A stunning yet surprisingly simple classic British cake featuring a no-fail sponge base topped with caramelised pineapple that reveals a beautiful sunburst pattern when inverted.
Adapted from a video by John Kirkwood
Pineapple Upside Down Cake: NO FAIL! Sponge cake recipe
canned pineapple sliceswith juice, approximately 16 oz can450 g
butterfor the caramel layer and cake batter~100 gest.
soft light brown sugar~75 gest.
eggs~2est.
neutral cooking oilsuch as sunflower oil, vegetable oil, or canola oil~60 mlest.
vanilla extract~1 tspest.
self-raising flouror use plain/all-purpose flour with extra baking powder~200 gest.
baking powder
if using self-raising flour; use 3 tsp total if using plain flour
1 tsp
caster sugar~150 gest.
salt~¼ tspest.
pineapple juicereserved from the canned pineapple, for the glaze50 ml
sugarfor mixing into the glaze2 tsp
Steps
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1
Drain the canned pineapple and set the juice aside. Pat the pineapple slices dry with kitchen paper, then cut all but one slice in half.
2
Heat a small frying pan over medium heat, add the butter, then the soft light brown sugar. Gently heat and stir until both have melted.
3
Pour the butter and sugar mixture into the baking dish. Spread the darker sugar evenly and arrange the pineapple slices in a sunburst or desired pattern.
4
Refrigerate the dish for about 20 minutes until the butter and sugar mixture sets.
5
Crack eggs into a bowl, add the cooking oil and vanilla extract, and whisk until light, airy, and well combined.
6
Sift in the self-raising flour, baking powder, caster sugar, and salt. Use a spatula to carefully fold everything together until smooth.
7
Preheat the oven to 170°C (340°F or gas mark 3).
8
Remove the chilled dish from the refrigerator. Rub a little butter around the rim of the dish to help with releasing the cake when turned upside down.
9
Carefully scrape the cake batter into the centre of the dish and let it flow to level itself. Tap the dish gently on the bench a few times to release larger air bubbles.
10
Place the dish in the preheated oven and set the timer for 30 minutes.
11
After 30 minutes, check the cake with a cocktail stick. It should come out clean; if still wet, bake a few more minutes.
12
Transfer the cake to a wire rack and let it cool for 10 minutes.
13
Prepare the glaze by mixing 50 ml of the reserved pineapple juice with 2 teaspoons of sugar until the sugar dissolves completely.
14
After 10 minutes, run a thin knife around the edge of the dish if needed. Place a serving plate on top, confidently flip it over, and lift off the dish to reveal the beautiful pineapple pattern.
15
While the cake is still hot, brush the pineapple glaze generously over the top, allowing the juice to soak into the sponge.
16
The cake is complete. Serve warm or cold, with ice cream, whipped cream, vanilla custard, or simply with tea or coffee.
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