‘Easy five-step’ pineapple upside down cake recipe

April 20 marks the quirky pineapple upside-down cake day, the one day of the year dedicated to the fruity bake made popular in the 1920s. The cake is one which many people remember from their childhood and has a very retro feel to it.

There is no exact date to pinpoint exactly when the pineapple upside-down cake was first invented but most signs point to the 1920s, with early writings of it found in cookbooks from 1924 and 1925.

The cake is a simple one which consists of cake batter poured over pineapple and often sweetened with brown sugar. Occasionally people add nuts or maraschino cherries to the mix. The cake is then baked and flipped out onto the platter so the bottom becomes the top, hence the name “upside down cake”.

To celebrate the occasion, the bakers from Del Monte have shared what they describe as their “easy five-step recipe to inspire people to don their aprons and bake a retro treat this weekend”.

Pineapple upside-down cake recipe

Serving: Six

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking Time: One hour

Ingredients

• Tablespoon of olive oil

• One cup packed light-brown sugar

• One 435g tin of Del Monte Pineapple Slices

• One cup of all-purpose flour (spooned and levelled)

• A half cup of whole-wheat flour (spooned and levelled)

• One and a half teaspoons of baking powder

• A half teaspoon baking soda

• A half teaspoon of salt

• A three-quarter cup low-fat buttermilk

• Two large eggs

• One teaspoon of pure vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 180°c. Next, brush a nine-inch square baking pan with oil and line it with a strip of parchment paper making sure to leave an overhang on two sides.

Brush the paper with oil and then sprinkle the bottom of the pan with a quarter cup of sugar. Now, arrange the pineapple rings in the pan.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together both types of flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, then set aside.

3. In a large bowl, whisk together buttermilk, eggs, vanilla extract, oil, and the remaining three-quarters of a cup of sugar. Add in the flour mixture and mix until combined.

Now, pour the batter over the pineapple rings. Tap the pan firmly on the counter to settle your batter, then smooth the top.

4. Bake for between 50 and 60 minutes. The best way to test whether your batter is properly cooked is to insert a toothpick into the centre. If you pull it out and it remains clean, this signals that the cake is baked.

5. Allow your cake to cool for 20 minutes in a pan. Then, invert it onto a serving platter making sure to peel off and discard paper.