Pineapple Upside Down Cake

Ingredients:

To make Topping

1. 1/2 – Fresh Pineapple
2. 1/2 cup – Brown sugar (Light or Brown. I used dark brown sugar)
3. 3 tbsp. – Butter (Unsalted. Softened)

To make cake batter

1. 3/4 cup – All-purpose flour (Maida)
2. 1/8 tsp. – Salt.
3. 1/2 tsp. – Baking powder
4. 1/4 cup – Butter (Unsalted. Softened)
5. 1/2 cup – (Granulated) Sugar
6. Eggs – 2 (Separate yolks and whites and bring to room temperature)
7. 1/2 tsp. – Vanilla Extract/Essence (I used pure vanilla extract)
8. 1/3 cup – Milk

Preparation

Set-Up

1. Open your oven and check if the oven is clean and good to operate. Close oven and set the oven temperature to 350 degree Fahrenheit. Let the oven start to preheat. 5-10 minutes may be.
2. Take the cake pan (I used 9×1.5” cake pan. You may check this bake ware set if you are thinking of buying one) and apply little butter all over inside it.
3. Halve a pineapple. Vertically quarter the halved pineapple. Cut and discard the skin. Cut and discard the core. Now slice the pineapple horizontally into 1/4” pieces and collect them in a bowl.
4. Set the ingredients required for preparing the topping ready on the kitchen table; Buttered cake pan, brown sugar (packed brown sugar – i.e. tightly measured) and softened butter.

Make the Brown sugar syrup and the Topping

1. Keep a dry pan on the stove in LOW flame. Add the softened butter. Once they start to melt (1 minute) add the brown sugar. Stir gently and let it simmer for 2-3 minutes, until the brown sugar blends together with the brown sugar. [This sugar syrup/topping must be made only in LOW flame taking care that you do not burn the brown sugar]
2. In another minute or so, slight bubbles appear on the brown sugar. Switch off flame and remove the pan from stove.
3. Immediately pour the topping on the buttered pan. [First time when I made pineapple upside-down cake, I found difficult to spread the topping all over the pan. So, the second time I made this pineapple upside-down cake, I briefly kept the cake pan inside the preheating oven (say 2 minutes) in midway when I was preparing the topping. When the topping was ready, I took out the cake pan and poured over it. It beautifully spread itself. Also, spread the topping from the outer border since the syrup themselves run towards the center perfectly forming the toping layer.]
4. Start to line the pineapple slices adjacent to each other. Once you finish giving a layer of pineapple slices on the brown sugar topping, If you prefer to close the tiny gaps between the arranged pineapple slices, cut small bits from the pineapple and close the gaps. Set the pan aside. Next is to prepare the cake batter.

Prepare the cake batter

1. Prepare the flour. Sieve flour, baking powder and salt together in a dry bowl. Set aside.
2. Set the ingredients required for preparing the cake batter ready on the kitchen table; butter, sugar, egg yolks, milk, prepared cake flour. All the ingredients must be at room temperature. If you are using butter right out from the refrigerator, soften it by cutting it into small pieces and placing it in microwave for 10-15 seconds. Take the eggs out from refrigerator and separate the yolks and white at least an hour before you start making the cake. While you separate the egg whites take care that not even a bit of yolk is sticking to it. Reserve a tablespoon of sugar to make the egg white mixture. These separated egg whites and reserved sugar will be used at the end of the cake batter preparation.
3. Take a deep bowl. Add the measured butter and sugar. Beat them together until they become light and fluffy. Takes a minute.
4. Add the egg yolks one at a time into this mixture and beat them together. Add the next yolk and beat well together. Takes 30-40 seconds.
5. Add vanilla essence and beat lightly into the mixture . Takes 15 seconds.
6. Now add half of the flour mixture and half of the the milk beating them alternately into the mixture. Beat them lightly just until combined.
7. Add the remaining flour mixture and the milk, beating them alternately into the mixture. Beat them lightly just until combined.

Fluff-up the egg whites

1. The secret to make any cake soft, spongy and fluffy is the egg whites. So you can make use of this tip to prepare any cake if you want them to be soft and spongy. Egg whites can be beaten to their full volume only if they are at room temperature. So like I said before, take out and separate the egg whites at least an hour before you start preparing the cake batter. Take a dry, deep bowl and start beating the egg whites in medium speed until frothy. Then speed to HIGH and beat the egg whites until they form soft peaks. Takes 2-3 minutes.
2. Remember? We reserved a tablespoon of sugar in the cake batter preparation? As you beat the egg whites add this sugar 1 teaspoon at a time and beat them in High speed. Beat the egg whites until they form stiff peaks. Takes 3 minutes.
3. Add the beaten egg whites little by little into the cake batter and mix very lightly. It’s enough just to fold this egg white mixture into the batter. Do not over-do the mixing.
4. Pour the cake batter on the layered cake pan. Spread the batter evenly and gently tap the cake pan on the kitchen table so that air pockets if any, in the batter will be closed.

Baking the Cake

1. Open the oven and immediately place the cake pan in the middle rack. Close the oven. Let the cake bake for 45-50 minutes. Do not open the oven during baking. It will disturb the oven temperature and in turn the rising process too.
2. After 45 minutes, check if the cake is done by inserting a fork or tooth pick. If no batter is stuck to the fork/tooth pick, the cake is good to be taken out from the oven. Else continue baking for 5 to 7 more minutes. Once you take the cake out from the oven, switch off oven. Let the cake rest for 5 minutes.
3. After 5 minutes, place a plate over the cake pan. Invert the plate bringing the cake pan upon the plate. Gently remove the cake pan. You’ll witness heaven on your plate .
4. Slice the freshly baked pineapple upside-down cake with sharp knife and enjoy it warm or bring it to room temperature and enjoy.