Recipe Makeover: Gluten-Free Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

By Sidney Fry, MS, RD
July 09, 2014
Credit: Photo: Randy Mayor
Fresh pineapple, caramelized in its own juices, sits atop a tender base. 
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Lighter Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

Credit: Photo: Randy Mayor

Upside-down cake is one of the happiest desserts in America—that classic brown sugar-soaked mosaic of canned pineapple rings and maraschino cherries set atop an all-butter yellow cake, the whole package densely glazed in rich, buttery-sweet caramel. It's a bit less smile-inducing, though, when you tally up 700 sugar-loaded calories and 10g sat fat in a generous slice. But cheer up! You can enjoy your cake sans guilt with our version that's lighter in calories and also gluten-free.

Classic: 
700 calories per slice
10 grams saturated fat

Makeover:
292 calories per slice
4.4 grams saturated fat

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Cut Back on Sugar with Fresh Pineapple

Credit: Photo: Randy Mayor

Fresh pineapple stands in for sugar-packed canned. We caramelize the fruit in its own juices, halving the butter and sugar to save 191 calories.

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Lighten the Load with Gluten-Free Multipurpose Flour

Credit: Photo: Randy Mayor

We love King Arthur's premixed blend, and we add almond flour; its healthy fats add moisture and richness.

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Half the Fat with Light Sour Cream

Credit: Photo: Randy Mayor

Light sour cream, a touch of butter, and heart-healthy canola oil make our cake extra tender, trimming fat in half to save 3.7g sat fat per serving.

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By Sidney Fry, MS, RD