It's Monday. Things could be better.
However, over the weekend, the second this glorious cake cooled down enough that I could put it in my mouth, I got just a little excited for Monday so that I could share it with you, in all it's salted-caramel majesty.
Now listen, this is not your grandma's maraschino-cherries-and-pineapple-rings-from-a-can-upside-down-cake. Heck no. This is the GOOD stuff. It's been a real long time since I felt the need to make audible yum noises while eating a cake, and I couldn't shut up while eating this one. It's the perfect gooey, salty, sweet, moist, dense, caramel-y cake, that you won't believe you have lived so long without. You've gotta make this one.
Salted-Caramel Pineapple Upside-Down Cake
Ingredients
1 cup dark-brown sugar
2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 tablespoons rum extract
1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1/2 cup half and half
1 medium pineapple, peeled, cored, and cut into rings; 1 ring cut into chunks
Directions
1. Coat a 9-inch cake pan with cooking spray and set aside. In a small saucepan over medium heat, heat brown sugar and 1 stick butter, whisking occasionally, until sugar is dissolved. Bring to a boil and cook until caramel thickens and turns a deep brown. Remove from heat and whisk in rum extract and 1 teaspoon salt. Pour caramel into prepared cake pan and swirl around to coat. Set aside and let cool completely, at least 30 minutes.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, remaining salt, and cinnamon. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium, beat together granulated sugar and remaining butter until light and fluffy. Add vanilla; beat in eggs, 1 at a time. Reduce mixer speed to low and beat in half the dry-ingredient mixture and 1/4 cup half and half. Repeat with remaining dry-ingredient mixture and half and half.
3. Arrange pineapple rings atop caramel in cake pan. Fill in spaces between rings with pineapple chunks. Carefully pour batter over pineapple and smooth, using a rubber spatula.
4. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 50 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack and let cool for 30 minutes. Run a sharp knife around the sides of the pan to loosen the cake; invert onto a large serving plate.
Adapted from Country Living
This one's gonna turn your world
upside-down.
YES. I went there. (But really, it's delicious.)
ox. W.
Labels: PLA Cooks, Recipes
