Upside Down Cake, Pudding, and Halwa: Our Favorite Must-Try Pineapple Desserts

Fruits play a generous role in desserts, and pineapples, with their tropical and delightfully tangy flavor, are excellent additions to a wide range of sweet dishes. From cakes and tarts to fruit salads, puddings, and even halwa, pineapples bring a unique twist to your dessert repertoire. Beyond their delicious taste, pineapples boast health benefits, containing vitamin C, manganese, and enzymes that may help with digestion and may also boost your immunity. If you're looking to add vibrancy to your desserts, consider making these delightful pineapple creations:

Pineapple Upside Down Cake

Ingredients:

• ½ cup room temperature salted butter
• ¾ cup brown sugar
• 1 can of pineapple slices; you can also use chunks
• Juice from the can
• 12-15 maraschino cherries without stems
• 1 box of vanilla cake mix
• Vegetable oil
• 1 egg

Instructions:

• Preheat the oven to 350 F.
• Melt all of the butter in the oven and then sprinkle the brown sugar.
• Place the pineapple slices and the cherries on top.
• Drown them in the pineapple juice.
• Then prepare the box mix as per the label’s instructions and pour it on top of the pineapple and cherries.
• Bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
• Cool and invert on a plate and serve.

Bakery Style Pineapple Cake/Pastry

Ingredients:

• 1 box of vanilla cake mix
• Vegetable oil or softened butter
• 1 egg
• ½ can pineapple chunks
• 2-3 tbsp pineapple juice from the can
• 5-6 fresh cherries to decorate
• 1 ½ cup whipping cream
• 3 tbsp icing sugar

Instructions:

• Preheat the oven to 320-350 F. Grease your cake tin.
• Prepare the vanilla cake mix according to the instructions on the box.
• Bake at 350 F for 20 minutes.
• As the cake bakes, whip the cream with the sugar.
• Take the cake out and let it cool then soak it in the pineapple juice.
• Now cut the cake into two even layers and spread the the whipped cream on them
• Generously place the pineapple chunks on the bottom layer and sandwich with the top layer.
• Cover this with the remaining whipped cream. It’s okay if you cannot do a perfect job.
• Decorate with cherries and chill before serving.

Pineapple Bread Pudding

Ingredients:

• 10 slices white bread
• ½ cup melted butter
• 5 eggs
• 1 can of pineapple chunks (crush them)
• 1 cup white sugar
• ½ tsp vanilla essence

Instructions:

• Preheat your oven to 375°F. Whisk together eggs, sugar, pineapple, vanilla, and butter.
• Also, grease your baking dish with butter or oil.
• Tear the bread into chunks and combine it with the beaten eggs and sugar mixture.
• Transfer the mixture into a baking tray and bake for about half an hour or until the top turns golden brown.
• Serve with vanilla ice cream.

Pineapple Watermelon Popsicle

Ingredients:

• 2 cups cups pineapple
• 1 ½ cups fresh watermelon
• 2-3 tbsp maple syrup (optional)
• 5-6 fresh mint leaves

Instructions:

• Blend all of the above mentioned ingredients till there are no chunks left. No need to strain this mixture because you want fiber of the fruit present.
• Pour into popsicle molds and freeze overnight.
• Run the molds under lukewarm water to loosen them, and enjoy.

Pineapple Halwa (also known as Pineapple Kesari)

Ingredients:

• ½ cup fresh pineapple (pureed)
• ¼ cup ghee
• ½ cup sooji (rava)
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 cup water

Instructions:

• Melt the ghee in a non-stick pan and then add the sooji.
• Cook for about 3-5 minutes till the sooji turns fragrant.
• Then add the pureed pineapple to this, followed by a cup of water. Keep stirring till all the moisture in the pan evaporates and you achieve a halwa-like consistency.
• Serve warm. Optionally, you can garnish the dish with slivered almonds for some crunch.

Should I use fresh or canned pineapple?

Canned pineapples are usually easier to use because they are pre-cut, cooked and preserved in sugar syrup. While they are tangy, they are also soft and infused with extra sweetness. So, if you are in a rush or just want a quick dessert, then cooking with canned pineapples becomes convenient and more accessible. With fresh pineapples, a lot of your prep time will go into peeling, coring, and cutting the fruit. So, consider the amount of time you want to spend in the kitchen when you are making a pineapple-based dessert such as pineapple cake, pudding, and more.