Holiday, Recipes, Rescue of the Day by wendy

Life is funny. Maybe that’s why we have the Pineapple Upside Down Cake! This quirky cake has been showing up around the holidays for my entire life. See, my 93 year old grandmother, Damma, is a big fan. She showcased this sweet treat whenever the opportunity arose, and each time that cake came out my grandfather Pops would fall in love with her all over again. I must admit, for me the treat was all about the visual, as even now I haven’t fully developed a passion.

If you are going to equate the Pineapple upside down cake with a particular holiday, I pick Independence Day! The fourth of July is fun and free; and is the quintessential ‘home’ for this Vintage Americana Treasure.

As for the history of this cake, well everyone seems to be unsure of it’s true beginnings and can’t  be fully explained; but one thing is clear, it all started in the late 1920 and became a household ritual by the 1950′s. Companies such as Sears, Pillsbury and Dole started making products to support this cherished baking method. Recipe contests were popping up everywhere and in the early 1930′s one contest alone drew as many as 2,500 recipe entries!

It’s no wonder by the 1950 Nordic-Ware (you know the BUNDT people) fashioned this Deluxe Pan.

I came across this made ‘in the USA’ Nordic-Ware gem at one of my favorite rummaging spots a few weeks ago. I took it as a sign: You Must Make Pineapple Upside Down Cake for the 4th of July!

Honestly, I don’t even think this puppy was ever used. I found it in it’s original box with an old Macy’s retail sticker; they wanted $5! That was probably big bucks for a funky pan like this! And well worth it. The cake baked evenly, and browned beautifully. It’s true, they just don’t make pans the way they used to.

Here is a quick and easy recipe – no fancy pan needed – but boy does the pan make it fun!

Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

Ingredients

¼ cup butter cut up

½ cup brown sugar

7 slices pineapple rings – fresh or canned

4 maraschino cherries

1 package white or yellow cake mix for a ONE LAYER

Or

½ of a package of a regular size box!

Preparation

• Preheat oven to 350°.
• place butter in the bottom of your handy dandy upside-down pineapple cake pan – or any 9 inch round cake-pan . Melt in the oven while it preheats, about 2 minutes. Remove pan from oven and add brown sugar to melted butter. Gently stir and spread mixture evenly across the pan. Arrange pineapple and cherries in mixture.
• This is optional: Spray the sides of the pan with a little pan spray.
• Prepare batter as directed on cake package. Carefully pour over arranged pineapples. Bake in the center of the oven for 40-50 minutes, turning pan mid-way. Perform the stick test at 40 minutes and continue to bake as necessary.
• Let the cake stand for 5 minutes. Invert onto a serving platter (something with a little lip to catch the drips!) Keep the lid on! Allow 5 more minutes before removing the pan – this will ensure no pineapples sticking to the top.
• This cake is best served warm with vanilla ice cream…. Or (as Damma would have it)….  A big dollop of cool whip! If eating it warm just ain’t happening, cover and leave at room temp till dessert time.