I love to bake, it's actually my only favorite hobby. I find it therapeutic in a way, how all the measurements need to be exact. When you cook it's different, you have a little more leeway with ingredients and amounts. But baking needs to be pretty precise and the OCD in me likes that.
So when I got the call that my younger sisters boyfriend was coming to my parents for dinner for the first time, I naturally volunteered my dessert services. I'm thinking, "Maybe I'll make some yummy brownies, or blondies even? How about some cupcakes? " All viable options that I'm totes comfortable making. Then I think I will be superrrrrrr nice and ask what dessert her boyfriend would want! Then came the answer. PINEAPPLE UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE.
Yikes. It just sounds intimidating. So I went and found myself a recipe on-line and off I went...
INGREDIENTS:
1 jar (10 ounce) of maraschino cherries
1/4 cup of butter
1/2 cup of packed brown sugar
1/2 cup of flaked coconut
1 can (8 ounce) of sliced pineapple with juice reserved
1 can (8 ounce) of crushed pineapple with juice reserved
1 box of Duncan Haines Pineapple Cake mix
3 eggs
1/3 cup of veggie oil
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Coat bottoms of two 9 inch cake pans with 2 tablespoons of butter each
Sprinkle 1/4 cup of brown sugar in each pan
In one of the pans, sprinkle the coconut over the brown sugar
Lay sliced pineapple rings in a single layer over the coconut and put a cherry in the center of each one
In the other pan, spread the crushed pineapple over the brown sugar
Mix the cake mix as directed on back of box but substitute the water with the pineapple juice. You can add a little water to the pineapple juice if you don't have enough (about 1 cup)
Divide the batter between the two pans. Don't forget which one has the pineapple slices in it!
Bake for 25-30 minutes. Let it cool for about 10 minutes or so and then flip the bottom layer onto your plate and then the top layer.
the bottom layer flipped :: a little crack, but hey, it's my first time!
Put one of the empty cake pans on the top of the cake and let it stand for about 30 minutes to prevent cracking.
*EXTRA NOTE*
If you want, melt some butter and brown sugar together and then pour over the top of the cooled cake for a little extra yum!
And the verdict....
They liked it! They really liked it! Everyone said it was delicious and I even received a text the next morning from my sister saying how much her boyfriend LOVED it! Guess I'll be adding this recipe into my dessert rotation!
xx - C
It really was delish!! Wish I had a piece right now :)
Posted by: Susan | Sunday, August 25, 2013 at 11:53 AM