Pineapple Upside Down Cake

nibbleboard.com/recipes/pineapple-upside-down-cake

Ingredients

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Pour melted salted butter into a 9-inch round cake pan (not springform), tilting to coat the entire bottom. Brush butter up the sides.
2. Sprinkle brown sugar evenly over the melted butter. Don't stress about perfection — it melts into caramel as it bakes.
3. Arrange pineapple slices over the brown sugar layer. Place one ring in the center, then surround with more rings. Cut remaining slices in half and tuck them along the edges.
4. Press a maraschino cherry into the center of each pineapple ring and tuck extras into any gaps. Push the fruit down firmly so it sits flat against the pan bottom.
5. Beat softened unsalted butter and granulated sugar together for 2 minutes until light and fluffy.
6. Add eggs one at a time, beating for about 20 seconds after each addition until just combined. Stir in vanilla extract.
7. Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt together in a separate bowl.
8. Mix milk, sour cream (if using), and 2 tablespoons of the reserved pineapple juice in a small bowl.
9. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture in three additions, alternating with the milk mixture and starting and ending with flour. Fold gently with a rubber spatula until just combined — don't overmix.
10. Pour batter over the pineapple layer and spread evenly with the spatula. Tap the pan on the counter once to release air bubbles.
11. Bake for 30 minutes, then loosely tent with aluminum foil and bake another 15 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
12. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes — no more, no less. The caramel needs to be warm enough to release but cool enough to hold its shape.
13. Place a serving platter upside down over the pan, then quickly and confidently flip both together. Lift the pan straight up. If any pineapple or cherries stick, just pick them off the pan and press them back into place.

Nutrition per Serving

Chef Tips

• I've found that patting the pineapple rings and cherries completely dry with paper towels is the single biggest thing you can do to prevent a soggy bottom. Wet fruit steams instead of caramelizes.
• Room temperature ingredients make a real difference here — cold eggs and milk will curdle the batter. I set everything out an hour before I start.
• After trying both, I always use a regular cake pan instead of springform. Springform pans leak butter and caramel all over your oven. Ask me how I know.
• Don't skip the foil tent at 30 minutes. The top browns fast because of all the sugar, and you'll end up with a burnt top and raw middle without it.
• No sour cream? Sub equal amount of plain yogurt. It adds the same tang and moisture. You can also skip it entirely and use ¾ cup milk total instead.

Storage

Cover tightly with plastic wrap or store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.