Chef Johns Pineapple Upside Down Cake Recipes

CHEF JOHN'S PINEAPPLE UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Melt 1/4 cup butter in a 12-inch cast iron skillet over medium-low heat. Stir in brown sugar, pineapple juice, and dark rum. Cook over medium-low heat until sugar is dissolved and mixture is bubbling, about 5 minutes.
• Remove from heat and spread pineapple slices in a layer over the brown sugar mixture, completely covering the mixture. Set skillet aside.
• Melt 1/2 cup butter in small skillet over low heat until the butter begins to brown and release a nutty fragrance, about 5 minutes. Watch carefully, butter burns easily. Remove from heat and let cool for 10 minutes.
• Whisk together flour, cardamom, salt, baking powder, and white sugar in a large bowl. Whisk in egg and cold milk until just combined. Pour in melted butter and stir to mix thoroughly.
• Pour batter over the pineapple slices in the skillet; spread evenly to cover.
• Bake in preheated oven until the cake begins to bubble around the edges, the top is browned, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 30 to 35 minutes. Let cool in the skillet for 10 minutes.
• Loosen the cake from the skillet by running a knife around the inside edge of the cake. Invert a large plate over the top of the skillet and flip over, releasing the cake to show the pineapple slices on top.

PINEAPPLE UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• For the pineapple: In a 10-inch cast-iron skillet over medium heat, melt the butter and add the brown sugar. Cook, stirring constantly, until the sugar melts, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and arrange the pineapple slices in the skillet. Fill in the spaces with the crushed pineapple. Set aside.
• For the cake: Meanwhile, combine the cake ingredients in this fashion: In one bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. In bowl number 2, combine the milk, vanilla extract and 1/4 cup of the reserved pineapple juice.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the granulated sugar and coconut oil on medium speed until thick and creamy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the egg. Add half of the flour mixture and mix on low until just combined. Add the milk mixture and stir until just combined. Add the rest of the flour and mix until combined, about 1 minute.
• Pour the batter over the pineapple slices in the skillet and spread evenly. Bake until the top is golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean when inserted, 25 to 35 minutes, checking after 20 minutes to make sure the top isn't getting too brown. If it is, cover loosely with aluminum foil.
• Let cool for 15 minutes. Cover with a cutting board or large plate and invert the cake. Ta daaaaaaa, you are ready to eat!

PINEAPPLE UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Make the cake batter: Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, granulated sugar, 1/2 stick butter, the shortening, milk, eggs, vanilla and 2 tablespoons pineapple juice in a large bowl. Beat with a mixer on medium speed until well combined. (There will still be a few small lumps in the batter.) Set aside.
• Melt the remaining 1/2 stick butter in a 12-inch cast-iron skillet over medium heat; swirl to thoroughly coat the skillet. Sprinkle the brown sugar over the butter, making sure it's evenly distributed-you want the entire surface of the butter to be covered in brown sugar. Do not stir. As soon as the sugar dissolves, remove from the heat and layer the pineapple slices over the top. If desired, place maraschino cherries in the centers of the pineapple slices.
• Pour the batter evenly over the pineapple slices and gently spread to even out the top. Bake the cake 30 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
• Immediately run a knife around the edge of the cake, then put a plate upside down on top of the skillet. Carefully invert the skillet so the cake is turned onto the plate. It should come out pretty easily; if bits of cake stick to the skillet, use a small knife to patch it together. Let cool slightly before cutting into wedges. It's best served warm.

MEAN CHEF'S PINEAPPLE UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Use a 10-inch (measure across the bottom) cast iron pan. (although this cake can be made in a round cake pan, it is better if you use cast iron).
• Drain pineapple slices and place on paper towels to absorb moisture. (you will need 8 whole slices; the other 6 will be cut in half).
• Whisk or stir the flour, baking powder, and salt together just to blend; set aside.
• In a separate bowl, stir the vanilla into the creme fraiche or sour cream; set aside.
• Melt 2 oz of butter in the cast iron pan.
• Add the brown sugar and bourbon (if using) and cook over medium heat, stirring with a wooden spoon, until the sugar melts.
• Place 1 whole pineapple slice in the center of the pan and 7 whole slices surrounding it.
• Place the half slices side by side against the sides of the pan, the two cut edges down touching the brown sugar.
• Place pecan halves in the middle of each pineapple slice and in the gaps between the fruit.
• Place remaining butter (4 oz.) and the granulated sugar in the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or use a hand-held mixer, and beat on medium-high speed until the mixture is smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed.
• The butter and sugar must be beaten until light and fluffy; don't rush it- the process can take 3 to 4 minutes with a heavy-duty mixer and 6 to 8 minutes with a hand-held mixer.
• Reduce speed to medium adding eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
• Working with a rubber spatula, carefully fold in dry ingredients and creme fraiche alternately- 3 additions of dry ingredients, 2 of creme fraiche. (you will end up with a thick batter).
• Spoon batter over pineapple and smooth the top by spreading the batter with an offset spatula.
• Put the cast iron pan in the oven and bake for 20 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of cake comes out clean (test in a couple places to be certain).
• As soon as the cake is removed from the oven, turn it out onto a round plate large enough to hold the cake.
• If any of the fruit sticks to the skillet, use a small spatula to place it back on the cake.
• NOTE: The cake can be kept wrapped in plastic at room temperature overnight.

EASY PINEAPPLE UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan). In 13x9-inch pan, melt butter in oven. Sprinkle brown sugar evenly over butter. Arrange pineapple slices on brown sugar. Place cherry in center of each pineapple slice, and arrange remaining cherries around slices; press gently into brown sugar.
• Add enough water to reserved pineapple juice to measure 1 cup. Make cake batter as directed on box, substituting pineapple juice mixture for the water. Pour batter over pineapple and cherries.
• Bake 42 to 48 minutes (44 to 53 minutes for dark or nonstick pan) or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Immediately run knife around side of pan to loosen cake. Place heatproof serving plate upside down onto pan; turn plate and pan over. Leave pan over cake 5 minutes so brown sugar topping can drizzle over cake; remove pan. Cool 30 minutes. Serve warm or cool. Store covered in refrigerator.

PINEAPPLE-MANGO UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 8-by-8-inch cake pan, line it with parchment paper, and butter parchment. Using a 3-inch cookie cutter, cut out rounds from centers of four of the pineapple slices. Using a 1 1/2-inch cookie cutter, cut out the centers of each of the four rounds, and discard; set rings aside. Finely chop enough of the remaining pineapple to yield 1 cup (reserve remainder for another use). Place chopped fruit in a fine sieve set over a bowl to drain.
• Cut the mango lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Using the 1 1/2-inch cookie cutter, cut out four rounds from mango slices; set aside. Finely chop enough of the remaining mango to yield 1/2 cup; add to the pineapple in the sieve.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat 2 tablespoons butter with the brown sugar until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Using a small offset spatula, evenly spread butter mixture in the bottom of the prepared pan; set aside.
• In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder; set aside. Place a reserved pineapple ring in each corner of the prepared pan. Place a reserved mango round in the center of each ring.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat remaining stick of butter with granulated sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition; scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in the vanilla. With the mixer on lowest speed, add flour mixture in two parts, alternating with sour cream and beginning and ending with flour.
• Transfer the chopped pineapple-mango mixture to cake pan; discard juice. Using a small offset spatula, carefully spread fruit in an even layer on top of cut-out fruit, making sure to fill all the empty spaces, including any gaps in the corners. Using the offset spatula, spread batter evenly over fruit.
• Bake, rotating pan halfway through, until cake is golden brown and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, about 50 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack to cool 30 minutes. Invert onto a cake plate; peel off the parchment paper. Serve cake slightly warm or at room temperature.