Pineapple Upside-down Cake, And Variations Recipe

-BATTER-
1 1/3 c Flour
1 1/2 ts Baking powder
1/4 ts Cinnamon
1/4 ts Salt
8 tb Butter; unsalted
1 c Sugar
2 lg Eggs; room temp.
1 1/2 ts Vanilla
1/2 c Milk

Topping: In 9 inch round cake pan, melt the butter over low heat. Using a
wooden spon, stir in the brown sugar and cook, stirring, for 3-4 minutes or
until the mixture is mooth and bubbling. Remove pan from heat. Lay
pineapple slices on top of mixture (a can should contan 4 slices); place a
cherry in the center of each slice and in the center of the pan. Line the
pecan halves (upside down) like spokes on a wheel between the slices of
pineapple. Put one cherry on each side of the top of the “spokes.” Set
aside.

Batter: In a small bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, cinnamon and
salt. In a large blwo, using a hald held electric mixer set a medium speed,
beat the butter for 30 seconds, or until creamy. Beat in the sugar and
continue to beat for 2-3 minutes, or until the mixture is light in texture
and color., Beat in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each
addition. Beat in the vanilla. Onlow speed, beat in half the flour mixture
until just combined. Scrape down the side of the bowl. Beat in the milk,
then beat in the remaining flour mixture until just combined. Spoon the
batter over the pineapple in the cake pan. Using a rubber spatula, spread
the batter evenly over the pineapple, covering it completely and making
sure the batter touches the side of the pan all around.

Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the cent of
the cake comes out clean. Cook the cake in the pan set on a wire rack for 3
minutes. Invert a serving plate over the cake and invert the cake and pan
onto the plate. Lift off the cake pan. Serve warm or at room temperature
with whipped cream or ice cream.

VARIATIONS: Ginger-Peach: use 2 cups well drained, canned sliced peaches
and 1 1/2 tablespoons minced crystallized ginger instead of pineapple,
cherries and pecans. In batter, replace the cinnamon with 1/4 teaspoon
ground ginger.

Blueberry-Lemon: Topping- use 2/3 cup brown sugar, 2 cups fresh blueberries
and 1 1/2 teaspoons grated lemon zest in place of pineapple, cherries and
pecans. Arrange blueberries evenly over brown sugar mixture. Scatter lemon
zest over the blueberries. In the batter, replace the cinnamon with 1 1/2
teaspoons grated lemon zest.

Cherry-Chocolate Chip: Topping-use 1/2 cup brown sugar and 2 cvups canned
dark sweet cherries in heavy syrup, well drained. Arrange cherries evenly
over brown sugar mixture. In the batter, replace the cinnamon with 3/4 cup
mini semisweet chocolate chips, adding them as the last step.

Raspberry-White Chocolate: Topping-use 2 cups fresh or unthawed,
unsweetened frozen raspberries. Arrange them evenly over brown sugar
mixture. In the batter, replace cinnamon with 2 oz. white chocolate,
coarsely chopped or 1/2 cup white chocolate chips, adding the chocolate
last.

Spiced Apricot-Pecan: Topping-use 2/3 cup brown sugar, 1 17 oz. can apricot
halves in heavy syrup, well drained and halved, and 12-15 pecan halves.
Reserve 2 or 3 appricotds and cut into wedges. Arrange the apricots, round
side down, in a ring about 1/4 inch from the edge of the pan. Arrange
reserved apricot wedges in the center of the pan. Place pecan halves
between every other apricot around the outside edge and around the apricots
in the canter. In the batter, use 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger, 3/4 teacpoon
cinnamon and 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg.

Rhonda’s Notes: This is the recipe that is actually featured in the
magazine. I haven’t tried this one yet.

Contributor: Choclatier, June, 1997