PINEAPPLE UPSIDE DOWN CAKE
ADAPTED AND MODIFIED FROM THIS LINK : http://www.joyofbaking.com/PineappleUpsideDownCake.html
STEP | INGREDIENTS | METHOD | DODO’S MODIFICATION / NOTES |
The Topping | 4 tablespoons (1/4 cup) (55 grams) unsalted butter, cut in small pieces 3/4 cup (160 grams) light brown sugar 1 medium pineapple(peeled, quartered, cored, and sliced 1/4 inch thick) Maraschino cherriesor candied cherries (optional) | Place the butter and brown sugar in a small saucepan and stir over medium heat until the butter has melted and the sugar has dissolved. Continue cooking, without stirring, for a few more minutes or until bubbles just start to appear around the outside edges of the mixture (the sugar starts to caramelize). Then remove from heat, and pour into your prepared cake pan. Evenly arrange the fresh pineapple slices on top of the sugar mixture. (Can also garnish with cherries.) | I found this to be too sweet and syrup-ish. So what I did was to put a few knobs of butter on the base of the cake tin and melt in the oven for a few minutes at 150 C. Then I took it out and arranged the pineapples on it. Don’t pat it dry. Use the syrup WITHIN the pineapple too. Then, I scattered brown sugar using a tablespoon. Just generally cover the base. About 3-4 tablespoons will do. Then put in the oven for another 3-5 minutes or till you see the sugar melting. I didn’t have CHERRIES so I put a dollop of whip cream and some colourful sprinkles instead. |
The Cake Batter | 1 1/2 cups (195 grams) all purpose flour 2 teaspoons baking powder 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature 1 cup (200 grams) granulated white sugar 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 2 large eggs, separated 1/2 cup (120 ml) milk 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar | In a large bowl, sift or whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. In the bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and then beat in the vanilla extract. Add the egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the flour mixture (in three additions), alternately with the milk (in two additions), ending with the dry ingredients. In a clean bowl, whisk the egg whites with the cream of tartar just until the whites hold a firm peak. With a large spatula gently fold the beaten egg whites into the cake batter in two additions. Pour the batter into the cake pan, smoothing the top. Bake in preheated oven for 45 -55 minutes, or until the top of the cake has browned and starts to pull away from the sides of the pan (a toothpick inserted into the cake (not the pineapple) will come out clean). Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool for about 10 minutes. Run a sharp knife around the edge of the pan and then invert the cake onto your serving plate. Serve with softly whipped cream. Makes one - 9 inch (23 cm) cake. OVEN SETTING: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C) and place rack in the center of the oven. Butter (or spray with a non stick vegetable spray) a 9 inch (23 cm) round cake pan with three inch (7.5 cm) sides. | Okay, so I didn’t have patience to do what they did. I just sifted the flour twice, made sure butter was melted well at room temperature, and put all the ingredients in at one go and beat the shit out of it. Now, if you’re going to do it my way. There is a technique you must use which my friend Thulsy Subramaniam taught me. 1) You MUST use a SILICONE SPATULA! That’s right! Not wooden, cake mixer, etcetera. The silicone spatula allows you to beat the life out of lumps. (Dodo’s Discovery) 2) You MUST beat it in a shape of an 8 and make sure when you’re beating the mixture, you keep folding it in to release trapped air. I DIDN’T HAVE CREAM OF TARTAR! So I replaced it with 2 tablespoons of ground almond powder. Almond helps the batter come together well. I used SELF RAISING FLOUR so no need for baking soda. I reduced the sugar to half. Just nice! OVEN SETTING: The same as original setting. However, since I only made half of the ingredient amount. I lowered it to 150 C. Baked it for 30-40 minutes. You have to watch your oven as mine is a small oven. If you’re using a bigger oven and want to modify the amount of batter you make, try it first at 150 C and increase it if you feel it’s not cooking evenly. You can do this by using a stick to test the sides and middle of the cake. Learnt that through experience! J |
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