Make a Pineapple Upside Down Cake

Upside down cakes were common in medieval Europe, when cooks baked all their cakes in a heavy skillet.[1] The pineapple part took a few centuries to show up, but what's wrong with mixing history lessons for the sake of good flavor?

Ingredients

Caramel Topping

  • 2 tablespoons (30 mL) butter, melted
  • 1 cup (200g) brown sugar
  • 6 pineapple slices (canned or from a fresh pineapple)
    Optional:
  • ½ cup (120 mL) chopped nuts (any kind)
  • ½ teaspoon (2.5 mL) powdered ginger
  • 6 maraschino cherries

For Cake:

  • ¼ cup (60 mL) butter
  • 1 cup (200g) granulated white sugar
  • 2 whole eggs
  • 1 additional egg white
  • 2 tbsp (30 mL) pineapple juice, from the can
  • 1½ cup (185g) all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons (10 mL) baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon (1 mL) salt
  • 1 teaspoon (5 mL) extract of your choice: vanilla, lemon, almond, orange, or pineapple
  • ½ cup (120 mL) milk

Steps

The Topping

  1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF (175ºC). You won't use the oven for the topping, but it will save you time once you're ready to make the cake. Skip this step if you're making the topping in advance.
    • For best results, move an oven rack to the position second from the top.[2]
  2. Prepare pineapple slices. Canned pineapple conveniently comes in pre-cut rings for easy presentation. The fresh pineapple has a better taste, especially during its peak season in spring and early summer.[3] Choose either one and prepare as follows:
    • Canned slices: Drain the juices into a bowl and set aside for later.
    • Fresh pineapple: Cut-a-Pineapple. Start by removing both ends, then the brown skin and eyes. Slice into circles, then remove the core from each slice with a paring knife.
  3. Melt butter and brown sugar in a heavy skillet. Heat the butter first, until melted. Add the brown sugar and cook over medium heat, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. This should make a thick syrup.
    • If possible, use a 9–10 inch (23–25 cm) heavy cast-iron skillet You'll be able to bake the cake in the same pan.
  4. Add nuts and ginger (optional). Chopped nuts and powdered ginger balance out the acidic fruit, making the topping taste more like spice cake. Just stir these in and move to the next step.
  5. Cook pineapple until lightly brown. Add the pineapple slices to the pan in a single layer. Cook for 2–3 minutes on each side, stirring occasionally.
    • You can cook the pineapples for up to 15 minutes if you prefer them lightly browned.
  6. Set aside to cool. Let this cool to a semisolid layer while you make the batter.[4] If you plan on baking the cake in a baking dish instead of the skillet, move the pineapple slices to a well-greased baking dish and pour the hot syrup over them.
  7. Add the maraschino cherries (optional). Place one in the center of each pineapple ring.

The Cake

  1. Cream the butter and sugar. Let the butter soften at room temperature, so it is easily pressed but has not begun to melt. Beat this with an electric mixer's paddle attachment or a wooden spoon until smooth. Add sugar gradually. Beat until the mix becomes lighter in color and expands in volume..[5]
  2. Add eggs and pineapple juice. Beat in the following ingredients, one at a time. Scrape the sides of the bowl down after each ingredient is thoroughly mixed. The additional egg white is important for making a cake sturdy enough to support the pineapple, while staying light and fluffy.[6]
    • 2 whole eggs
    • 1 egg white
    • 2 tbsp (30 mL) pineapple juice from the can. (Skip if using fresh pineapple, or substitute lemon juice.)
    • 1 tsp (5 mL) vanilla extract, or the flavoring extract of your choice
  3. Sift together the dry ingredients. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt into a separate bowl. Whisk for a few seconds to combine.
  4. Gradually combine milk, flour, and butter mixtures. Add about ⅓ of the flour mixture to the bowl of creamed butter, and beat until no dry lumps remain. Beat in ¼ cup (60 mL) milk. Repeat with another ⅓ of the flour mixture, then another ¼ cup (60 mL) milk, then the last of the flour mixture.
    • Just beat the ingredients until you can't see any dry flour. This batter does not need to be smooth.[2]
  5. Pour the batter over the pineapple. Spread it out with a knife so the batter covers the fruit completely and evenly.[4] You can do this directly in the skillet used to cook the pineapple.
  6. Bake the cake. Bake at {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} for 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
    • If you have a cooking thermometer, the cake is ready when the center reaches 190–200ºF (88–93ºC).[7]
  7. Let cool and flip upside down. Let cool for five minutes, then loosen the edge of the cake with a knife. Put on your oven mitts and place a large serving plate over the skillet. Carefully turn the skillet and plate upside down, then lift the skillet.
    • Choose a serving plate with a rim, to catch the juices.
    • If the pineapple is left behind on the pan, use a spatula to transfer it back onto the cake. This won't make a difference to the cake's appearance.[8]



Tips

  • For a fluffier cake, separate the eggs and beat in the egg yolks as usual. Beat the egg whites separately to form stiff peaks, then fold it into the finished batter.
  • Serve with homemade whipped cream.
  • If you can't fit the pineapple rings in your pan, chop the pineapple into ½ inch (1.25 cm) chunks instead of rings.

Related Articles

Things You'll Need

  • 10 inch (25 cm) cast iron skillet or a smaller skillet + a greased baking dish
  • 2 medium-sized mixing bowls
  • 1 small bowl
  • Electric stand or hand mixer

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ http://www.kitchenproject.com/history/PineappleUpsideDownCake/
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 http://www.cookstr.com/recipes/pineapple-upside-down-cake-3
  3. ↑ http://www.cookinglight.com/food/in-season/in-season-pineapple
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 https://archive.org/stream/auntsammysradior1927unit
  5. ↑ http://www.craftybaking.com/howto/mixing-method-creaming
  6. ↑ https://www.cooksillustrated.com/recipes/1704-pineapple-upside-down-cake
  7. ↑ http://whatscookingamerica.net/Cake/pineapplecake.htm
  8. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t99uSMFcj8k
Retrieved from "https://kipkis.com/index.php?title=Make_a_Pineapple_Upside_Down_Cake&oldid=359985"