🍍 Mini Pineapple Upside-Down Cupcakes 🧁✨

Sweet pineapple, caramelized brown sugar, and cherries baked into bite-sized cupcakes—fun, fruity, and nostalgic!

Ingredients

• 1 can (20 oz) pineapple slices, drained (juice reserved)
• 1 box yellow cake mix
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• 3 eggs
• ⅓ cup melted butter
• ⅔ cup packed brown sugar
• 12 maraschino cherries, cut in half

Instructions

1. Prepare Oven & Pan: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Spray 24 muffin cups with cooking spray.
2. Prep Pineapple: Cut each pineapple slice into 4 pieces. Set aside.
3. Make Cake Batter: In a bowl, beat cake mix, oil, eggs, and reserved pineapple juice. Mix on low 30 sec, then on medium 2 min, scraping bowl occasionally.
4. Caramel Base: Mix melted butter and brown sugar. Spoon 1½ tsp into each muffin cup.
5. Assemble: Place 2 pineapple pieces in each cup. Add half a cherry in the center. Spoon ~¼ cup batter over fruit.
6. Bake: Bake 20–25 min until golden and set. Cool 5 min.
7. Unmold: Run knife around edges. Invert onto cookie sheet to release.
8. Serve: Enjoy warm or cooled—perfect for parties or holiday trays!

Details

• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Bake Time: 20–25 minutes
• Total Time: ~45 minutes
• Yield: 24 cupcakes
• Kcal: ~180 per cupcake

✨ A playful twist on the classic pineapple upside-down cake—bite-sized, colorful, and crowd-pleasing!