An upside down cake is a cake that is baked in a single pan, then turned over and served upside down. The idea of upside down cakes was invented centuries ago when cakes were cooked in cast iron skillets. It was easy for the cook to place the fruit and sugar at the bottom of the pan and pour a simple cake batter on top.

The pineapple upside down cake which was so famous in the 1950s and 1960s is again gaining popularity.  It is utterly butterly delicious and caramelly. It’s a classic dessert and to me it brings back fond memories – a very Special one that too!!

My brother Abraham met Rajni, my sister- in- law while they were doing Chartered Accountancy. I remember so clearly, one day my brother coming home and telling all of us about the wonderful pineapple upside down cake Rajni had baked for him. Well, the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach and I think she did score a lot of brownie points on that masterpiece. They’ve been together ever since and are blessed with two wonderful sons.

Happy to be sharing this recipe with you:

Ingredients:

• Pineapple slices -400gms

For the caramel syrup:

• Sugar -1/2 cup
• Water -3 tbsp

Cake:

• Butter- 200gms
• Sugar -200gms
• Eggs -4
•  Flour-200gms
• Baking powder-11/2 tsp
• Baking soda -1/2 tsp
• Vanilla essence-2 tsp
• Pineapple juice – 50 ml (from the can)
• Ginger juice -2 tbsp (two-inch piece of ginger with 3 tbsp of water- grind strain and use)

Method:

• Bring sugar (1/2cup) and water to boil. Simmer on a low flame till golden brown. Remove and pour into a cake tin greased with butter. Keep aside for a few minutes.
• Arrange seven pineapple slices on top of the caramel. Keep aside for the cake batter.

For the cake:

• In a bowl, add butter and sugar and beat well till smooth.
• Add eggs and beat well after each edition.
• Sieve the flour with baking powder and baking soda.
• Alternate the sieved flour with a mixture of pineapple juice and ginger juice taken together.
• Add vanilla essence nod pour on top of the pineapple slices gently
• Bake in a preheated oven at 190 deg. C for 45 minutes.
• Allow to cool, place a plate on top and overturn the cake.
• If there’s remaining pineapple juice in the can, once the cake is ready, prick the cake all over with the help of a toothpick and spoon the remaining juice on top.
• Serve with ice- cream.

Chefs tips:

• All ingredients to be at room temperature.
• Each 400 gm tin has 8 slices of pineapple.
• You could place a cherry in the centre of each pineapple slice, if desired.
• It is to cut the sweetness of the pineapple juice that 2 tbsp of ginger juice is added.
• You could substitute pineapple for Apple, peaches, pears or any seasonal fruit.
• Serves 6-8.

Till my next post

Cheers,

Rose