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Pineapple Upside Down Cake Shot (A Better Recipe)

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This Pineapple Upside Down Cake Shot is a little sweet (without being too sweet), undeniably smooth and absolutely refreshing. Pineapple juice party shooters are always a delight! Spiked with Vanilla Vodka (traditional recipe) or with Crown Royal Vanilla whiskey (super smooth!).

Vanilla Vodka is the most common alcohol for Pineapple Upside Down Cake Shots, but I’ve turned them into Crown Royal shots and they are better than ever! Here’s the traditional recipe as well as how to make them an even more delicious drink! Once you try a pineapple upside down shot with Crown Vanilla, you’ll be hooked on this version!

Pineapple fruit, shot drink and bottle of Crown Royal Vanilla.

Pineapple Upside Down Cake Shot with Crown Vanilla

 

Getting together with friends or celebrating a milestone deserves a fun and festive drink. And what’s more festive than serving up shots that taste like cake?

This recipe for the Pineapple Upside Down Cake shot won’t disappoint and are perfect for clinking glasses and shouting “cheers” with your best buddies.

Should You Use Vanilla Vodka or Crown Vanilla?

The most common liquor used in a Pineapple Upside Down Cake shot is vodka and it certainly makes a good drink. I’ve made it with vodka on several occasions and I’ve been happy with the results.

Then, one evening a few friends were over and I offered to make upside down pineapple cake shots for everyone. That’s when I discovered I was out of vanilla vodka. Thankfully, I did have Crown Royal Vanilla.

I tried a quick taste of the Vanilla Crown Royal with pineapple juice and it was perfectly delicious. I knew it was going to work out just fine and I could easily substitute the Vanilla Vodka with Crown Royal Vanilla.

Turns out, this new cocktail combination is smoother and the taste is a little more robust. Ever since I only make pineapple upside down cake shots with Crown Royal Vanilla.

 

Pineapple Upside Down Cake Shot with Crown Royal Vanilla Bottle

 

Pineapple Upside Down Cake Shot Variations

There are several different options! Shots are so fun to play with and you can easily adjust the recipe to your tastes.

If you’re missing Crown Royal Vanilla in your liquor cabinet’s bar inventory, simply fall back on the more commonly used Vanilla Vodka for this recipe.

Another option is to use Cake Vodka especially if you like a little bit sweeter concoction.

You can also make it a full-size cocktail. Shots are great for sharing with friends and fun at parties, but sometimes you’re just looking for a cool cocktail to sip on.

It’s easy to adapt this recipe into the popular Pineapple Upside Down Cake drink. Fill a highball glass with ice, add 4 ounces of pineapple juice and 1.5 – 2 ounces of vanilla whisky and stir. Add a splash of Grenadine and you’ll have this shot modified into an enjoyable cocktail.

More Easy Shots to Love

Crown Royal Peach Shooters

Red White and Blue Shots with Crown Peach

Strawberry Lemonade Shots

Peanut Butter and Jelly Shot

Banana Pudding Shots

The Layered Look of the Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

That little drop of Grenadine is what makes this concoction look layered in the shot glasses. Store bought Grenadine is essentially a red colored sugar syrup which means it’s heavier than the alcohol. The alcohol floats and the sugar sinks to the bottom of the shot glass leaving the yellow layer of pineapple juice and alcohol up top. 

When the red layer of grenadine sinks to the bottom, it’s now called a stacked shot. Amazing what a little splash of Grenadine can do in creating a gorgeous shot drink.

Does this Shot Really Taste Like Pineapple Upside Down Cake?

I know you’re wondering if it really tastes like the classic pineapple upside down cake. The combination of vanilla flavored liquor, pineapple juice and Grenadine does mimic the taste of a piece of cake. It’s as close as it gets when aiming for this cake in a liquid form plus it’s a whole lot easier to make!

 

Pineapple Upside Down Cake Shot with Cherry Garnish

 

Here’s the easy as cake recipe.

Pineapple Upside Down Cake Shot Ingredients:

  • 1 oz  Pineapple Juice
  • 1 oz  Vanilla Whisky (Crown Royal preferred or substitute with Vanilla Vodka)
  • Small Splash of Grenadine
  • 1 Maraschino cherry

Easy Shot Directions:

  • Combine pineapple juice and vanilla whisky in a glass with ice or in a cocktail shaker. Stir/shake until the concoction is chilled.
  • Strain into a small highball glass or a tall shot glass.
  • Add a splash of Grenadine and let it settle to the bottom of the glass for this signature look.
  • Garnish with a Maraschino cherry (or several maraschino cherries if you’d like), which is also the chaser after drinking the shot.

So simple! Serve up a pineapple upside down cake shot anytime you want a fun and festive drink! Cheers!

Yield: 1

Pineapple Upside Down Cake Shot Recipe

Pineapple Upside Down Cake Shot with Crown Royal Vanilla Bottle

This Pineapple Upside Down Cake Shot is a little sweet (without being too sweet), undeniably smooth and absolutely refreshing. This recipe might be different than one you’ve tried before, as I’ve turned them into Crown Royal shots and they are better than ever!

Here's this easy as cake recipe.

Prep Time 4 minutes
Total Time 4 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 oz  Pineapple Juice
  • 1 oz  Vanilla Whisky (Crown Royal preferred)
  • Small Splash of Grenadine
  • 1 Maraschino cherry

Instructions

  1. Combine pineapple juice and vanilla whisky in a glass with ice.
  2. Stir until the concoction is chilled.
  3. Strain into a small highball glass or a tall shot glass.
  4. Add splash of Grenadine and let it settle to the bottom of the glass for this signature look.
  5. Garnish with a Maraschino cherry, which is also the chaser after drinking the shot.

Notes

Drink Responsibly.

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Nutrition Information:

Yield:

1

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 187Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 9mgCarbohydrates: 23gFiber: 0gSugar: 18gProtein: 0g

Nutritional values are estimates and not exact.

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Pineapple Upside Down Cake Shot Recipe

I love easy recipes and delicious desserts and happy to share with you my favorite recipes. My favorite places are tropical, family always comes first and I'm a cocktail enthusiast for sure!
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