Today I took the Martha road trip out West and traveled back in time for a nostalgic favorite, Pineapple Upside-Down Cake from page 400.
I must confess that I was worried about this one. Martha’s batter recipe is simple and made with basic kitchen staples like butter, sugar, flour and milk. But the topping is another story! Not because it’s that difficult to make, the part I was worried about was getting it out of its pan. Caramelized sugar tends to be a bit sticky and I could just picture turning it upside down (hence the name) and having the topping stick to the bottom of the pan or just fall apart on me! What to do?
I decided the best plan of action was to use a small non-stick pan and make a mini-cake. I was still nervous, and kind of dreading the moment of truth when I did the whole upside-down thing and got it on a plate…but it was a success! Yay! It was also very cute and I couldn’t help but add some maraschino cherries to the top, just the way my grandmother did when I was little. The cherries are perfect with the pineapple and it looks adorable too!
So how did it taste? Delicious! I loved the contrast of the buttery cake with the sugary pineapple rings on top. Pineapple upside-down cake is one of those old-fashioned desserts you’d expect to find in a 1950s style diner. This is a cool retro favorite that I’d like to see make a big comeback in American kitchens!
