Baking is often so much more fun when done with a friend. Often I involve my children or bake with my husband to make that time more special, but I really enjoy when I have a friend over to bake with. A friend of mine who is healthy-eating fitness buff came over to bake, so we decided to create a recipe that is both gluten-free and sugar-free with a good amount of protein–Piña Colada Pineapple Upside Down Torte Cakes–a nutritious and delicious treat.

This post contains affiliate links. By purchasing through these links, you help support the family behind Arts & Crackers at no added cost to you! Thank you!
I have been working on going gluten-free for a while. I still serve it to my family and still eat it, but I am slowly working towards a gluten-free diet for health reasons. My friend doesn’t eat refined sugar. It only made sense that we marry the two special diets to create one delicious dessert we could both enjoy.

Because we chose to use coconut flour for this cake (more eggs needed = more protein), the cake is a bit dense with a tighter crumb. It has fruit topping with a glaze, strong flavors, and is coconut based, so we are classifying this tasty pineapple upside down cake as a torte.

I really enjoyed working with coconut flour for this torte and plan to work with it even more to figure out how to make a light and fluffy cake using coconut flour. It’ll be a challenge, but I’m up for it!

Piña Colada Pineapple Upside Down Torte Cakes | Gluten-Free & Sugar-Free

We found out through this experiment that working with coconut flour is much different than working with other types of gluten-free flours. Due to it’s qualities, you need to use more eggs and combine it with another type of flour since it cannot replace regular flour in a 1:1 ratio. It must also be sifted!

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick), softened
• 1/3 cup, plus 1 teaspoon honey per mini cake (local raw honey is great!)
• 1 Tablespoon coconut extract
• 1 teaspoon rum extract
• 6 large eggs, room temperature, beaten
• 1 cup coconut flour
• 3/4 cup white rice flour
• 1 teaspoon xanthan gum
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon gluten-free baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup pineapple juice (reserved from the can of rings below)
• 6 pineapple rings, canned, patted dry with a towel (reserve the juice)

You will also want to have a one of these nifty mini cake pans.

To make these tasty mini Piña Colada Pineapple Upside Down Torte Cakes, you will want to start by preparing the pan for the mixture. Add one teaspoon of honey to each cup in the pan, then tilt the pan around to completely coat the bottom of each cup.

Place one pineapple ring on top of the honey in each cake cup.

In a medium bowl, sift together the coconut flour, rice flour, xanthan gum, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. You can use any type of sifter you want for this. I used a one-handed sifter, but eventually I want a large stainless steel strainer (unless we can get the built-in sifter in my vintage Hoosier Cabinet cleaned and in working condition!).

Set the sifted mixture aside.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the butter and honey with an electric mixer on medium speed about 2 minutes until creamy.

Add in the coconut and rum extracts then slowly add in the beaten eggs. Beat for 3 minutes on high, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Slowly add in half of the dry flour mixture, beat until combined, then add the pineapple juice until combined, then add the rest of the flour mixture. Beat on medium-high about 5 minutes.

Divide the mixture evenly into the mini cake cups on top of the pineapple rings. Tap the pan to remove large bubbles.

Bake the cakes at 350°F for 26-28 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.

Let sit to cool in the pan on a cooling rack about 10-15 minutes before flipping and removing from the pan.

Decorate with an umbrella toothpick in each!

These mini tortes are perfect for an afternoon tea or a super cool beach party.

Yield: 6 mini cakes

Piña Colada Pineapple Upside Down Torte Cakes | Gluten-Free & Sugar-Free

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 26 minutes

Additional Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 51 minutes

This delicious piña colada pineapple upside down torte cake has a delightfully close, dense texture with a refreshing pineapple coconut flavor. You'll love that they are gluten-free with no added sugar!

Print

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter 1 stick, softened
• 1/3 cup plus 1 teaspoon honey per mini cake (local raw honey is great!)
• 1 Tablespoon coconut extract
• 1 teaspoon rum extract
• 6 eggs room temperature, beaten
• 1 cup coconut flour
• 3/4 cup rice flour
• 1 teaspoon xanthan gum
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup pineapple juice reserved from the can of rings below
• 8 no sugar added pineapple rings canned, patted dry with a towel (reserve the juice)

Instructions

1. Add one teaspoon of honey to each cup in the pan, then tilt the pan around to completely coat the bottom of each cup.
2. Place one pineapple ring on top of the honey in each cake cup.
3. In a medium bowl, sift together the coconut flour, rice flour, xanthan gum, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set the sifted mixture aside.
4. In a large mixing bowl, combine the butter and honey with an electric mixer on medium speed about 2 minutes until creamy.
5. Add in the coconut and rum extracts then slowly add in the beaten eggs. Beat for 3 minutes on high, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
6. Slowly add in half of the dry flour mixture, beat until combined, then add the pineapple juice until combined, then add the rest of the flour mixture. Beat on medium-high about 5 minutes.
7. Divide the mixture evenly into the mini cake cups on top of the pineapple rings. Tap the pan to remove large bubbles.
8. Bake the cakes at 350°F for 26-28 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.
9. Let sit to cool in the pan on a cooling rack about 10-15 minutes before flipping and removing from the pan.
10. Decorate with an umbrella toothpick!

Notes

Use local honey for the best taste.

If you are making this low-sugar, make sure you use no sugar added pineapple rings. If not, you can use regular pineapple rings like I usually do.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

6

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 480Total Fat: 27gSaturated Fat: 14gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 235mgSodium: 440mgCarbohydrates: 48gFiber: 3gSugar: 20gProtein: 12g

This nutrition information is auto-generated. Nutritional values may change with specific items and brands used, so manual calculation is recommended if exact nutritional counts are needed.

You will love these delicious Pina Colada Tortes even if you aren’t on a strictly gluten-free diet.

Want a delicious way to serve the leftover pineapples? Try this Easy Hawaiian Chicken Recipe!

Where will you serve these delicious gluten-free tortes? Did you try the recipe?

Read also: Mixed Berry Breakfast Muffins Gluten-Free Recipe | No Added Sugar and Gluten-Free Mini Mascarpone Cheesecakes