Pineapple Upside-Down Cake (with rum)
Ingredients
FOR PINEAPPLE TOPPING:
¼ fresh pineapple
4 tablespoons butter
½ cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons dark rum
¼ cup maraschino cherries sliced in half vertically
FOR THE RUM SPONGE CAKE:
1 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
¾ cup granulated sugar
6 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
1 large egg
⅓ cup whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons dark rum
Directions
PREPARE THE PINEAPPLE
Cut away the top of the pineapple and trim the bottom so that it sits upright on a cutting board. Trim away the skin and discard. Cut the pineapple vertically along one side of the core, so you have a half-moon chunk of pineapple. Use the larger half for a fruit salad or some other recipe.
Slice the remaining pineapple into 1/4″ thick planks. Arrange the pineapple into the cake pan, cutting extra pieces according to the space left in the pan to fill, so you have an idea of how it fits into the pan. Transfer the planks to a separate plate and set aside.
Slice the maraschino cherries in half, vertically, leaving the stem on one half if possible. Set aside.
PREPARE THE PINEAPPLE TOPPING:
Place an 9″ cake pan directly over the heat on your stove and add the butter. Melt over medium high heat and add the brown sugar. (Use a oven mitt to hold the cake pan while you stir.) Add the rum and cook, stirring constantly until the brown sugar has melted and the mixture is bubbly and frothy. Remove from heat.
Arrange the pineapple planks on top of the brown sugar mixture in an even layer. Fill any voids with the cherry halves, cut side down (tucking the stems beneath the pineapple, so they’ll show when you flip out the dessert). Set aside.
MAKE THE RUM SPONGE CAKE
In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Whisk to blend and set aside.
In a large bowl add the butter and sugar. Use a hand mixer and beat on medium high for about 3 minutes or until the butter mixture is very light and creamy in texture, scraping down occasionally with a rubber spatula.
Add the egg, whole milk, vanilla extract and rum and beat into the butter mixture. Mixture will look slightly curdled.
Add the flour mixture and stir until smooth and combined. Pour the cake batter over the pineapple in the cake pan and gently smooth it out over the fruit. Bake for 30 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.
Let the cake rest in the pan for 10 minutes. Run a sharp knife around the edges to loosen it from the pan.
Place a cake platter over the cake pan and in one swift movement, invert the cake onto the platter.
Cake can be served warm with whipped cream or ice cream as desired.
