Fresh Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

Canned pineapple can be great, but when the fresh fruit is at its ripest this classic cake is absolutely sublime.

YIELD

8–10 servings

ACTIVE TIME

30 min

TOTAL TIME

2 hr

INGREDIENTS

• 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 fresh pineapple, halved lengthwise, cored, and peeled
• 1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 2/3 cup well-shaken buttermilk

2. PREPARATION

1. Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Sift together flour, baking powder and soda, and salt into a bowl. Cut pineapple crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick wedges.
3. Butter a 9-inch round cake pan (2 inches deep) lightly on side and generously on bottom of pan using 1/2 stick butter. Sprinkle all of brown sugar evenly over bottom and arrange pineapple over it, starting in center of pan and overlapping slices slightly.
4. Beat together remaining stick butter, granulated sugar, and vanilla with an electric mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes, then add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture alternately with buttermilk in batches, beginning and ending with flour and mixing just until batter is smooth.
5. Spread batter evenly over pineapple and bake until a wooden pick inserted in center of cake comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. Cool 15 minutes in pan on a rack, then invert cake onto a plate and remove pan. Cool to room temperature.
2. -----
3. Delicious! Works great in a 12" cast iron pan - bake for 30-35 minutes. I drizzled 1/4 cup Mt. Gay rum all over right out of the oven and before inverting. I used Pam Baking Spray, NOT the 1/2 stick of butter to grease pan with excellent results. 
4. 
   

This cake was amazing. I followed the advice of adding 1 teaspoon of cardamom and 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg; it was a little too much cardamom. I didn't have a proper pan but knew pineapple upside-down cakes can be baked in cast iron pans. I only have a small cast iron skillet, about 6 inches across. I divided the butter, sugar, and batter in half and baked the cake twice; it only took about 25 minutes at 350. I loved this recipe.