Fresh pineapple has a distinctive flavor that cannot be matched by its processed counterpart. Tinned pineapple is convenient, granted – someone (or something) has already done the hard work of removing the skin, and all the pieces are perfectly round. What gets lost, though, is the fruit’s acidic bite – as well as the feeling of accomplishment of having tackled the spiky exterior yourself and reached the juicy flesh inside.
Upside-down cakes are good options for cooks trying to impress. They are an excellent way of using up unripe or even overripe fruit, and when inverted after baking, with the patchwork of fruit facing up, they look as if they require a lot more skill than they really do.
This recipe for pineapple upside-down cake has been given a twist. Tinned pineapple is replaced with fresh pineapple, and the bottom of the cake tin is drenched in sugar and unsweetened pineapple juice. During baking, this glaze is absorbed, resulting in a moist cake with a sticky, fragrant topping.
How to Peel a Pineapple
The easiest way to peel a pineapple is to cut off the bottom so that the fruit stands upright on a flat surface. Remove the top and, with a sharp knife, carefully slice down the side of the pineapple, cutting deep enough to take out all the eyes. Continue all the way around. Cut the pineapple into rings and, if necessary, remove the hard core. This final step is not required with very ripe fruit.
Pineapple Upside-Down Cake Recipe
Preparation time: 30 minutes.
Cooking time: 30 minutes.
Makes about 12 pieces of cake.
Pineapple Upside-Down Cake Ingredients:
- 6 oz / 180 g butter
- 10 oz / 280 g light brown sugar
- 6 fl oz / 180 ml unsweetened pineapple juice
- 12 oz / 350 g self-raising flour
- Large pinch of salt
- 3 eggs
- 1 fresh pineapple, peeled, cored, and cut into rings
Pineapple Upside-Down Cake Preparation:
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F / 200 degrees C.
- Melt the butter in a small saucepan. Grease the inside of a 9 inch / 23 cm cake tin with a little of the butter.
- For the glaze, mix 5 tablespoons of the butter with 6 oz / 180 g of the sugar and 2 fl oz / 60 ml of the pineapple juice. Pour this mixture over the bottom of the cake tin. Arrange the pineapple rings on top of the mixture. Put the rings as close together as possible, as they will shrink a little during baking.
- Mix together the flour, salt, and remaining sugar.
- Add the rest of the pineapple juice and melted butter and mix well.
- Beat the eggs and slowly add to the cake batter. Mix until all the ingredients are incorporated.
- Pour the cake batter over the pineapple rings.
- Bake the cake for 30 minutes or until a knife inserted comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the tin for 10 minutes, cover with a serving dish and quickly turn upside down so that the pineapples are facing up.
Enjoy this pineapple upside-down cake on its own or with mascarpone.
Cecily Layzell - Cecily Layzell is a food and travel writer and founder of restaurant review site www.eat-amsterdam.com.
