Recipe courtesy of Mary Berg
Pineapple Upside-Down Cake
- Level: Easy
- Yield: One 9-inch cake
- Total: 2 hr 25 min (includes cooling time)
- Active: 20 min
Ingredients
Pineapple Layer:
Nonstick cooking spray, for the cake pan
1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) (56 grams) unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup (100 grams) light brown sugar
6 to 7 canned pineapple slices, juice reserved
13 cocktail cherries, maraschino or Amarena
Cake:
1/2 cup (1 stick) (113 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
1/4 cup (50 grams) light brown sugar
3 large egg whites
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon coconut extract
1/2 cup (125 milliliters) sour cream
1/4 cup (60 milliliters) pineapple juice, from the can
1 3/4 cups (227 grams) all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (35 grams) unsweetened toasted coconut
1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Whipped cream, for serving
Directions
Special equipment:
a standard (2-inch-deep) 9-inch round cake pan- Heat your oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a standard (2-inch-deep) 9-inch round cake pan with nonstick cooking spray. Line the bottom of the pan with a piece of parchment paper.
- For the pineapple layer: Pour the butter into the pan and swirl to evenly coat. Scatter over the brown sugar and top with the pineapple slices. Place a cherry in the middle of each pineapple slice and dot a few more around the edges of the pineapple. Set aside.
- For the cake: Use a hand or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment to cream the butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar together until pale and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes. Add in the egg whites one at a time, beating well after each addition, then stir in the vanilla extract, coconut extract, sour cream and pineapple juice.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, toasted coconut, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir just to combine. Carefully pour the batter on top of the pineapple and spread into an even layer.
- Bake the cake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean (a few crumbs are ok), 45 to 50 minutes.
- Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 15 minutes then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely. If any of the cherries or pineapple stick to the pan, simply puzzle them back onto the top of the cake.
- Serve the cake with a dollop of whipped cream on the side.