Pineapple Upside Down Cake
Ingredients
Topping
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground ginger
- 20 ounce can pineapple rings in juice, drained
- candied red cherries or maraschino cheries
- pecans or walnuts halved or diced; optional
Cake
- 3 tbsp butter
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 3/4 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/8 tsp coconut flavor, optional
- 1 1/3 cups unbleached all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup milk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9" round cake pan. To make the topping: Melt the butter, and mix with the brown sugar, cinnamon, and ginger. Spoon the mixture into the prepared pan. Space the pineapple rings atop the brown sugar mixture. Place a cherry in the center of each ring. If you're using nuts, scatter them in any empty spaces. To make the cake: Beat the butter and sugar until fairly smooth. Beat in the egg, then the salt, baking powder, vanilla, and coconut flavor. Add the flour alternately with the milk, mixing at medium speed and beginning and ending with the flour. Once the last of the flour is added, mix briefly, just until smooth. Spoon the thick batter into the prepared pan, spreading it to the edges of the pan. It may not cover the pineapple entirely; that's OK. Bake the cake for 30 to 35 minutes, until a toothpick or cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove the cake from the oven, wait 3 minutes, then turn the pan over onto a serving plate. Wait 30 seconds, then lift the pan off. If anything sticks in the pan, just lift it out and place it back on the cake. Serve warm or at room temperature.