Pineapple Upside Down Cheesecake Recipe
This ultra smooth and creamy cheesecake is delicately flavored with pineapple and topped with gooey brown sugared pineapple rings, sweet maraschino cherries, and a sticky graham cracker crust.
Servings: 10 slices
Ingredients
PINEAPPLE LAYER
- 6 Tablespoons (85g) unsalted butter melted and divided
- ½ cup (100g) firmly packed light brown sugar
- 7 canned pineapple slices patted dry; reserve the juice1
- 18 maraschino cherries
- 1 cup (112g) graham cracker crumbs approximately 8-10 full rectangles
- 2 Tablespoons (25g) granulated sugar
CHEESECAKE
- 32 ounces (900g) full fat block cream cheese completely softened to room temperature2
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 8 ounces (226g) full fat sour cream about 1 scant cup; at room temperature2
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
- 4 large eggs at room temperature2
- ¼ cup (60mL) pineapple juice reserved from the pineapple layer; room temperature2
Instructions
PINEAPPLE LAYER
- Preheat the oven to 325ºF (162ºC). Line the bottom of a 9" springform pan or my very favorite Fat Daddio's cheesecake pan with parchment paper then lightly spray with nonstick spray. Set aside.
- Pour 3 Tablespoons of the melted butter into a small bowl, then add the brown sugar. Stir to combine and saturate the sugar, then spread this mixture evenly in the bottom of the pan.6 Tablespoons (85g) unsalted butter, ½ cup (100g) firmly packed light brown sugar
- Arrange the dry pineapple slices evenly on top of the brown sugar mixture, placing one in the center of the pan and the remaining 6 around it. Place a cherry in each open space. Set aside.7 canned pineapple slices, 18 maraschino cherries
- In a small bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, granulated sugar, and remaining 3 Tablespoons of melted butter. Stir to fully saturate the mixture, then spread evenly on top of the pineapple slices, then press down gently. Set aside.1 cup (112g) graham cracker crumbs, 2 Tablespoons (25g) granulated sugar, 6 Tablespoons (85g) unsalted butter
CHEESECAKE
- In a large bowl with a handheld mixer or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese on medium high speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add the granulated sugar then beat again until combined, about another 2 minutes.32 ounces (900g) full fat block cream cheese, 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- Reduce the mixer speed to low3, then add the sour cream and vanilla and mix until completely combined.8 ounces (226g) full fat sour cream, 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
- Add the eggs one at a time, mixing on low after the addition of each egg and adding the next just after the previous egg starts to incorporate, and continue mixing until there are no more yellow yolk streaks.4 large eggs
- Lastly, add ¼ cup of the reserved pineapple juice to the filling and mix again on low to combine.
- Use a large spatula to carefully fold the batter together, scraping the bottom of the bowl and the sides to gather any extra batter that may not be fully incorporated. Sometimes I need to use the mixer again, but be sure to keep it on low. Your batter should be smooth and creamy without lumps.
- Pour the batter onto the pineapple/graham cracker layer. Create a water bath4 by placing the 9" springform pan in a slightly larger round pan (I like to use a 10" cake pan) and then place that pan into an even larger round pan (I like to use a 12" cake pan) or roasting pan.
- Fill the outer pan with hot water halfway up the sides of the middle pan, then carefully transfer the whole thing to the oven. You can also assemble the pans in the oven, but work quickly so as not to let too much hot air out of the oven.
- Bake the cheesecake for 1 hour 20 minutes to 1 hour 45 minutes. The middle of the cheesecake (a center approximately 2" wide) should jiggle just a little bit. I use my digital instant-read thermometer to check the internal temperature has reached 145ºF (63ºC). Turn the oven off5 and allow the cheesecake to cool in the oven for 1 hour. After 1 hour, remove the springform pan from all of the other pans and allow to cool on a cooling rack for another 2 hours. When the cheesecake is completely cool, cover or wrap tightly and allow to chill in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours, ideally overnight.
- To plate the cheesecake, remove the sides of the platform or springform pan. Place a serving plate on top of the cheesecake (which will become the bottom) and carefully invert the cake and the pan. Remove the bottom of the pan then slowly and carefully peel back the parchment paper. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 5 days. Cheesecake freezes well, up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
Video
Notes
- Pineapple juice: you will need ¼ cup of reserved pineapple juice for the filling. Make sure this is at room temperature.
- Room temperature: I cannot stress enough how important it is to have completely room temperature ingredients. This will insure you have the smoothest batter possible. I like to let my ingredients sit out at least 1 hour and sometimes closer to 2 hours before starting my recipe.
- Mixer speed: it's important not to go above low (or low-medium) speed after you've beaten the cream cheese. Incorporating too much air will create bubbles and potential cracks in your finished cheesecake.
- Water bath pans: here is a bundle that includes all the pans I use. Using this method eliminates the need to wrap anything in foil.
- Cool the cheesecake: I like to prop the oven door open with a wooden spoon or spatula.
- Make a smaller cheesecake: you can make this exact cheesecake recipe in a 6" springform pan or 7.5" springform pan. Simply halve the recipe (for the pineapple layer and the filling, though you may have to get creative with the pineapple rings). Bake time will be about 60-70 minutes. You can reduce the sizes of the water bath pans to 8" round and 10" round sizes or use the same ones I have linked here.
- Make in the Instant Pot: you can make this exact cheesecake in a smaller size with my Instant Pot cheesecake recipe.
Did you make this recipe?Mention @freshaprilflours on Instagram or tag #freshaprilflours!
Nutrition Disclosure
All nutritional values are approximate and provided to the reader as a courtesy. Changing ingredients and/or quantities will alter the estimated nutritional calculations.
Serving: 1slice | Calories: 434kcal | Carbohydrates: 57g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 143mg | Sodium: 767mg | Potassium: 420mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 44g | Vitamin A: 4328IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 378mg | Iron: 2mg
