I use a well seasoned cast iron skillet and only use butter in the bottom of the pan and it works great.

I bake mine in an iron skillet and have never used anything else. I wipe the sides with butter and of course the melted butter is in the bottom. I use the pineapple rings always have. I let it cool in the pan for about 5-7 minutes then turn it upside down on a plate or small pizza pan. My husband doesn't care if any of it sticks. He says it's like licking the bowl. One extra step I do is in between the rings is add chunk pineapple and maybe some extra maraschino cherries. Have also used strawberries! Aw geez I'm getting in the mood to make one. he'll be pleasantly surprised.

I don't know but you guys are making my mouth water!!!!!!!! Can't remember the last time I had this.

I don't know but you guys are making my mouth water!!!!!!!! Can't remember the last time I had this.

I only use butter on the bottom, no spray with no problems. Also, I'm not sure how the lady did a pineapple upside down cake with the pineapple on the top.....are you sure the cake wasn't turned over when you got it?
I also use crushed pineapple and put some candied cherry halves on the pineapple/brown sugar bottom (topping) too.

Melt butter and brown sugar in the pan before putting in the pineapples.
 

Pineapple Upside down cake is my son's favorite cake, I make it when we go camping a lot. I turn the cake upside down within a minute of removing it from the oven and never have any problem with pineapples sticking to the pan. I usually have to scoop up a small amount of brown sugar left in the pan. I don't use any special pan, glass 9x11 pan.

It's ironic that this topic comes up today because this is also my baby son's (ok so he turned 41 this wk. but he's still my baby) fav. dish he wants from me. If I had remembered this I would have made one for his b-day. So since he's bringing his family out for opening day of fishing season this wk. end, I plan to make him his fav. pineapple upside down cake. I like the suggestion of using crushed pineapple.

Good tips! I've never made a pineapple upside down cake before, and was just thinking yesterday that I'd like to try one, so this thread came along at the right time for me. :)

I don't use parchment paper. I use a well-seasoned cast iron skillet and turn the cake out as soon as I take it from the oven.

It was always one of my favorite cakes - never made one because my children don't like pineapple. If I hadn't given birth to them I would swear we weren't related. My dad always teased me, I was about 5, they bought one from the local bakery and I got to carry it in the house, and tripped it fell, stayed in the box but I was devastated! He laughed and said, so instead of being upside down, it's now right side up. So from that time on my dad called it Pineapple Right-Side-Up cakes. Yum - I wonder where I can get a piece of one.