Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

A classic pineapple upside down cake - with caramelized pineapple slices on the top and a soft and spongy yellow cake below. The yellow cake is moist and buttery and it just melts in mouth. Pineapple with caramel is absolutely divine.

 

 

 

Preparation Time : 40 Minutes

Baking Time : 50 to 55 minutes

Yield : One 9 inch round cake

Recipe Source : http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/pineapple-upside-down-cake-recipe.html

Ingredients

For the Cake

• 1 and 1/2 cups of all purpose flour
• 2 Teaspoons of baking powder
• 1/4 Teaspoon Salt
• 1 Cup powdered granulated white sugar
• 1/2 Cup unsalted butter at room temperature
• 2 Eggs ( Separate egg yolks and whites)
• 1/2 Teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3/4  Cup butter milk ( I used homemade butter milk: recipe - Take 3/4 cup of milk in a mug. I used full cream milk. Stir in 1 Teaspoon of distilled white vinegar. Set aside for 10 minutes until the mixture curdles. Buttermilk is ready to be used in the cake batter)

For the topping

• 1/4 Cup Salted butter
• 3/4 Cup Brown sugar
• One 20 oz can of pineapple slices in Juice ( Drain , pat dry with a paper towel)
• Candied cherries ( original recipe used maraschino cherries. Go ahead and use maraschino cherries if available)

Preparation

1. Grease a 9 inch round cake pan and line it with parchment paper. Set aside. I used a springform cake pan
2. Prepare the topping : In a pan, add butter and brown sugar and stir over medium heat until brown sugar melts. Once the sugar dissolves, continue cooking without stirring the mixture until the mixture starts to bubble. At this stage , switch off the flame and pour the mixture in the prepared cake pan
3. Arrange the pineapple slices over the mixture. Keep candied cherries in the center of the pineapple slice

Directions for making the cake

 

 

Preheat the oven to 180 C / 350 F

1. In a mixing bowl, sift together all purpose flour, baking powder and salt
2. In a large mix bowl, add 2 egg whites and beat on high speed for 2 to 3 minutes until you get firm peak
3. In a separate large mixing bowl, add butter and granulated white sugar and cream together until the mixture is creamy and fluffy. I used a hand mixer
4. Add one egg yolk at a time beating well after each addition
5. Stir in vanilla extract
6. Add flour mixture we prepared at step number 1 into the wet ingredients in 3 additions alternatively with buttermilk , beginning and ending with flour mixture
7. Fold in egg whites we prepared at step number 2 gently in the cake batter. Do not over mix egg whites, cake will turn hard
8. Pour the cake batter in the cake pan over the pineapples. Gently tap and spread the cake batter evenly on the top
9. Bake at 180 C for 50 minutes. Start checking the cake after 45 minutes. Cake is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean
10. Remove the cake from over. Let the cake remain in the pan for 10 minutes
11. Then carefully invert the cake on a wire rack
12. Cool down completely and serve