Gluten-Free Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

Gluten-free pineapple upside-down cake with a hint of sweet vermouth and star anise is a tasty twist on the traditional recipe.

• Preparation Time: 15 mins
• Cooking Time: 1 hr 5 mins
• Total Time: 1 hr 20 mins
• Calories: 524 Calories

Ingredients

• ½ cup butter
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• ½ cup melted butter
• 3 large eggs
• 1 ½ cups brown sugar
• ½ cup pineapple juice
• ¼ cup sweet vermouth
• ½ (14 ounce) can pitted dark sweet cherries, drained and halved
• 1 (20 ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained well and juice reserved
• 1 teaspoon ground star anise
• 1 (19 ounce) package gluten-free vanilla cake mix

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).

Step 2

Combine brown sugar, 1/2 cup butter, and sweet vermouth in a saucepan over low heat; cook and stir until sugar is dissolved, about 5 minutes.

Step 3

Arrange cherries and spoon pineapple into the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish. Pour brown sugar mixture over fruit.

Step 4

Beat eggs in a bowl using an electric mixer on medium-low speed until smooth. Add 1/2 cup melted butter, pineapple juice, vanilla extract, and star anise to eggs; beat on medium-low speed until well combined, about 1 minute. Gradually add cake mix, about 1/2 cup at a time, to egg mixture, scraping sides of bowl with a spatula until batter is smooth and fluffy. Pour batter over fruit mixture until evenly spread in dish.

Step 5

Bake in the preheated oven until cake is golden brown and completely set in the middle, about 1 hour. Cool cake for 15 minutes in the dish. Run a knife along the edge of the cake to loosen. Place a platter over the cake and flip cake onto platter.