option), dairy free, vegetarian (Alisa is the author of Go Dairy Free: The Guide and Cookbook for Milk Allergies, Lactose Intolerance, and Casein-Free Living. See all her books here.)
~ Deep-Fried Pineapple on a Stick from Better Batter ~ gluten free, dairy free, egg free, vegan (This recipe is another example of how well Batter Batter’s gluten-free flour mix works.)
~ Hummingbird Bundt Cake from Premeditated Leftovers ~ gluten free, vegetarian (Alea is the author of the super helpful Prep-Ahead Meals from Scratch: Quick and Easy Batch Cooking Techniques and Recipes That Save You Time and Money and Prep-Ahead Breakfasts and Lunches: 75 No-Fuss Recipes to Save You Time and Money.)
~ Hummingbird Muffins in the Instant Pot from In Johnna’s Kitchen ~ gluten free, dairy free, with egg-free, vegan option
~ Mini Pineapple Layer Cake with Maple Coconut Whipped Cream Frosting from Gluten Free Easily ~ gluten free, dairy free, vegetarian
~ Pina Colada Cake from The Non-Dairy Queen ~ gluten free, dairy free, vegetarian
~ Pineapple Coconut Ice Cream from Paleo Spirit ~ gluten free, grain free, dairy free, paleo, primal (Lea is the author of Sweet Paleo: Gluten-Free, Grain-Free Delights.)
~ Pineapple Flower Cupcakes from Spabettie ~ gluten free, dairy free, egg free, vegan (You can find more of Kristina’s recipes in these cookbooks.)
~ Pineapple Upside Down Cupcakes from Better Batter ~ gluten free, vegetarian
Gluten-Free Pineapple Upside Down Cupcakes from Better Batter
Tropical Breakfast Muffins from Zenbelly ~ gluten free, grain free, dairy free, refined sugar free, vegetarian, paleo, primal (Simone is the author of several excellent, best-selling grain-free cookbooks. See them all here.)
Originally published April 12, 2016; updated April 22, 2023.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
Pineapple just SCREAMS summer for me!
Shirley says
Rebecca–That’s so true!! π
Shirley
Amanda Paa says
so much pineapple goodness! i have to say, i’m drawn to both the Hummingbird Cake and the Pina Colada one. Yum. and pineapple adds such moist qualities to baked goods too!
Shirley says
Amanda–I understand being drawn to those particular cakes! And you’re so right that pineapple is wonderful in baked goods. π
Thanks for commenting!
Shirley
Ali the Skinny GF Chef says
Yum! They all look delicious! Thank you so much Shirley for adding my Gluten Free Almond Masa Pineapple Upside Down Cake to this incredible lineup. I love anything with pineapple and that cherry dump cake is calling my name! Sharing with all my media. hugs!
Shirley says
They really do all look delicious, don’t they, Ali? That includes your Almond Masa Pineapple Upside Down Cake, of course! We could have some fun working through all the recipes that appeal to us on this list, right? π
Thanks for the sharing, dear! π
Shirley
jules says
Thank you so much for sharing my recipe, Shirley! It’s a winner, but so many of these look amazing! Now you’ve put me in the mood … for pineapple upside-down cake, of course! π
xoxo
~jules
Shirley says
My pleasure, Jules! The power of suggestion comes even more easily when you’re looking at a big roundup of delightful pineapple upside down cakes. π
xoxo,
Shirley
Sharon @ What The Fork Food Blog says
Thanks for including me in the roundup Shirley!
Shirley says
Sharon–So happy to include your beautiful recipe! Glad you posted it while so many are looking at this roundup. π
Shirley
Alisa @ Go Dairy Free says
Thanks so much for the inclusion Shirley! I’ve SO got pineapple upside down cake on the brain now!
Shirley says
Alisa–Hehe. Seems like this roundup is having that effect on everyone! π That Cherry Pineapple Dump Cake is sooo irresistible. π
Shirley
Audrey @ Unconventional Baker says
Oh, wow. I love all of these cakes — pineapple upside down is so good. And I must say I’m absolutely smitten with the one from A Girl Worth Saving — what a stunner! <3
Shirley says
I love them, too, Audrey! So many beauties and you’re right, of course … Kelly’s is a stunner! π
Shirley
Sheena @ Tea and Biscuits says
Oh my, what a fabulous list of cakes and goodies! I’m off to investigate the dairy free ice cream. I’m ashamed to say that I have the ice cream attachment for my kitchen aid gathering dust in the back of the pantry somewhere, I really need to put it to good use.
Shirley says
Hi Sheena!–Thanks! Yes, so many delightful recipes here from these amazing contributors. I’m sure that ice cream recipe is terrific as well. I love homemade dairy-free ice cream so I encourage you to dust off your attachment and make some recipes soon. It’s really fun to create delicious ice cream recipes and actually quite easy, too. π
Shirley
Ina Gawne says
Oh my goodness Shirley….all of these recipes have me drooling! So scrumptious…I am always on the hunt for great cake recipes so must try one or many of these recipes down the road. If only there were 72 hours in a day!
Shirley Braden says
Ina–There are some delicious beauties here for sure! π Oh, yes, 72 hours in every day would come in handy, but we’d all soon be super “burned out” if that happened. π
Shirley
Sarah || Celiac in the City says
Would the pina colada cake with the pineapple coconut ice cream seem a bit much?! I think not! YUM! Great round up. (literally) Adding to to my to-do list!
Shirley Braden says
Ha! I will join you on having a slice of pina colada cake with a scoop of pineapple coconut ice cream on top, Sarah. π Only then can we adequately determine if it’s too much. π Thanks for taking the time to comment and for sharing in your weekly Celiac in the City To Do List, dear!
Shirley
Sarah || Celiac in the City says
Yes. We’d be researching. Very legit. ?
Shirley Braden says
You bet!! π
Heather says
Wow! Now I’m craving pineapple AND summer vacation!
Shirley Braden says
Now that does sound like an ideal combo, doesn’t it, Heather? π Thanks for stopping by! So happy to see you blogging again at Gluten-Free Cat! π
Shirley
Raia says
I don’t think I’ve ever had pineapple upside down cake before, but some of those sure do look delicious. And that ice cream…. Definitely trying that! π
Thanks for sharing these with us at Savoring Saturdays! π
Shirley Braden says
They are beautiful, aren’t they, Raia? Ice cream, cupcakes, and that martini all sound good to me! π
Shirley
April J Harris says
I haven’t had Pineapple Upside Down Cake in such a long time! It’s definitely one of my favourites – and what a great collection of recipes to try! I also really like the look of the Pineapple Upside Down Martini π Thank you so much for sharing with the Hearth and Soul Hop.
Shirley Braden says
Thanks on all, April! I am glad you agree that pineapple upside down cakes are definitely winners. So pretty and so delicious! I so love that martini–so creative, so good!
Shirley
judee@glutenfree A-Z Blog says
Shirley,
I’ve never made any kind of upside down cake before. As I may have mentioned , I’m not much of a baker- but with all these wonderful gluten free choices, I might just pick an easy one and give it a try!
Judee says
Wow Shirley,
Everything looks so good. It’s good to know that when I am looking for a gluten free bread or dessert recipe, I can usually find something wonderful on your blog.. You are a valuable resource for those of us who are gluten free.Thanks !
Shirley Braden says
Hi Judee–Thanks so much for the kind words! Pineapple upside down cake seems to be a favorite of so many. It’s fun to have all these recipes and even non-cake treats! π
Shirley
Nancy says
Shirley, Respectfully disagree with Son. Love the national food holiday posts! Guess Iβm intrigued that they even exist. Thinking pineapple upside down cake would be a great 4th of July idea. Havenβt made one in ages. Thanks. Nancy
Shirley Braden says
Thank you, Nancy!! The national food holidays keep me going and usually give me a kick in the butt when I need it most. π I vaguely knew about them before starting blogging but really started paying attention once I did. And pineapple upside down cake for the 4th sounds perfect. Lots of great choices here!
Shirley
Nancy says
I can certainly relate a tiny bit. I do only a fraction of what you do. After more than 10 years of blogging, Iβm sure the national food days provide a fun inspiration for you! Nancy
Shirley Braden says
I never lack inspiration, Nancy … just motivation. π
Lisa says
I haven’t had pineapple upside down cake in ages, but the thought does stir up old memories. When I was a kid, a family friend would often make them when we went to her family’s house and they were so good! And I’m not quite sure why she did it, but when my mom made tuna casserole, she would often make pineapple muffins. So good too!
Shirley Braden says
Hey Lisa!–Pineapple upside down cake is one of those desserts that I think about far more often than I actually have it. π I love your memories, especially that your mom always made pineapple muffins when she made tuna casserole. Sometimes we happen to make a dessert to “accompany” a main dish and then every time we make that main dish, we think of the dessert again so we make it. And a tradition is born. π Congrats again on your 15th blogging anniversary, dear! Simply amazing! Blogging has changed so much during that time but you’ve stayed true to yourself and kept yours simple and YOU. Bravo!
Shirley