Pineapple Upside Down Cake

This one's for you Auntie M!



I know this cake has been done before, it's not super original, just my version. It's cooked in a cast iron pan. I guess that's because I'm a Texan, and that's how we do it in the South. If you don't have a cast iron pan, you should get one. Until then, you can melt the butter in a small pot and then pour it into a cake pan. Continue the recipe the same from there.

1/2 cup unsalted Butter
1 cup firmly packed Brown Sugar
1 20oz can crushed Pineapple - drained, liquid reserved
3 Egg Yolks
1 cup Sugar
1 cup Flour
1 t Baking Powder
1/2 t Salt
1 t Mexican Vanilla
2 Egg Whites



Preheat oven to 350°.

Heat a ten inch cast iron pan over medium heat. Add the butter, let it melt, and then turn the heat off.



Sprinkle the brown sugar evenly over the butter.



Evenly place the pineapple over the brown sugar. Use your fingers to gently press the fruit up to the sides of the pan.



In a bowl, beat the egg yolks for a few minutes with an electric mixer, until they're lemon colored. Then, gradually add the white sugar to the egg yolks. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as you beat the egg mixture.



In a separate bowl combine the flour, baking powder and salt.

Alternately add the flour mixture and pineapple juice to the egg mixture until it's well mixed.

Then, use a spoon to stir in the Mexican Vanilla.



In another bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form.



Fold the egg whites into your batter. Do not over work the mixture at this point, you don't want to work the air out of the whites that you just whipped into them. Fold it together just until it's mixed together.



Evenly spoon the batter over the pineapple in your skillet.



Bake uncovered until the cake is set, about 45-55 minutes. You can test the cake by sticking a wooden pick into it. If it comes out clean, then the cake is done. If it comes out and has dough stuck to it, it needs more time in the oven.

As soon as the cake is done cooking, invert it onto a serving plate. To do this; using pot holders, place a plate upside down on top of the cast iron pan. Put one hand on the bottom of the plate, which is facing up. Use the other hand to hold the pan's handle. Quickly and carefully, flip the pan and plate over 180°, so that the pan is over the plate and the plate is now upright with the cake on it. Remove the pan and enjoy the cake!



I didn't get a very good picture of the final product. I gave this cake away, so I din't have a chance to take any pictures of the inside. Sorry. I'll bake another one soon and add some tasty looking final photos!