Smile

I think the universe is conspiring to deliver a message in my life. This week I was making a sandwich and talking on the phone when a mishap occurred and half the bottle of dressing spilled all over the counter. I instantly belted out an expletive and then commenced cleaning. After wiping up the counter without much thought, I looked at the plate that was left and here's what I saw. Ryan and I laughed.

Pineapple Upsidedown Cake

I've had pineapple upside down cake on the brain lately. When we invited several friends over for a small dinner party and I knew wanted to make some kitschy, special dishes that seemed 1960's fabulous.

We decided on chicken breasts stuffed with goat cheese and fresh thyme (think homemade chicken cordon bleu), pan roasted asparagus, boiled red potatoes and this pineapple fabulousness. For some reason I only ended up with pictures of the cake and a few of us pounding out the chicken with a meat hammer before stuffing and rolling them up. So, I'll focus on the cake.

I used an internet recipe, credit to someone named Vetrusha here. I selected it because it called specifically for fresh pineapple, which I thought a must, and garnered many positive reviews. I had some trouble following this recipe the first time around and made some booboos. These mistakes changed the character of the cake, reducing the amount of browned carmelly goodness.

We served the first attempt to our guests and it tasted okay but didn't look very pretty. This afternoon I tried it again, making sure I followed the recipe to a T. Overall, I am happy with this recipe. I'm consistently amazed when I make a cake from scratch just how easy it is. I always find myself wondering why on earth we pay for pre-mixed box cakes which are inferior to a combination of simple items from the cupboard. Just to have the dry ingredients mixed ahead of time? Better living through chemistry? Who the heck knows.

While the second cake was more caramelized, in the future when I make this recipe I am going to put the caramel ingredients in the pan first and brown them in the oven for a few minutes before adding the other ingredients. I think the sticky, little bit chewy, caramely goodness is what makes this cake special and needs to be underscored.


Arranging the fruit in the pan. The recipe author says no maraschino cherries. I say, "Heck yes, maraschino cherries!"


Gooey caramel goodness.


Fluffing the egg whites.


Beautiful golden brown cake with caramel bubbling up the sides.


Finished product hot out of the oven and flipped.