I made my first pineapple upside down cake almost ten years ago because my new husband told me he liked them. I used a boxed cake mix and canned pineapple. The cake was fine, but nothing really special so I never bothered to make one again. This weekend, however, I had two very ripe pineapples that needed eating and I thought I’d try pineapple upside down cake again only this time from scratch.
Wow. What a difference! This cake is decadent. It is crazy good and I’d serve it to guests. What it lacks in looks in definitely made up for in taste! I made the cake on a Sunday afternoon thinking it’d be a quick project. It was quick, but it also used at least 3 different bowls. It was definitely worth the fuss, but just be forewarned that this does take a little extra love.
I’m not exactly sure why the cake ended up in pieces. I may not have baked it quite long enough. I tend to over bake cakes and I’ve been trying really hard not to do that so I very well may have overcompensated.
Pineapple Upside Down Cake
Ingredients
- 4 Tablespoons butter
- 3/4 cup brown sugar packed
- Fresh pineapple slices
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 stick butter at room temperature
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 eggs separated
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
Instructions
- Butter a 9" round cake pan. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
- In small sauce pan, melt butter and brown sugar together over medium heat.
- Stir until sugar dissolves and then stop stirring.
- Allow mixture to just start to bubble. This only takes a few minutes.
- Pour sugar/butter mixture in to bottom of prepared cake pan. Arrange pineapple slices in mixture and set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
- In a stand mixer, beat together sugar and butter until light and fluffy, about 7 minutes.
- Add vanilla and beat to incorporate.
- Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating after each addition.
- Add flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with milk, ending with flour. Scrape bowl down as needed.
- Transfer batter to the large bowl that held the flour mixture.
- Clean and dry mixer bowl thoroughly.
- Place egg whites and cream of tartar in mixer bowl. Whip until stiff peaks form (at least 10 minutes).
- Gently fold egg whites in two batches to the cake batter.
- Pour cake batter over pineapple slices in the cake pan.
- Bake for 35-55 minutes, checking the cake at 25 minutes for doneness.
- Cake is done when top is golden and toothpick comes out clean.