Crushed Pineapple Upside Down Loaf Cake

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American, Fusion

Prep Time: 5

Cook Time: 40

Total Time: 45

Servings: slices

Calories: 375kcal

Author: Jazzmine Woodard

Sweet and fruity small batch pineapple upside down cake with crushed pineapple in every bite

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Equipment

1 loaf pan
2 mixing bowls
1 whisk
1 silicone spatula or kitchen spoon

Ingredients

Caramelized Pineapple Topping

¼ cup butter
½ cup brown sugar
1 cup crushed pineapple drained
8 maraschino cherries

Spiced Pineapple Cake

1 ½ cup all-purpose flour sifted or fluffed (see notes)
¾ teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
½ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¾ cup butter melted
¾ cup brown sugar
¼ cup pineapple juice
2 eggs
3 tablespoons milk
1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

To Make the Caramelized Pineapple Topping

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place butter into a non-stick or prepared loaf pan and place in oven for about three minutes or until butter is melted.
¼ cup butter
Carefully remove loaf pan from oven and mix brown sugar in with melted butter. Spread crushed pineapple into this mixture then arrange cherries on top, gently pushing them through the crushed pineapple so that they touch the bottom of the pan.
½ cup brown sugar, 1 cup crushed pineapple, 8 maraschino cherries

To Make the Pineapple Loaf

Meanwhile, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, sea salt, ginger, and nutmeg.
1 ½ cup all-purpose flour, ¾ teaspoon baking soda, ¾ teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon fine sea salt, ½ teaspoon ground ginger, ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
In another bowl, combine the melted butter, brown sugar, pineapple juice, eggs, milk, and vanilla extract until uniform. Then add wet mixture to dry mixture and stir until just combined and no dry pockets remain.
¾ cup butter, ¾ cup brown sugar, ¼ cup pineapple juice, 2 eggs, 3 tablespoons milk, 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Carefully pour cake batter into pan with topping. Transfer pan to the oven and bake on the middle rack for about 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
Let cake sit for about 10 minutes then run a butter knife around the edges of the cake to release any sticky parts from the pan. Invert cake onto a plate by placing the plate on top of the pan then gently flipping it over.
Allow cake to cool to at least 20 minutes then serve warm.

Notes

How to Measure Flour

Flour tends to get compacted, which can lead to too much flour in your baked good and result in a denser or drier texture than desired. To avoid this, it's important to sift the flour before measuring it. This can be accomplished by running the flour through a sifter or mesh sieve or fluffing the flour in its original container, then using a small measuring cup to scoop the flour into the size measuring cup you need (example: using a half-cup to scoop flour into a one-cup), then leveling off the excess with a knife or leveler.

Preparation

This cake can be baked up to three days ahead of time if stored properly.

Bake the cake on the middle oven rack. You never want to burn the bottom of a cake but especially don't want burned pineapple upside down cake because the bottom is really the top! So don't bake it on the bottom rack.

Storage

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two days and in the refrigerator beyond that. Keeps for up to five days.

To freeze, wrap snugly in plastic wrap then again in aluminum foil before placing in the freezer. Cake will keep for up to one month.

Tips for Removing the Cake from the Pan

1. Use a non-stick pan. Pineapple upside down cake is quite buttery so sticking is not typically a problem but you don't want to be disappointed, right?

1. Let the cake rest for about 10 minutes before flipping it over.

1. Run a butter knife around the edges of the cake to release any sticky bits on the sides.

1. Flip the upside down cake over by placing a plate or platter on top then gently inverting the pan onto it.

1. Let the pan sit on top of the cake for a couple of minutes so all the buttery, brown sugary, pineapple-y goodness seeps down into it.

1. Tap the pan a couple of times then gently pull it straight up off the cake.

Nutrition