Chef Gillian Clark’s Pineapple Upside Down Cake

Pineapple Upside Down Cake

The Topping

1/2 cup butter
1/2 pound light brown sugar
1/4 cup pineapple juice
6 canned pineapple rings
3 maraschino cherries, cut in half

The Cake

10 tablespoons of butter
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 eggs
2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup pineapple juice
1/2 cup milk

Heat a 9 by 13 inch glass baking dish in the oven at 350 degrees. Add the butter to the warm dish. Remove the dish from the oven when the butter has melted. Stir in the brown sugar and pineapple juice. Arrange the rings of pineapple in the sugar mixture in two rows of three. Fill the center of each ring with a cherry half. Set this aside to cool and set.

In a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar. Add the vanilla and eggs. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, salt, and baking powder. Add the wet mixture to the dry ingredients. Stir in the pineapple juice and milk. Stir gently to form a lumpy but well-incorporated batter. Pour the batter over the topping in the dish. Bake in a 350-degree oven for 35 minutes, or until a toothpick pricked into the center of the cake comes out clean.

Cool for 5 minutes, and then invert the cake on a large cutting board or platter. Allow to cool for 10 minutes more before cutting.

(Return to the Chef Gillian Clark profile in the TSP Galleries.)

{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }

Gina Hyams January 20, 2009 at 7:52 pm

I made pineapple upside-down cake today, too — adapted recipe from Fanny Farmer (1966). I put maraschino cherries on the side, thinking WWOD? (What Would Obama Do?), guessing that our new president is probably not pro maraschino cherries.

Maureen March 1, 2009 at 1:08 pm

9×5? That’s an unusual size imho. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a glass pan that sized – 8×8 is what is pretty common for these cakes isn’t it?

paige March 2, 2009 at 2:54 pm

Thanks, Maureen, for catching our typo–it’s been corrected, thanks to you. Now I have to go check out YOUR blog for snowy day cooking ideas…

Ms. Black October 23, 2010 at 8:45 am

Salt amount is missing. I guessed how much. Hope it’s ok it’s in the overn. Needed to send the email again typos feeling a bit distressed about cake now.

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