Put A Breakfast Spin On This Retro Cake With A Stack Of Fruity Pancakes

Pancakes are the most beloved breakfast items out there. Decadent and fluffy, with just the right amount of sweetness and a pleasant tang, there really is nothing better than seeing a warm stack arrive at the breakfast table. But perhaps the best thing about pancakes is that they are so versatile. You can add chocolate chips, give them a fruity twist, or take inspiration from the bakery section to upgrade them further. And there is a retro dessert that works particularly well for this last trick: pineapple upside down cake.

Pineapple upside-down pancakes combine all of the flavors of the classic dessert with the neutral, buttery base of the breakfast staple. The fruit adds a nice sweetness to the pancakes, while also providing some mild acidity to help cut through the rich batter. The key is preparing these in the same way as a classic pineapple upside-down cake.

Pineapple rings are dusted with brown sugar and sauteed in butter to create a caramelized effect, before the batter is poured on top of them. This creates delicious, golden edges that are bursting with flavor. A sweet maraschino cherry in the middle tops everything off and ties it all together.

Pineapple rings, rather than chunks, will create the best visual effect. Make sure you caramelize them until golden — this can take around five minutes. You only need to cook the pineapple on one side but you can flip it over for a few minutes before pouring in the batter if you'd like. Place the cherries to the middle of the rings beforehand. To amp up the flavor further, add a little maple syrup and vanilla to the butter.

To incorporate the tropical flavor throughout the whole pancake, replace the milk in your pancake batter recipe with pineapple juice. You can stir some small pineapple chunks into the batter if you don't care about the upside-down effect. It's also possible to make one large, sharable pancake by filling your skillet entirely and moving it to the oven once the bottom starts to brown. This can make for a fun way to serve the treat as you can cut it into slices just like a normal dessert.

These taste great with syrup, whipped cream, or honey. Some toasted coconut flakes on top can also add to the tropical flavor. For even more decadence, serve with coconut ice cream. Here is an easy homemade coconut milk ice cream recipe to try. Either way, these are sure to hit the spot.