On the first date with my would be husband I faced a dilemma of what to make for dessert. We had known each other as friends for a couple of years and he was coming over to my apartment on our first official date! We were going to be cooking Indian food together. I thought long and hard. At first I was planning on making an Indian dessert, but I had never tasted any and I would not even know where to start ( that has changed now ). After alot of debating with myself I finally settled on Pineapple upside down cake. Its easy to make, looks beautiful , and it included fruit which I knew he loved. So I make the cake and it turned out great.
He came over and we had a great time cooking together. We made chicken tikka masala and aloo masala with homemade naan bread. We were all stuffed and settled down for a movie. After the movie I grabbed the cake and showed it to him. He was delighted and amazed! “Wow you made that”! In the part of India he was from not alot of people have ovens in their homes, its just not common. So he thought baking was alot more complicated then it actually is. He mistook me for a professional baker when in reality I am just a novice who loves to eat good food. He had a slice of the cake and loved every bite. He said “well I have to marry you now, I am addicted to this cake!” My husbands unique brand of romance.
This is still his favorite cake and whenever there is a company potluck or event we attend he always requests I make this cake. So here is my recipe for the classic Pineapple Upside Down cake, and the secret to my husband’s heart!
Ingredients 
1/2 cup unsalted butter
3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
one 20-ounce can pineapple slices
about 12 maraschino cherries
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
pinch salt, optional and to taste
1 large egg
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/3 cup sour cream, lite is okay (plain Greek yogurt may be substituted)
3 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
DIRECTIONS:
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- melt the butter in a pot.
- Pour the butter into your desired pan. I use a Bundt pan.
- Evenly sprinkle the brown sugar over the butter.
- Place the pineapple rings around the pan in a design of your choice.
- Place 1 cherry in the center of each of the pineapple rings.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, optional salt; set aside.
- In a separate small bowl, whisk together the next 5 wet ingredients (through vanilla).
- Add the wet mixture to the dry, mixing lightly with a spoon or folding with a spatula until just combined. Small lumps will be present, don’t overmix or try to stir them smooth.
- Gently turn batter out into prepared pan, being careful to not disturb the pineapple slices on the sides or bottom. Fill pan only to about 3/4-full. If you have a little extra batter, discard it rather than overfilling your pan.
- Place pan on a cookie sheet (to catch anything that does overflow) and bake for about 40 minutes, or until center is set and not jiggly, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs, but no batter. Only go down about 1-inch with the toothpick, not all the way to the bottom where you’ll hit gooey pineapple juice.
- Place pan on a wire rack and allow cake to cool for at least 30 minutes before inverting, slicing, and serving. When cool place the cake plate over the cake pan and invert ( flip over). The Pineapple will be on the top of the cake. Enjoy! *****For a unique twist check out my post for mini Pineapple Upside-Down cakes https://mymasalalife.wordpress.com/2014/07/02/mini-pineapple-upside-down-cakes-a-twist-on-a-classic-treat/
My Masala Life 