Pineapple Upside Down Cake

Kathy Coup's Peach Upside Down Cake receives yet another make over! Last fall I used her basic cake and brown sugar mixture but used slices of peeled apples instead of peaches. We used it for a cooking class and received rave reviews. The cake is tender and moist—the perfect base for the brown sugar glazed fruit.

Today I used canned pineapple, added walnuts to the cake batter and a little cinnamon to the brown sugar 

NOTE: This cake makes a great sweet treat for the current lock down we are now experiencing due to the COVID-19 crisis. As long as you have the basic staples and a can of fruit, you are set. And, yes, margarine can used in place of butter. Canned milk or even reconstituted dry milk can replace the whole milk I typically use.  And, a 9 or 10" cake pan could be used in place of a cast iron skillet. 

Check out the Make-Ahead tip listed at the end of the recipe. 

Pineapple Upside Down Cake    Make one 10" round cake

Dinette Cake

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup granulated sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup shortening (Crisco)

About 1 teaspoon vanilla or other flavoring

2/3 cup milk

1 egg or 2 whites

1/2 to 3/4 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

Fruit Topping

1 stick butter

About 1 1/2 cups brown sugar 

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

6 slices or rounds of canned pineapple, drained (pineapple chunks or even crushed pineapple could be used)

6 whole walnuts

1. CAKE: Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and shortening together in a bowl and mix until well blended. 
   
2. Add vanilla, milk and egg (or whites) to dry ingredients. Mix and then fold in chopped walnuts, Set aside so it’s ready to spread over pineapple mixture. 
   
3. TOPPING: Melt butter in a 10” cast iron skillet. 
4. Mix brown sugar with cinnamon. Add enough brown sugar mixture, about 1 1/2 cups, to absorb butter.
5. Arrange drained pineapple over the brown sugar mixture; place a walnut half in the center of each pineapple slice.
   
6. Top with dollops of Dinette Cake batter; carefully spread batter to cover top of cake.
   
7. Bake in a preheated 350° oven about 35 to 40 minutes or until golden brown on top and a  toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean.
8. Cool for a few minutes and then invert onto a serving plate.

MAKE AHEAD TIP: Follow step #1 above and then bag the "cake mix", label and date. It's ready to proceed to remaining steps whenever you need a quick dessert! 

Recipe without photos . . .

Pineapple Upside Down Cake    Make one 10" round cake

Dinette Cake

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup granulated sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup shortening (Crisco)

About 1 teaspoon vanilla or other flavoring

2/3 cup milk

1 egg or 2 whites

1/2 to 3/4 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

Fruit Topping

1 stick butter

About 1 1/2 cups brown sugar 

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

6 slices or rounds of canned pineapple, drained (pineapple chunks or even crushed pineapple could be used)

6 whole walnuts

1. CAKE: Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and shortening together in a bowl and mix until well blended. 
2. Add vanilla, milk and egg (or whites) to dry ingredients. Mix and then fold in chopped walnuts, Set aside so it’s ready to spread over pineapple mixture. 
3. TOPPING: Melt butter in a 10” cast iron skillet. 
4. Mix brown sugar with cinnamon. Add enough brown sugar mixture, about 1 1/2 cups, to absorb butter.
5. Arrange drained pineapple over the brown sugar mixture; place a walnut half in the center of each pineapple slice.
6. Top with dollops of Dinette Cake batter; carefully spread batter to cover top of cake.
7. Bake in a preheated 350° oven about 35 to 40 minutes or until golden brown on top and a  toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean.
8. Cool for a few minutes and then invert onto a serving plate.