Pineapple upside down cake

Pineapple is one of my favourite fruits – not only is it delicious but it also provides a home for Spongebob Squarepants....altogether now...who lives in a pineapple under the sea? Etc etc


Pineapple, compared to other fruits, seems under-represented in the baking world. This is my second foray into pineapple baking – the first being pina colada cupcakes.


The pineapple upside down cake is a tea time classic but, until baking one, I’d never eaten it! It’s an instantly recognisable cake with the golden rings of pineapple set into the cake.

The addition of some of the pineapple juice gives a lovely flavour and juiciness to the cake. What we all really liked about this cake was that it had an unmistakeable pineapple flavour but it wasn’t overpowering or too sweet.


I served it with clotted cream but in truth – and I don’t often say this – it didn’t need it. The cake is a lovely texture and has such a delicious taste that the cream almost detracted from it.

One warning if you’re using a springform or loose bottomed cake tin– as the cake cooks it oozes sticky syrup out of the bottom of the tin. Wrap the outside of the tin in foil to stop this leaking over your oven!


Ingredients:
For the topping:
50g unsalted butter, at room temperature
50g soft light brown sugar
6 pineapple rings in syrup – drain, but keep the syrup (I bought a 432g pineapple rings and this had more than enough rings in it)
6 glace cherries

For the cake:
150g unsalted butter, at room temperature
125g golden caster sugar
150g self raising flour
1.5 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 eggs
3 tablespoons pineapple juice/syrup from the can

How to make:
- Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan oven 160°C/350°F/Gas mark 4.
- Grease a 20cm springform tin with butter and wrap the outside of the tin in tin foil. If any syrup leaks out the cake whilst cooking the foil will stop it dripping all over your oven!
- Start by making the topping: beat the butter and sugar until smooth and creamy.
- Spread it over the base of the cake tin and a little up the sides. I found this easiest to do using my fingers.
- Place the pineapple rings in the tin so they touch but don’t overlap. I managed to fit 6 rings but if your pineapple is smaller you might get 7 in.
- Place a glace cherry in the centre of each pineapple ring.
- Now make the cake batter: Beat the butter and sugar until smooth and creamy.
- Add all the remaining ingredients and beat until combined.
- Spoon over the pineapple rings and level the surface.
- Bake for approximately 35 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out cleanly. Mine took 45 minutes. Err on the side of caution – it’s better to give it a little longer and ensure that the cake at the bottom around the pineapple is thoroughly cooked.
- Leave to stand for 10 minutes then turn out onto either a plate, if serving straight away, or a wire cooling rack.
- Serve either warm with ice cream or at room temperature with clotted cream.
- Bask in glory at the wonderful thing you have made.
- Eat.