Pineapple Upside Down Cake

National Pineapple Upside Down Cake is April 20th

There's something mysterious about the skillet cake called Pineapple Upside Down Cake. It looks so plain when you take it out of the oven, like pale cornbread, and then when you turn it over--voila!

This is a very easy recipe that you can make to celebrate National Pineapple Upside Down Cake Day on April 20--or any other day you feel like surprising someone. We surprised Mommy and Daddy when they came over for dinner. They liked it too.

Lilah's Pineapple Upside Down Cake

Makes one 11 inch cake, 12 servings

Topping:

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 cup dark brown sugar

1 can of pineapple rings in juice (you will need 7 rings for the cake; reserve the juice)

7 dried cherries, soaked in hot water or other small fruit for the center of the rings

Cake:

1 and a half cups AP flour

1 and a half teaspoons baking powder

Pinch of salt

3 eggs

1 and a half cups sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup of reserved pineapple juice

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In an 11 inch cast iron skillet on the top of the stove, gently melt the butter and add the cup of brown sugar to it and stir it around to moisten the sugar. Arrange the pineapple rings on the top and add the cherries to the center.

In a small bowl, sift or shake through a strainer the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside. In a stand mixer, beat the eggs until light yellow and add the sugar and vanilla and continue beating until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add the flour mixture and the juice to the mixing bowl, in small amounts, alternating the dry and wet ingredients. As soon as all the ingredients are added, stop mixing.

Pour the batter over the topping ingredients in the skillet and place on a tray in the center of the preheated oven. Bake for 35-45 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the batter comes out clean and the top (well, it will be the bottom) of the cake is golden brown and springs back when you gently touch it. Allow to cool and then have a large cake plate or wooden board ready to place on top and flip it over in one quick motion. Put your hands on the top of the skillet, say a prayer to the cake goddess and lift it off to reveal the caramelized topping on your tender cake base. Success! Even a 5 year old can do it--with some help.