Spam Pineapple Upside Down Cake

I’m not sure where I first saw this recipe, but it was a long long time ago when I was a teenager, and I’m pretty sure it was a town bake sale. I remember finding out what it was and thinking, “Who in their right mind would put SPAM on a cake???”
It was such a weird idea to me. The lady selling slices told me she’d learned it from her babysitter in when she was a kid and that it was a well-loved dish from Hawaii. Now, I have no idea if that is true or not, but I’ve always associated it with Hawaii, and to this day I get all sorts of tropical vibes when I make it.

Let’s be honest here, I’m sure you’re thinking one of two things right now. If you’re seeing this recipe from someone sharing it, you’re probably thinking I’m a crazy weirdo who likes weird recipes. And you would be very right. I am a crazy weirdo who likes weird recipes.
But if you’ve been to this blog before, perhaps because of OTHER weird recipes I’ve shared, you are probably thinking, “Yep. Sounds about right for this lady.”
But if you are the adventurous type who enjoys trying new things, I urge you to give this recipe a try. It has such a great look, and it’s super tasty.

To begin, gather your ingredients. This cake is made in a few different parts, so read the entire recipe before starting if you want it to turn out well.
Cake
- 1 C all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 C sugar
- 1/4 C butter, softened
- 1/2 C pineapple juice
- 1 tsp vanilla
Topping
- 2 oz SPAM
- 2 TB butter, melted
- 1 C brown sugar
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 can large pineapple rings
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Then lightly grease a 9-inch round cake pan. You can line it with parchment paper if you would like. I rarely bother.
Take your SPAM and fry it up in a skillet. I like to use cast iron, as it gets the edges nice and crispy and golden. You can either fry it first and then cut into cubes, or you can just cube it all up and then fry. Either way works, though I am more partial to cubing first.

In a small bowl, stir together the melted butter, brown sugar and salt. Spread this mixture into the bottom of the prepared cake pan and press it into a nice even layer.

Arrange the pineapple rings on top of the sugar, fitting as many as you can to form a flat layer. In a 9-inch pan, you will usually get around 7 rings.
In the center of each ring and in any empty spaces, place your fried SPAM pieces.

Next, begin preparing your cake mix by whisking together flour, baking powder and salt into a medium sized bowl.
In another bowl or with your electric mixer, whisk the eggs until frothy. Add the sugar and continue to beat at a high speed until it has tripled in volume.
Add in your flour mixture and mix at low speed until completely combined.

In a small saucepan, combine your butter and pineapple juice, cooking until the butter has melted. Remove from heat and stir in your vanilla.
Stream the butter mixture into your cake batter, using a low speed to whisk it together.
Once your batter is thoroughly combined, pour it into the cake pan on top of the pineapple layer.

Bake for around 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

Allow the cake to cool for half an hour, then run a knife around the edge of the pan and turn it out onto a large cake plate.

This can be served slightly warm, or at room temperature.

Seriously, if you are a fan of regular pineapple upside down cake, you’re going to love this version. It’s in the same vein as candy bacon or chocolate covered pretzels. The sweet and salty taste is just out of this world!
Give it a try and let me know what you think! I am always wanting to hear opinions!


Spam Pineapple Upside Down Cake
This weird and wonderful recipe is salty and sweet and a perfect addition to any party. Kids and adults alike will love it.
Ingredients
Cake
- 1 C all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 C sugar
- 1/4 C butter, softened
- 1/2 C pineapple juice
- 1 tsp vanilla
Topping
- 2 oz SPAM
- 2 TB butter, melted
- 1 C brown sugar
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 can large pineapple rings
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Then lightly grease a 9-inch round cake pan. You can line it with parchment paper if you would like. I rarely bother.
- Take your SPAM and fry it up in a skillet. I like to use cast iron, as it gets the edges nice and crispy and golden. You can either fry it first and then cut into cubes, or you can just cube it all up and then fry. Either way works, though I am more partial to cubing first.
- In a small bowl, stir together the melted butter, brown sugar and salt. Spread this mixture into the bottom of the prepared cake pan and press it into a nice even layer.
- Arrange the pineapple rings on top of the sugar, fitting as many as you can to form a flat layer. In a 9-inch pan, you will usually get around 7 rings.
- In the center of each ring and in any empty spaces, place your fried SPAM pieces.
- Next, begin preparing your cake mix by whisking together flour, baking powder and salt into a medium sized bowl.
- In another bowl or with your electric mixer, whisk the eggs until frothy. Add the sugar and continue to beat at a high speed until it has tripled in volume.
- Add in your flour mixture and mix at low speed until completely combined.
- In a small saucepan, combine your butter and pineapple juice, cooking until the butter has melted. Remove from heat and stir in your vanilla.
- Stream the butter mixture into your cake batter, using a low speed to whisk it together.
- Once your batter is thoroughly combined, pour it into the cake pan on top of the pineapple layer.
- Bake for around 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Allow the cake to cool for half an hour, then run a knife around the edge of the pan and turn it out onto a large cake plate.
- This can be served slightly warm, or at room temperature.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 10 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving:Calories: 300Total Fat: 10gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 59mgSodium: 377mgCarbohydrates: 51gFiber: 1gSugar: 40gProtein: 4g
Katie Reed is a passionate writer and mother of four vivacious boys from Salt Lake City, Utah. Drawing from her own journey through TTC, pregnancy, and the joys of raising children, she offers a wealth of insight into the world of motherhood. Beyond her heartfelt tales, Katie delights her readers with family-friendly recipes, engaging crafts, and a curated library of printables for both kids and adults. When she’s not penning her experiences, you’ll find her crafting memories with her husband and sons—Dexter, Daniel, Chester, and Wilder.
Mmm… no. Made it for high school cast of Spamalot’s dinner. The kids wouldn’t touch it; the parents loved it. I am a foodie, so I’ll try anything, but I didn’t like the spam on the cake. I was hoping for salty sweet deliciousness, but the spam texture (crispy fried on the outside, still somewhat squishy spam inside) didn’t work. However, the rest of it was fabulous.
Always worth a try, and I’m glad you enjoyed it!