Pineapple Upside Down Cake

The pineapple upside down cheesecake was really good, so for this week's visit with Yusif and Naven and baby Ibraheem, I made pineapple upside down cake with fresh pineapples.

It was good, but not a humongous difference from canned pineapple. It doesn't melt in your mouth like canned pineapple, but I still like it better because it tastes more organic and lively. 

This cake recipe is better than the last one. I have to say it tastes so much better the next day. The flavors meld together into the cake after a day.

Pineapple Upside Down Cake
Yield: 10 inch cake or 24 cupcakes

12 slices of fresh pineapple (remember to save juice)
10 maraschino cherries

1 cup brown sugar
5 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/4 cup pineapple juice (blended from fresh pineapple)

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 1/2 cups of plain flour

1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cup sugar

4 eggs, at room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3/4 cup of milk

2 teaspoons baking powder

Making the pineapple topping
1) Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat
2) Add brown sugar and pineapple juice until it has dissolved, then remove from heat.
3) Mix cinnamon to the sugar mixture

Making the cake
1) Preheat oven 350°F
2) Sift the flour and baking powder into a bowl
2) In another bowl, beat the butter with an electric mixer for 2 minutes until pale and light
3) Slowly add the sugar and beat for another 2 minutes
4) Add the milk, eggs and vanilla extract and beat for another minute
5) Gently fold through the flour mixture with a wooden spoon until just incorporated. Make sure to scrape down the sides so that nothing is missed.

Assembling Cupcakes
1) For cupcakes: butter the muffin pan or ramekin
2) Scoop 2-3 teaspoons of the sugar mixture into the bottom of the ramekin
3) Place a pineapple slice on top
4) Spoon batter into the ramekin until three-quarters full
5) Bake for 20 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean
6) Allow cakes to cool for 10 minutes before serving

Assembling 10-inch Cake
2) Pour half the sugar mixture into the bottom of the pan
3) Place pineapple slices in pan and then the maraschino cherries
4) Spoon batter into pan until three-quarters full, you may have some batter left over
5) Bake for 40 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean
6) Allow cakes to cool for 2 minutes in pan and then flip over onto serving platter
7) Leave pan over cake for a few minutes to allow sugar mixture to drip over the cake
8) Reserved sugar mixture is used to sprinkle over each slice as you serve