Upside down cakes were very common in medieval Europe, when chefs baked all their cakes in heavy pans. Nowadays it is customary to put fruit on display, but thanks to this delicious cake you can travel to the past.
Ingrediants
For the Cake Topping
- 2 tablespoons (30 g) of butter, melted
- 200 g of brown sugar
-
6 slices of pineapple (canned or fresh)
Optional:
- 120 ml of chopped nuts (any kind)
- ½ teaspoon (2.5 g) of powdered ginger
- 6 maraschino cherries
For the Cake Base
- 60 g of butter
- 200 g of white sugar
- 2 whole eggs
- 1 additional egg white
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of pineapple juice (you can use canned pineapple juice)
- 185 g of flour
- 2 teaspoons (10 g) of yeast
- ¼ teaspoon (1 g) of salt
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) of a dessert extract of your choice: vanilla, lemon, almond, orange or pineapple
- 120 ml of milk
Steps
Part 1 of 2: Prepare the Cake Topping
Step 1. Preheat the oven to 175 ºC
You won't need it at this stage, but it will already be hot by the time you're ready for the next one. Skip this step if you are preparing the garnish ahead of time.
To bake the cake flawlessly, place the oven rack in the second housing from the top
Step 2. Prepare the pineapple slices
The canned one is already cut into beautiful rings to look at. Fresh fruit tastes best, especially when it is in season: in the spring and early summer months. Choose the one you prefer and prepare it as follows:
-
Canned pineapple:
drain the slices of juice, which you will keep for the next step.
-
Fresh pineapple:
cut it into rings. First remove both ends, then peel off the peel. Cut it into slices, then remove the center of each slice with a small knife.
Step 3. Melt the butter and sugar in a heavy skillet
Heat the butter yourself first. When it has melted, add the brown sugar and cook it over medium heat; keep stirring until it has dissolved completely. You will get a thick syrup.
If possible, use a heavy, round shaped cast iron skillet (about 23-25 cm in diameter). This way you can also use it to bake the cake in the oven
Step 4. Add the ginger and dried fruit (optional)
Chopped nuts and powdered ginger balance the sour taste of pineapple. This part of the cake will have a similar taste to that of the panforte. Simply pour them into the pan and continue with the next step.
Step 5. Cook the pineapple slices until lightly browned
Place them in a pan in a single layer, then cook them 2-3 minutes on each side, stirring them from time to time with a wooden spoon.
You can cook them even longer if you prefer them to take on a caramel hue
Step 6. Set them aside to cool
As you prepare the base of the cake, the topping will acquire a semi-solid consistency. If you don't intend to cook the dessert in that same pan, immediately transfer the pineapple slices to a cake pan, after having greased it properly, then pour the syrup over it.
Step 7. Add the cherries to the maraschino (optional)
Place one in the center of each pineapple slice.
Part 2 of 2: Prepare the Cake Base
Step 1. Beat the butter with the sugar
Let the butter soften at room temperature; it must be easy to work with, but not loose. At this point, start working it with an electric whisk or a wooden spoon. When it has become smooth and creamy, gradually incorporate the sugar. Keep working it until it increases in volume and becomes slightly lighter.
Step 2. Add the eggs and pineapple juice
Incorporate one ingredient at a time, without stopping working the dough. In both cases, remember to clean the walls of the bowl with a spatula to add the egg and juice residues to the dough. The extra egg white is important, because it helps to make the dough full-bodied, so that it can support the weight of the pineapple slices, but at the same time it keeps it soft and light. The ingredients to add in this step are:
- 2 whole eggs;
- 1 egg white;
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of pineapple juice, if you used canned pineapple. If you used fresh pineapple instead, use lemon juice or add nothing;
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) of vanilla extract or another dessert extract of your choice.
Step 3. Sift and blend the dry ingredients
Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a separate bowl. Stir a few seconds to mix them.
Step 4. Blend the milk, dry ingredients, egg and butter mixture gradually
Add about ⅓ of the dry ingredients to the butter bowl, then whisk the mixture for the time necessary to remove all lumps. Incorporate ¼ (60 ml) of the milk, without stopping stirring. Repeat with ⅓ of the dry ingredients, then again with ¼ (60 ml) of milk, finally add the remaining flour, yeast and salt mixture.
Keep mixing the ingredients with the whisk until the flour is fully incorporated. The dough for this cake doesn't have to be smooth
Step 5. Pour the batter over the pineapple slices
Spread it out with a knife, covering the fruit evenly. You can pour it directly into the pan you cooked the pineapple in.
Step 6. Bake the cake in the oven
It must cook at 175 ° C for about 45 minutes. To check the cooking, insert a toothpick in the center of the cake: if once extracted it is clean, it means that it is ready.
If you have a cake thermometer available, remember that the cake is ready when it reaches a temperature of 88-93 ° C in the center
Step 7. Let it cool, then turn it upside down
Once out of the oven, wait five minutes, then peel it off the sides of the pan with a knife. Put on oven mitts and place a large serving dish on top of the cake. At this point, turn them both upside down at the same time and finally raise the pan.
- Use a plate with sides, so that it can contain any juices.
- If some slices remain stuck to the pan, gently peel them off with a spatula and place them on the cake. Don't worry, it will still be beautiful.
Advice
- If you want an exceptionally soft cake, separate the egg whites from the yolks and whisk them until stiff before adding them to the dough.
- Accompany the cake with homemade whipped cream.
- If some pineapple rings are too big to put whole in the pan, simply cut them into smaller pieces.
