Pineapple Upside-Down Cake
Submitted by: Judith Ueland / Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Who passed this recipe down to you? My mom, Phyllis May (Tracy) Ueland (1913 - 1996)
Recipe origin: Canada
How old is this recipe? At least 3 generations old
The story behind the recipe:
Phyllis (or Grandma to her grandchildren) loved to cook and had many recipes in her special tried and true recipe book. Those recipes which served her best for dinners and birthday parties had notations marking them “good” or the name of the person who particularly liked that recipe.
She even had a section for fun things to make when the grandchildren visited. But most of her cooking methods were done from memory which she was happy to share when asked.
The Pineapple Upside-Down Cake was a favourite of granddaughter Sarah Ueland, and she now makes this for her special events.
Ingredients:
Topping:
2 cans (8-1/4-oz size) sliced pineapple (8 slices)
1/4 cup butter or margarine
2/3 cup light-brown sugar, firmly packed
8 maraschino cherries, drained
1/4 cup pecan halves or broken walnuts
Cake:*
1 cup sifted all-purpose flour
¾ cup granulated sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup shortening
½ cup milk
1 egg
Whipped cream
*Make it easier by using a single layer white or vanilla cake mix.
How to make it:
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Drain pineapple, reserving 2 tablespoons of the syrup.
2. Melt butter in a 10 inch heavy skillet, over low heat (see note). Add brown sugar, stirring until sugar is melted. Remove from heat.
3. Arrange drained pineapple on sugar mixture in 9” round cake pan or pie plate. Fill centres of pineapple slices with cherries and spaces between slices with pecans. Set aside.
4. Into medium bowl, sift flour with granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add shortening and milk. With electric mixer at medium speed, beat 2 minutes.
5. Add egg and reserved pineapple syrup; beat 2 minutes longer. Pour cake batter over pineapple in pan, spreading evenly.
6. Bake 40 to 45 minutes, or until cake springs back when gently pressed with fingertip.