Pineapple Upside-Down Cake ~ Simply Scrumptious!

My daughter served this luscious pineapple upside-down cake this past holiday season; and when I took my first bite, I absolutely thought I was going to melt!  I told you she had a talent for recognizing a good recipe...naturally, I had to have this one!

Now, we all know the real beauty of an upside-down cake is how simple they are to make.  But the topping on this cake is what makes it so special, and it's made a little differently than the typical topping for an upside-down cake.

     How Could Anything So Easy...

Be So Delicious!

Adapted from Lucy M. Clark's Pineapple Upside-Down Cake, Delightfully Southern Cookbook

Serves approx. 6-8

Ingredients

The Topping

• 3 TB salted butter
• 1/3 c. heavy cream or evaporated milk
• 1/2 c. light brown sugar, firmly packed
• 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
• 1/2 c. sweetened or unsweetened coconut flakes 
• 1/ea. 20 oz. can pineapple slices, drained (You'll have extra slices.)
• 12/ea. maraschino cherries, drained
• Butter-flavored cooking spray
• 10" cast-iron skillet

The Batter

• 1 c. all-purpose flour, sifted
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 2 large eggs
• 1 c. sugar
• 1/2 c. whole or 2% milk
• 1 TB salted butter

The Garnish

• Whipped Cream (optional)

    

   Oh, That's So Good...

There'll Be No Leftovers!

Directions

The Topping

1. Spray the iron skillet well with the butter-flavored cooking spray.
2. Whisk together in the skillet, over medium heat, the butter, cream or evaporated milk, brown sugar and ginger until the mixture bubbles.  Whisk constantly about 3 more minutes, or until thick and smooth.  Remove from the heat.
3. Sprinkle the coconut evenly over the brown-sugar mixture.  
4. For the pineapple pattern, refer to the above photo:  Cut about 6 drained pineapple slices in half.  Place about 7 halves of the pineapple, with a cherry in the middle of each, around the edges of the skillet, over the coconut.  Building toward the center, in the next circle, place about 4 pineapple halves with a cherry in the middle of each.  In the center, place 2/ea. one-quarter slices of pineapple, with a cherry in the middle of each.  (You may have one half a slice of pineapple left from the 6 slices you cut.)

The Batter

1. Preheat the oven to 350º.
2. Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt.  Set aside.
3. Beat the eggs until thick; then add the sugar a little at a time, mixing well.
4. Stir the dry ingredients into the egg mixture just enough to incorporate.  Set aside.
5. In a small saucepan, whisk the milk and butter together over medium heat just until warm (about 1 minute)...stir into the batter and pour over the pineapple in the skillet.
6. Bake approximately 40 minutes, or until the cake is golden brown, springs back when lightly touched in the center with your finger and an inserted toothpick comes out clean.  
7. Approximately 15 minutes after the cake is out of the oven, loosen the edges carefully from the pan with a thin-bladed knife; then let the cake cool about 1 hour total in the pan.
8. Turn the skillet upside down and release the cake onto a serving platter.  Refrigerate after a day or two any leftover cake.  (Leftover cake, are you kidding me?)

Makes a great take-along dessert!  Serve with or without a nice dollop of whipped cream beside each individual serving of cake.  

So, when you're pressed for time, but want something that everyone will exclaim "oh, that's so good!", you'll definitely enjoy this recipe! 

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