How to bake the BEST Pineapple Upside Down Cake

Caramelized butter adds rich flavor and color to the pineapple.

The Hawaiian Pineapple Company held a recipe contest in 1925 to find new ways of preparing and cooking pineapples. The winner of the contest, Mrs. Robert Davis, submitted this recipe. The judges chose this as the best entry from more than 60,000 submissions, including 3,000 for pineapple upside down cake. You need a large cast iron frying pan to make this cake, the same way it was made in 1925. If you do not have one, then substitute a large frying pan that can go from the stove into the oven.

Things You'll Need

• Large can sliced or crushed pineapple
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 cups flour
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 cup butter or margarine
• 2 tsp. butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 jar maraschino cherries
• Whipped cream
• Cast iron frying pan

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. (Please note that the original recipe does not provide an oven temperature.)

2. Drain a large can of sliced or crushed pineapple. Refrigerate the juice for another recipe.

3. Sift the flour in a large bowl.

4. Add baking powder and salt to the flour. Then, sift a second time to evenly distribute the baking powder and salt with the flour.

5. Cream 1/2 cup butter or margarine in a separate bowl, and gradually add the sugar.

6. Separate the whites and yolks of 2 eggs.

7. Beat the yolks. Add them to the creamed butter and beat until they are thoroughly mixed.

8. Add the flour and milk to the butter mixture. Beat until thoroughly combined.

9. Beat egg whites in a separate bowl until foamy and then add vanilla. Pour into batter and mix thoroughly.

10. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in frying pan. Sprinkle brown sugar evenly over the butter.

11. Spread pineapple over the brown sugar. If you are using pineapple slices, place them close together, touching each other.

12. Pour batter over the pineapple in the pan. Bake in oven for 45 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

13. Immediately flip pineapple upside down cake onto platter or serving dish. Keep the pan over the cake for 3 or 4 minutes. This will allow the caramelized butter and sugar in the pan to drip onto the pineapple and the cake.

14. Garnish with maraschino cherries and whipped cream.

References

• The Food Reference Website: Pineapple Upside Down Cake
• The Year of Living Unofficially; National Pineapple Upside Down Cake Day