Upside-Down Spiced Pineapple Cake

Upside-down cakes are among my favorite cakes: their buttery, caramelized fruity top, and the tasty cake beneath it, is always pleasing.

Over the years, I’ve posted here a few versions for this tasty cake, using different types of fruit. However, I recently realized that I’ve never posted a recipe for the most popular version of the cake – the one with pineapple on top. Looking at the ripe pineapple I have just bought, it was evidently the time to rectify this.

Granted, as the pineapple version has been abused for decades; with recipes calling for using canned pineapple in heavy syrup, paired with commercial box cake mixture, and decorated with overly sweet and artificially colored preserved cherries, it’s no wonder it got bad reputation. However, when prepared with batter made from scratch from fresh ingredients, and with juicy ripe fresh pineapple, the cake is delightfully tasty, aromatic and beautiful.

As I often do, I used brown sugar for the top layer, to enhance the deep caramel color, and to add its unique flavor to the topping. I also added a bit of spiced dark rum to the batter, along with cardamom powder and vanilla. All paired so well with the tropical fragrance of the pineapple, and gave the cake wonderful aroma.

The cake is perfect for serving on a summer day, with fresh fruit juice and a splash of spiced dark rum. Try it and enjoy.

 

Notes:
* For more of my upside-down cake recipes, click HERE.

* For instructions on how to clean and cut fresh pineapple, click HERE.

 

Makes: 8-10
Prep time: 20 minutes
Baking time: 35 minutes

 

Ingredients:
For the fruit layer:
1/3 stick (40 grams) butter, soft
¼ cup brown sugar (see notes)
½ tsp cardamom powder
¼ large fresh pineapple, cleaned and cut into large pieces (check HERE for instructions)
For the batter:
2/3 stick (75 grams) soft butter
1 cup sugar
2 L eggs, at room temperature
½ tsp cardamom powder

1 tsp vanilla
1 cup whole milk, at room temperature
2 Tbs spiced dark rum
1½ cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
Dash salt

 

1. Preheat the oven to 350F (175C). Prepare a 10” (26cm) deep cake pan.
2. The fruit layer: Spread the butter in a thick layer over the bottom of the pan, and a thin layer over the sides. Sprinkle the brown sugar and cardamom powder over the bottom, avoiding about ¼” (½ cm) from the sides (this will help with releasing the cake from the pan later on). Arrange the pineapple pieces on top and place in the fridge, until the batter is ready.
3. The batter: in a medium bowl, whisk together the butter and sugar. Add the eggs, cardamom powder and vanilla, and whisk again, to a creamy mixture. Add the milk and rum, and whisk again (the mixture will look separated, but it’s fine). Add the flour, baking powder and salt, and mix to a smooth batter. Pour the batter over the fruit layer, from the center out.
4. Bake for 35 minutes, until the cake is golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
5. Let the cake stand for 1-2 minutes in the pan. Place a plate (the size of the pan or larger) over the pan. Using oven mitts (remember, the pan is still hot!) hold both plate and pan together, and turn the pan upside down over the plate. Place on a work surface and carefully remove the pan. Let cool to room temperature before cutting.