upside-down cake

noun

1. a cake that is baked on a layer of fruit, then turned before serving so that the fruit is on top.

upside-down cake

noun

1. a sponge cake baked with sliced fruit at the bottom, then inverted before serving

Word History and Origins

Origin of upside-down cake¹

An Americanism dating back to 1920–25

Example Sentences

Pineapple became a central ingredient in many popular mid-century foods, including pineapple upside-down cake, pineapple ham and, controversially, pineapple pizza.

From Salon

And while the pineapple version made the upside-down cake widely known in North America, the concept was around long before then.

From Salon

I’d get the pineapple upside-down cake, the bread pudding and the lemon iced pound cake.

From Washington Post

Caramelized brown sugar adds complexity to this berry upside-down cake.

From New York Times

There are appetizers each night — baked Brie smothered in raspberry chipotle sauce, stuffed mushrooms, smoked salmon pinwheels — and dessert served after dinner is cleared, apple rhubarb crisp, pineapple upside-down cake, and of course s’mores.

From Seattle Times