The pineapple upside down cheesecake brings together the best of two desserts: a creamy New York style cheesecake with a biscuit base, topped with a perfect layer of sweet and sticky pineapple upside down sponge.
The combination is amazing with the crisp, butter biscuit layer, smooth cheesecake filling, light cake crumb and syrupy pineapple and glacé cherry topping.
To make this pineapple upside down cheesecake, you'll start by making the cheesecake in the classic baked style, first crushing digestive biscuits (or graham crackers) and combining with melted butter and sugar before pressing into a tin and briefly baking.
The cheesecake filling is a one step affair. You simply measure cream cheese, double cream, vanilla, sugar, flour and eggs into a bowl and whisk together before piling on top of the biscuit layer and baking for an hour until set.
With the cheesecake made, you'll move on to the pineapple sponge. You'll start by sprinkling brown sugar into the base of a second cake tin, then top with pineapple slices and glacé cherries.
Next, you'll make a light and fluffy cake batter by simply whisking butter and caster sugar together, followed by eggs and then folding in self-raising flour before piling it on top of the pineapple rings and baking.
The really fun bit comes when you flip the just-baked pineapple cake over and drop it into the cheesecake tin, revealing the amazing caramelised pineapple top and bringing the whole dessert together, ready to chill and serve.
It's a genuine showstopper and while pineapple upside down cake might be the more traditional dessert, I think this pineapple upside down cheesecake recipe makes a pretty good case for being the best of both worlds.
Here's the full recipe. It's really easy to follow with lots of step by step images and results in a delicious, showstopping cheesecake that's perfect for any occasion!
Ingredients
For the cheesecake base
- 260 g (9.2 oz) digestive biscuits
- 1 tbsp caster sugar
- 85 g (3 oz) unsalted butter
For the cheesecake filling
- 350 g (12.3 oz) light cream cheese room temp
- 250 g (8.8 oz) full fat cream cheese room temp
- 175 ml (5.9 floz) double cream room temp
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 medium free range eggs
- 1 medium free range egg yolk
- 1 tbsp plain white flour (all purpose flour)
- 200 g (7.1 oz) caster sugar
For the pineapple topping
- 75 g (2.6 oz) soft light brown sugar
- 1 tin pineapple slices drained (270g/9.5oz drained weight)
- 50 g (1.8 oz) glacé cherries
For the cake batter
- 100 g (3.5 oz) caster sugar
- 100 g (3.5 oz) slightly salted butter
- 2 medium free range eggs
- 100 g (3.5 oz) self-raising white flour (self rising flour)
Instructions
Make the cheesecake base
Preheat the oven to 170C (150C fan, 340F).
Lightly grease a 23cm (9 inch) nonstick springform tin.
Crush or blend the biscuits so they’re like coarse sand. I use a ziplock bag and a rolling pin. Tip into a bowl.
Add the sugar and melted butter.
Mix well.
Tip into the tin.
Flatten with the base of a tumbler or the back of a large spoon. Cook for 5 mins, then set aside to cool. Keep the oven on for the next stage.
Make the cheesecake filling
Put the cream cheese, double cream, vanilla, sugar, flour and eggs in a bowl.
Whisk together.
Pour the batter into the tin on top of the biscuit base.
Bake for 45 mins to 1 hour until firm but slightly wobbly if shaken.
Run a knife around the inside of the tin. This will help avoid it cracking as it cools and shrinks away from the sides.
Set aside in the tin.
Make the pineapple topping
Lightly grease a second 23cm (9 inch) nonstick springform tin.
Sprinkle the brown sugar into the base.
Cover with pineapple rings. You might not need the whole tin.
Place a glace cherry in the centre of each pineapple ring.
Make the cake
Turn the oven up to 180C (160C fan, 355F).
Put the butter and sugar in a bowl. Whisk together until creamy.
Add the eggs.
Whisk together.
Add the self raising flour.
Fold in to make a smooth batter.
Carefully spoon the batter on top of the pineapple slices, dotting in so that you don't have to spread it much and disturb the fruit.
Bake for 20 minutes or until a finger pressed gently onto the centre of the cake doesn't leave an imprint. You can turn the oven off now.
Assemble
Allow the pineapple cake to cool for 10 minutes, then release the sides of the tin so the cake is just sitting on the base of the tin.
Using an oven glove if necessary, hold the underside of the tin base and flip it over and into the cheesecake tin.
Leave it aside to cool to room temp, then wrap well and place in the fridge to cool overnight.
Serve
The next morning, run a knife around the inside of the tin again and unlock the tin to release and remove the sides.
Slide the cheesecake onto a board and slice with a sharp knife to serve.
Enjoy!
Print this pineapple upside down cheesecake recipe
Pineapple Upside Down Cheesecake Recipe
Ingredients
For the cheesecake base
- 260 g (9.2 oz) digestive biscuits
- 1 tbsp caster sugar
- 85 g (3 oz) unsalted butter
For the cheesecake filling
- 350 g (12.3 oz) light cream cheese room temp
- 250 g (8.8 oz) full fat cream cheese room temp
- 175 ml (5.9 floz) double cream room temp
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 medium free range eggs
- 1 medium free range egg yolk
- 1 tbsp plain white flour (all purpose flour)
- 200 g (7.1 oz) caster sugar
For the pineapple topping
- 75 g (2.6 oz) soft light brown sugar
- 1 tin pineapple slices drained (270g/9.5oz drained weight)
- 50 g (1.8 oz) glacé cherries
For the cake batter
- 100 g (3.5 oz) caster sugar
- 100 g (3.5 oz) slightly salted butter
- 2 medium free range eggs
- 100 g (3.5 oz) self-raising white flour (self rising flour)
Instructions
Make the cheesecake base
- Preheat the oven to 170C (150C fan, 340F).
- Lightly grease a 23cm (9 inch) nonstick springform tin.
- Crush or blend the biscuits so they’re like coarse sand. I use a ziplock bag and a rolling pin. Tip into a bowl.
- Add the sugar and melted butter and mix well.
- Tip into the tin and flatten with the base of a tumbler or the back of a large spoon. Cook for 5 mins, then set aside to cool. Keep the oven on for the next stage.
Make the cheesecake filling
- Put the cream cheese, double cream, vanilla, sugar, flour and eggs in a bowl and whisk together.
- Pour the batter into the tin on top of the biscuit base.
- Bake for 45 mins to 1 hour until firm but slightly wobbly if shaken.
- Run a knife around the inside of the tin. This will help avoid it cracking as it cools and shrinks away from the sides. Set aside in the tin.
Make the pineapple topping
- Lightly grease a second 23cm (9 inch) nonstick springform tin.
- Sprinkle the brown sugar into the base.
- Cover with pineapple rings. You might not need the whole tin.
- Place a glacé cherry in the centre of each pineapple ring.
Make the cake
- Turn the oven up to 180C (160C fan, 355F).
- Put the butter and sugar in a bowl. Whisk together until creamy.
- Whisk in the eggs.
- Fold in the self raising flour to make a smooth batter.
- Carefully spoon the batter on top of the pineapple slices, dotting in so that you don't have to spread it much and disturb the fruit.
- Bake for 20 minutes or until a finger pressed gently onto the centre of the cake doesn't leave an imprint. You can turn the oven off now.
Assemble
- Allow the pineapple cake to cool for 10 minutes, then release the sides of the tin so the cake is just sitting on the base of the tin.
- Using an oven glove if necessary, hold the underside of the tin base and flip it over and into the cheesecake tin.
- Leave it aside to cool to room temp, then wrap well and place in the fridge to cool overnight.
Serve
- The next morning, run a knife around the inside of the tin again and unlock the tin to release and remove the sides.
- Slide the cheesecake onto a board and slice with a sharp knife to serve.
Video
Nutrition
Pin this pineapple upside down cheesecake recipe
More cheesecake recipes to try
Have you got my book?
'This is a great kids cookery book. Emily is a star' - Simon Rimmer
'The book I'd like to force into any mother's kitchen' - Prue Leith
"A fab book with a plan." - Jane Devonshire, 2016 Masterchef UK winner
'Emily has managed to combine her mummy knowledge and passion for food to make a truly helpful and brilliant cookbook' - Priya Tew, RD, BSc (Hons), Msc
Get Your Kids to Eat Anything is an achievable 'how to' for parents in the battle to overcome picky eating and 'make new the norm'. Emily Leary's unique 5-phase programme looks at the issue of 'fussy eating' in a holistic way that links imagination with food, and which situates parents alongside - not in opposition to - their children.
.
NEUSA CAETANO DE LIMA says
That's an uncomplicated way to make a cheesecake pineapple pie. I liked it, and I'll try making it.
Emily Leary says
Wonderful!