Pineapple Upside-Down Cake: A Delicious Slice of History
Would you eat Pineapple Upside-Down Cake? With its beautiful caramelized pineapple rings, signature cherry center, and buttery sponge, it’s a dessert that has charmed taste buds for a century. This retro classic is more than just a tasty treat; it’s a delicious piece of culinary history. Let’s dive into the story behind it and how you can make the perfect one.
A History Born in the 1920s
The history of this cake is directly linked to the rise of canned pineapple. In the early 1900s, James Dole founded the Hawaiian Pineapple Company (now Dole) and revolutionized pineapple production, making the fruit widely available and affordable . Fresh pineapples were rare and expensive, so canned pineapple became a staple in American kitchens .
The cake’s popularity truly exploded in 1925 when Dole held a recipe contest for a cookbook. They received a staggering 60,000 submissions, and to their surprise, over 2,500 of them were for some form of pineapple upside-down cake . This phenomenon showed that home cooks across America had independently created variations of this now-famous dessert. The winning recipe, submitted by Mrs. Robert Davis of Norfolk, Virginia, was published and cemented the cake’s place in American baking history .
While Mrs. Davis’s recipe is the most famous, evidence of similar cakes can be found even earlier. A Seattle charity cookbook from 1924 contained a recipe called “Pineapple Glacé,” and the concept of skillet cakes with fruit toppings was known in the 1920s . However, it was the Dole marketing campaign that turned this dessert into a national sensation.
The Classic Recipe
There’s nothing quite like a classic. This recipe stays true to the version that won over millions in the 1920s.
Ingredients
For the Topping:
· 4 tablespoons (55 grams) unsalted butter, melted
· 3/4 cup (150 grams) light brown sugar
· 1 can (20 oz / 567 grams) pineapple slices, drained and patted dry
· 14 Maraschino cherries, drained and patted dry (optional)
For the Cake Batter:
· 1 1/2 cups (195 grams) all-purpose flour
· 2 teaspoons baking powder
· 1/4 teaspoon salt
· 1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature
· 1 cup (200 grams) granulated white sugar
· 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
· 2 large eggs, separated
· 1/2 cup (120 ml) milk, at room temperature
· 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
Instructions
1. Preheat and Prepare: Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Place the rack in the center of the oven. Butter or spray a 9-inch round cake pan with 2-inch sides .
2. Make the Caramel Topping: In a small saucepan, melt the butter and brown sugar over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Stop stirring and let it cook until bubbles just start to appear around the edges . Pour this caramel mixture into your prepared cake pan.
3. Arrange the Fruit: Arrange the pineapple slices on top of the caramel mixture in a single layer. Place a maraschino cherry in the center of each pineapple ring .
4. Make the Batter: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
5. Cream Butter and Sugar: In a separate bowl, beat the butter, sugar, and vanilla until light and fluffy. Add the egg yolks and beat until combined.
6. Combine Wet and Dry: Alternately add the flour mixture in three additions and the milk in two additions, starting and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined .
7. Fold in Egg Whites: In a clean bowl, whisk the egg whites with cream of tartar until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the whipped egg whites into the batter in two additions until no white streaks remain .
8. Bake: Pour the batter over the pineapple topping in the pan, smoothing the top. Bake for 35-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the cake is golden brown .
9. Cool and Invert: Let the cake cool in the pan for about 10 minutes . Run a knife around the edge to loosen it, place a serving plate over the pan, and carefully invert the cake onto the plate . Serve warm.
A Note on Nutrition
Like any great dessert, this cake is best enjoyed in moderation. It’s a source of quick energy from carbohydrates and sugar and provides small amounts of vitamins and minerals from the pineapple, such as Vitamin C and manganese . A typical slice can range from 255 to 433 calories depending on the recipe .