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| Pineapple Upside Down Cake (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
A ripe pineapple is fragrant and golden and gives slightly when pressed. Its thick skin and bumpy "eyes" must be cut away before the pineapple is eaten. Slice off the top and bottom with crosswise cuts. Stand the fruit upright and, using a sharp knife, slice off the skin. Place the pineapple on its side and, following the spiral pattern of eyes that starts at the top of the pineapple and ends at the bottom, cut a shallow, wedge-shaped furrow to remove the eyes. The pineapple may now be sliced crosswise and the hard center core cut out from each slice.
PINEAPPLE UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE
You will need:
Vegetable oil spray
1/2 fresh pineapple, peeled
1/4 cup (2 oz/60 g) unsalted butter
3/4 cup (6 oz/185 g) firmly packed brown sugar
For the cake:
1 3/4 cup (9 oz/280 g) unbleached all-purpose (plain) flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
2 pc large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract (essence)
3/4 cup (6 oz/185 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup (8 oz/250 g) granulated sugar
1/2 cup (4 fl oz/125 ml) whole milk
Here's how:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly coat a 9-inch (23-cm) round cake pan with vegetable oil spray.
Cut the pineapple crosswise into slices 1/2 inch (12 mm) thick. With a paring knife or small cookie cutter, remove the core from each slice. Cut the pineapple rounds into half-moons and set aside.
In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the brown sugar and stir until small bubbles appear, 2-3 minutes. Remove the sugar mixture from the heat and pour into the pan. Arrange 7-8 pineapple halves in the pan in a circular pattern. Set aside.
To make the cake, in a bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, salt and nutmeg. Set aside. In another bowl, whisk the eggs with the vanilla. Set aside. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter until pale and fluffy. Gradually add the granulated sugar and beat for 2-3 minutes longer. Slowly add the egg mixture, beating after each addition. Spoon half of the flour mixture into the butter mixture, stir, add half of the milk, and stir again. Add the remaining flour, stir, and add the remaining milk. Continue stirring, scraping down the bowl as needed, until the batter is completely smooth. Do not overmix.
Pour the batter on top of the pineapple slices in the prepared pan, spreading it evenly. Bake until the top of the cake is lightly golden and the center springs back when touched, 35-45 minutes. Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for 5-10 minutes, then turn out onto a platter and scrape the remaining juices over the top of cake. Let cool slightly and serve warm.
Variation note: If desired, leave the pineapple rounds whole and do not overlap them in the pan. Place a poached cherry in the center of each round.
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