Pineapple Upside Down Cake

Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse, 2005

Show: Emeril LiveEpisode: Fruit Desserts

Rated: 5 stars out of 5Rate itRead users' reviews (65)

RECIPE
COMMENTS & REVIEWS(65)

Cook Time:
45 min
Level:
Intermediate
Yield:
6 to 8 servings

Times:

Prep: 30 min
Inactive Prep: 4 min
Cook: 45 min
Total:: 1 hr 19 min

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Ingredients

1/2 ripe medium pineapple, peeled, cored, eyes removed and sliced into 1/2-inch rounds (about 4 or 5 slices)
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
3/4 cup light brown sugar
14 pecan halves
1 cup cake flour (not self-rising)
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 tablespoon dark rum
4 fresh cherries, halved and pits removed

Directions

Melt 4 tablespoons of the butter in a 10-inch cast iron skillet, over medium heat. Add the brown sugar and stir to combine. Increase the heat to medium high and cook until the sugar mixture is bubbly, about 2 minutes. Arrange pineapple slices in the skillet in a pleasing pattern and continue to cook for 2 minutes, or until the sugar mixture turns an amber color. Turn the pineapple slices over and remove the pan from the heat. (The mixture will continue to cook even though the heat is off.) Arrange the pecan halves in the spaces between the rings. Set aside to cool slightly.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Stir together the flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium mixing bowl.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together the remaining 1/2 cup butter and the granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, mixing just until incorporated. Add the flour mixture and buttermilk alternately in 3 batches, mixing at low speed after each addition until just combined. Stir in the vanilla and rum.

Spoon the batter evenly over the pineapple slices in the skillet. Bake in the middle of the oven until golden brown and a tester comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes.

Cool the cake in the skillet on a wire rack for 4 minutes only. Run a thin knife around the edge of the cake and, wearing oven mitts and working quickly, invert the cake onto a cake plate, keeping plate and skillet firmly pressed together. Carefully lift the skillet off cake and replace any fruit stuck to the bottom of the skillet, if necessary. Arrange the fresh cherry halves, cut side down, into the top of the cake, in the center of the pineapple rings.

Serve cake warm or at room temperature.

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Comments & Reviews

recipe Pineapple Upside Down Cake
Arianna dayton, TX 09-28-2009
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awsome
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

This cake is the most moist and delishious cake ever!
recipe Pineapple Upside Down Cake
Lady timmins, AR 09-27-2009
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Even with leftover fruit, this recipe was still "right-side-up" with our tastebuds!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

I had a small container of fruit cocktail in my fridge, another small container of fresh blueberries, and a BIG hankering for... some old-fashioned comfort food so thought I'd blend them all together with this recipe and glad I did...turned out great! I cooked the brown sugar/fruit mixture about 3 times longer as I was worried about the amount of moisture they would contain vs. fresh cut pineapple...I also (thankfuly) paid heed to previous reviewers comments to lessen the amount of sugar...I must say I always read the reviews before I try these on-line recipes out and have learned how important/informative they always turn out to be...Didn't know you could add cornstarch to flour to simulate cake flour -- (but did know you can add a little vinegar to whole milk to simulate buttermilk) -- and really appreciated the urgence of using a cast iron pan...I have one as a special family "hand-me-down", but seldom use it...*Note to all, the caramel part won't be as firm as you may prefer-- suspect the canned fruit is the culprit - but my hubby and sons loved it, especially with a side dollop of fresh whipped cream! Read more
recipe Pineapple Upside Down Cake
Cindy Ormond Beach, FL 07-11-2009
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Excellent and easy
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

This was so rich and yummy, excellent flavor. Just the right amount of gooey and cake. This was easy to make and I just... followed the instructions. Everyone LOVED it. Read more
recipe Pineapple Upside Down Cake
MAribel SAn Diego , CA 06-03-2009
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Delicious and traditional taste!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

I altered the recipe alittle bit, 1 1/2 cake flour and 1/2 unbleached flour, and I made a pineapple sauce I used canned... pineapples and reduced the juice from the can added 1 tablespoon of brown sugar and 1 tablespoon of Dark Rum. Yummy! poured it over cooled cake and seved with a homemade vanilla bean gelato. THis is the best by far.Read more
recipe Pineapple Upside Down Cake
Chir Phoenix, AZ 06-01-2009
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The kids liked it anyway
Rated: 3 stars out of 5

This was good, not great. I must've overmixed the batter, mine was also like pancake batter & not light & fluffy. Since it... was runny, the batter got mixed in with the carmel topping when I poured it in the pan so I didn't get carmelized topping I should have. It just looked like brown cake batter with pineapple rings on top. Not very pretty. However, it tasted OK and the kids seemed to enjoy it. Not sure if it was good enough to try it again though.Read more
recipe Pineapple Upside Down Cake
Lindsey Rancho Santa Margarita, CA 05-22-2009
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Always a crowd pleaser!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

I love making this cake. I have made this cake with this recipe several times and each time it has been a winner. Make sure... that you use all fresh ingredients for it to come out right. It is very important to have a cast iron skillet to make this turn out right. I highly recommend buying one it will be a pan that you will use forever! I always skip the cherries and add additional pineapple because you can never have enough. Happy baking!Read more