Pineapple Upside Down Cake | Simple By Cindy

I talk a lot about the benefits of vegetables, but I’d like to take a few moments today and talk about fruit. Though we think of fruit as a treat, fruit is also extremely healthy. Most of the fruits we eat are naturally low in fat, sodium, and calories, so they’re a great choice for a snack. None of them have cholesterol, so those with dietary restrictions around cholesterol can partake too.

We can also get a large amount of potassium from fruits like bananas, prunes, dried peaches or apricots, cantaloupe, honeydew melon, and orange juice. Be careful of the orange juice that you buy in the store. Some brands have a high level of sugar and preservatives. If you can, squeeze your own orange juice from fresh oranges, or look for fresh squeezed juice at your farmer’s market. This will give you a boost in potassium without the additives.

Fruit has loads of fiber, which we know is essential to dietary health. Fiber helps reduce blood cholesterol levels, and may lower risk of heart disease. It also helps to control constipation and other bowel related problems. When you eat a lot of fiber, it provides a feeling of fullness. Be aware that fiber comes from the actual material of the fruit, so fruit juices contain very little.

Fruits contain high levels of vitamin C. This vitamin helps in growing and repairing body tissues, healing cuts and wounds, and keeping our teeth and gums healthy.

Most important, eating these natural treats will set a good example for your friends and family. With kids especially, it is important to teach good, healthy eating habits when they are young. Start when they are babies and you will create healthy habits that will last a lifetime. Even for picky adult eaters, there are ways to incorporate fruits into your diet– including a delicious dessert like this one.

With this special treat, we can have fruit and dessert together. The cream cheese ensures that this treat is creamy and smooth. The pineapple is a sweet delight that combines beautifully with the cream cheese. It is not too sweet, and the graham cracker crust is the perfect home for delicious tidbit. The whipped cream adds even more lovely sweetness. The perfect ending to any good meal.

This recipe is courtesy of I am Baker and will serve 12 lucky people.

Ingredients for Pineapple Upside Down Cake:

For the Topping:

1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup packed light or dark brown sugar
8–10 pineapple slices if using canned pineapple, 3 to 4 slices if using fresh
15–20 maraschino cherries

For the cake:

1 and 1/2 cups cake flour (spooned and leveled)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 large egg whites, at room temperature
1/3 cup sour cream, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/3 cup whole milk, at room temperature

Preheat oven to 350°F.

For the Topping:

Pour 1/4 cup melted butter into an ungreased 9×2 inch pie dish or round cake pan. (Make sure the pan is 2 inches deep.

Sprinkle brown sugar evenly over butter.

Blot any excess liquid off the fruit with a clean towel or paper towel. (The wetter the fruit, the more likely the cake could overflow or the topping could seep over the sides when inverted.)

Arrange about 6-7 blotted pineapple slices and all the cherries on top of the brown sugar.

If using fresh pineapple, 3 or 4 slices should do.

Place maraschino cherries in the center of pineapple rings.

Place pan in the refrigerator for a few minutes as you prepare the cake batter.

This helps solidify or “set” the topping’s arrangement.

Make the cake batter:

Whisk the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together.

Set aside.

Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, beat the butter on high speed until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute.

Add the sugar and beat on high speed until creamed together, about 1 minute.

Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed.

On high speed, beat in the egg whites until combined, then beat in the sour cream and vanilla extract.

Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl as needed.

Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.

Turn the mixer onto low speed and as the mixer runs, slowly pour in the milk.

Beat on low speed just until all of the ingredients are combined.

Do not over-mix.

You may need to whisk it all by hand to make sure there are no lumps at the bottom of the bowl.

The batter will be slightly thick.

Remove topping from the refrigerator.

Pour and spread cake batter evenly over topping.

Bake for 43-48 minutes, tenting foil on top of the cake halfway through bake time to prevent the top from over-browning before the center has a chance to fully cook.

The cake is done when a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out mostly clean– a couple moist crumbs are OK.

Don’t be alarmed if your cake takes longer or if the cake rises up and sticks to the foil. (We serve the cake upside down anyway!)

Remove cake from the oven and cool on a wire rack for just 20 minutes.

Invert the slightly cooled cake onto a cake stand or serving plate.

Some of the juices from the topping will seep over the sides– that’s ok.

You can slice and serve the cake warm, but the slices will be messy.

The author finds it is best to cool the cake completely at room temperature before slicing and serving.

Do not refrigerate the cake to speed up the cooling process because it could end up tasting overly dense.

Cover leftover slices and store for up to 3 days in the refrigerator or 3 months in the freezer.

Thaw at room temperature.

The author does not recommend freezing the cake as a whole because the topping arrangement doesn’t thaw very nicely.

It’s that simple!