ISO the most beautiful pineapple upside down cake in the world

[pengyou]

I have made pineapple upside down cake several times and really appreciate the contrast of the sweet in the brown sugar and pineapple with the sour in the pineapple. I make a tasty cake but still have trouble making it beautiful. I would like it to be picture perfect, a kind of signature dessert for me. I find the Chinese people especially like this cake, more than others. I usually put pecans in the middle of the pineapple rings and also put a red maraschino cherry in the middle as well. I have tried wax paper and the cake easily comes out of the pan but then I usually destroy the cake trying to get the wax paper off of the cake Is a thinner cake better than a thicker cake for this? Would putting the pan in ice help? or boiling water? Should I put the cherry in after baking? but then the taste would be different...

 

[Andy M.]

To easily remove the cake from the pan, you have to do it while it's still warm. If you let it cool, the sugars harden. No wax paper. The cherries are baked with the cake.

 

[Aunt Bea]

To easily remove the cake from the pan, you have to do it while it's still warm. If you let it cool, the sugars harden. No wax paper. The cherries are baked with the cake.

I agree with Andy, I flip mine about 5 minutes after it comes out of the oven. If you have waited too long and it is sticking try setting the pan over the stove burner for a few seconds to melt the sugar. I always serve this cake with sweetened whipped heavy cream to cover up any mistakes.

I make mine in a 9 inch cast iron skillet and it usually comes out clean. I just run a knife around the edge of the pan and flip it over onto the plate.

If you continue to have problems try using a spring form pan. You should be able to run a knife around the outside, flip the pan onto the plate and then release the sides of the pan. This would allow you to carefully scrape any of the topping off that is sticking to the bottom plate of the pan while slowly lifting it off.

The important thing is to keep making them!

 

[Addie]

No wax paper. If you feel you must have something there to set the rings and sugar on, parchment paper only. I have made this cake in my 10" aluminum restaurant saute pan and a springform pan. I prefer the saute pan. After years of use, it requires no pregreasing. And it has a handle to assist for flipping. A CI is too heavy for me to lift. So I don't even own one anymore.

Place a piece of parchment paper. Lay down your sugar, place the rings and put cherry in center of each ring, then gently pour cake batter over them. The cake should come out perfectly if flipped and removed while still warm.

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

Addie, Andie, and the rest are spot on. No paper required. Lightly grease the cake pan, put down the brown sugar, pineapple, cherries, and nuts. Pour in the batter, gently. Bake until the cake is done. Remove to a serving plate/platter while still warm.

I use a rectangular pan to bake my cake in. I then cut stiff cardboard as the serving plate, and cover it with foil. The cake fits, and it's disposable, and strong.

Seeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North

 

[Janet H]

Another suggestion is to cut the pineapple rings in half. This means more bites fo fruit per slice and cutting a piece out is less destructive to the pretty cake top overall.

If you do have a topping disaster when you turn the cake out, reconstruct the pineapple and topping the best you can and then do some touch up work with some melted orange marmalade and a pastry brush.

 

[salt and pepper]

Another suggestion is to cut the pineapple rings in half. This means more bites fo fruit per slice and cutting a piece out is less destructive to the pretty cake top overall.

If you do have a topping disaster when you turn the cake out, reconstruct the pineapple and topping the best you can and then do some touch up work with some melted orange marmalade and a pastry brush.

View attachment 18154

Mabe some maple syrup.

 

[Oldvine]

Flip it out while it still very warm. I would leave the nuts out of the pineapple ring centers using just the cherries. Janet's pattern looks perfect and yummy.

 

[Addie]

I like that half rings idea. It will go into my bag of tricks. I seem to have noticed a pineapple piece on the side. How did you get it to stick there?

 

[pengyou]

I will try the quick flip...only the pan I use is pretty thin metal - will try flipping it after 2 minutes...though I do want the molten sugar to have time to run down into the cake

 

[Janet H]

So - this thread has had me messing with new recipes for upside down cake and I wanted to share one I came across and tried last night - it's amazing and has an astonishing amount of butter but totally worth the fat hit to your waistline.

The original recipe is here: Pineapple Upside Down Cake Recipe | Simply Recipes and I altered it just a little adding a few drops of almond extract to go along with the ground nuts and a pinch of nutmeg. I used a 3 inch deep, 10 inch pan and needed every last speck of the pan volume - it came close to bubbling over.

cake porn:

 

[Andy M.]

Janet, yours looks a lot nicer than the cake in the recipe. Interesting, combining the almonds and extract long with pecans on the top.

 

[Aunt Bea]

Looks wonderful!

The almond extract is a nice addition.

The detail with the ring of pecans is very, very nice!

Please pass the whipped cream!

 

[Janet H]

Janet, yours looks a lot nicer than the cake in the recipe. Interesting, combining the almonds and extract long with pecans on the top.

I love nuts and the ground almonds give just a little hint of flavor and a noticeable amount of body to the cake. One of my standard complaints about pineapple upside down cakes is that the cake part is usually disappointing - this one rocks! I know that the nuts on the top should match the nuts on the inside but this works.

Looks wonderful!

The almond extract is a nice addition.

The detail with the ring of pecans is very, very nice!

Please pass the whipped cream!

The 10 inch pan leaves enough room to do this and it's pretty simple. The sticky top keeps it all in place when you flip it although I'd have to admit to using a non-stick pan.

 

[Addie]

I bought the fixing for the pineapple upside down cake yesterday. But today I made a 12" Eagle Brand Cheesecake for my grandson. It weighed five pounds. I had ordered a 9" spring form pan. It was made in Germany and has a glass bottom. The box said it was a 10" pan. But when I measured it after it was baked, it was 11.75" I had intended to take a picture of it, but Spike has been working on my computer most of the day. and then my G'son came to pick it up. He said he was going to save it for the family BBQ tomorrow. But I know him. There will be a slice or two missing by then. I am one of the few in this world that doesn't like cheesecake.

I love the way you cut the rings in half for the cake. I am not sure about the nuts. I do love pecans, but can't eat them. At least in the state where they have to be chewed. I am going to steal the half rings décor from you. It is very different and everyone gets some. I printed out the first picture. I also don't like anything pineapple. So I won't be eating any of that when I make it.

For the cheesecake, I had four Oreo cookies left over that I use for the crust. I gave them to Spike to take home. I went out into the kitchen to get myself a small glass of cold milk to drink. I came back into the room and the cookies were gone. He also took my glass of milk.

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

I know what I'm taking to our next church pot luck. And my legend will grow (not that I need my head any bigger than it already is). Don't worry though; I'll give you full credit for the recipe and layout. This cake looks amazing. Great job! this smily represents you - .

Seeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North

 

[Addie]

Janet, I have a question. The recipe states to pour the caramel syrup in the bottom of the cake pan and then place the pineapple. Can I wait a few minutes until it cools down a bit before placing the pineapple? Caramel can give a nasty burn if given the chance. And I know I will be the one to do it. Any suggestions?

 

[Janet H]

No - the caramel sets up very quickly and gets hard - it won't pour unless it's hot. I made the cake in a 10 inch nonstick skillet with straight sides and actually made the caramel in the pan, added the fruit and then the cake batter on top, bypassing the need to pour the caramel from one pan into another. I think that a well seasoned cast iron pan would do pretty well instead.

 

[Addie]

No - the caramel sets up very quickly and gets hard - it won't pour unless it's hot. I made the cake in a 10 inch nonstick skillet with straight sides and actually made the caramel in the pan, added the fruit and then the cake batter on top, bypassing the need to pour the caramel from one pan into another. I think that a well seasoned cast iron pan would do pretty well instead.

Thank you. I don't have a CI, but I make mine in 10" restaurant style sauté pan or a 12" high straight sided non stick, cake pan. I think I will use the cake pan. It will be more impressive. I need to practice making it like yours as my granddaughter wants it for her birthday cake next January. And she will be having her friends over. If she loved the last one I made, she will be bowled over with your version. I think I will use the nut idea as well as the half rings. I was toying with the idea of using a fresh pineapple, but I need the canned juice for the liquid in the cake. As I sit here, my mind is racing. I could still use the fresh and just buy a can of pineapple juice. I need to find a corner and sit while I really think this through. This cake has just got to be spectacular.

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

Thank you. I don't have a CI, but I make mine in 10" restaurant style sauté pan or a 12" high straight sided non stick, cake pan. I think I will use the cake pan. It will be more impressive. I need to practice making it like yours as my granddaughter wants it for her birthday cake next January. And she will be having her friends over. If she loved the last one I made, she will be bowled over with your version. I think I will use the nut idea as well as the half rings. I was toying with the idea of using a fresh pineapple, but I need the canned juice for the liquid in the cake. As I sit here, my mind is racing. I could still use the fresh and just buy a can of pineapple juice. I need to find a corner and sit while I really think this through. This cake has just got to be spectacular.

This idea could make your cake right over the top. In addition to that beautiful cake from this thread, after removing the cake from the pan, gently slice it through the middle, as you would for a two-layer cake. Slide a flexible, plastic cutting sheet between layers, and move the top layer to the side. On top of the bottom layer, add pineapple Pour hot caramel sauce over the cake, and let it drip down the sides, and soak into the cake. Carefully lift the top layer, and slide the cake back on top. You now have a two layer pineapple upside down cake.

Seeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North