Okay so maybe not actually upside down, but I definitely turned the classic pineapple upside down cake on it's proverbial head. I saw this great idea on a recipe website while I was researching classic 1920's desserts and being someone who always likes to liven things up and try something new, I of course had to give this idea a go.
This my dear readers is a two layered round upside down cake.
Gasp I know...the audacity! I can hear all of those 1920 housewives whispering about me right now...
"she couldn't just be happy with our plain one layered square cake she HAD to go and change it all up. It's just like her you know...she bobbed her hair too. And wears short dresses. with fringe."
...er uh okay forgot I wasn't ACTUALLY in 1920.
Many people don't know that the Pineapple Upside Down Cake first hit the scene in the 20's with the invention of...you guessed it canned pineapple! All those housewives in the midwest who'd probably never even seen a pineapple let alone eaten one, were all of a sudden expected to come up with something to make with it. So what else are you going to do if you're a 1920's midwest housewife... bake a cake of course! The Pineapple Upside Down Cake was a huge hit and it's been with us in some variation ever since. So here's my take on it. Hope you like it!
Two Layered Pineapple Upside Down Cake-adapted from Betty Crocker
Ingredients:
1/4 cup butter or margarine
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 14 oz. can pineapple slices, drained reserving juice
1 jar maraschino cherries without stems
2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups granulated sugar
1 stick of butter, softened to room temperature
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 ½ cup milk
2 eggs
3 Tbs. reserved pineapple juice
Directions:
Heat oven to 350°F. Divide 1/4 cup butter between two 9" round cake pans, place in oven and allow butter to melt. Remove pans from and divide and sprinkle brown sugar evenly between pans over melted butter. Slice pineapple rings in half to fit around edge of pan as shown in picture on top of brown sugar mixture.
Place remaining whole pineapple slices in middle of pan. Place cherry in center of each pineapple slice.
In medium bowl, beat remaining ingredients with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, scraping bowl constantly. Beat on high speed 3 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Divide batter between cake pans and pour batter over pineapple and cherries.
Bake 45-50 minutes or until cake tester or toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
Immediately place heatproof serving plate upside down over pan; turn plate and pan over. Leave pan over cake a few minutes so brown sugar mixture can drizzle over cake; remove pan.
Loosen edges of cake in second pan by running a knife carefully along edge. With the aid of an offset spatula (or any wide long handled spatula) quickly but gently flip second cake over bracing with spatula and place on top of first cake. Make sure second layer is centered before removing spatula. Allow cake pan to rest for a minute or two on top of cake so that the brown sugar mixture can drizzle onto cake.
Allow cake to cool...if you can..grin...before serving. Slice...
and Enjoy!
P.S. So now do you wanna know why I was researching classic 1920 dessert recipes?? Well for our New Years Eve Gangster and Flapper Murder Mystery Dinner that's why! grin! Post on this awesome night coming soon!
This recipe is linked up to:
