Pineapple Upside Down Cake

Since the 1920’s pineapple upside down cake has been a summer favorite, as pineapple is the sweetest when harvested late summer after months of warm weather. After having tried many recipes, I decided to take the best of the best and come up with my own. Using fresh pineapple will guarantee the tastiest result. This cake is light and a bit spongy to soak up the syrup and rum. The cardamom complements the sweetness with just a hint of an earthy, exotic tang. Try as many as 3 teaspoons if you like it!

For topping
½ to ¾ fresh pineapple, peeled, quartered lengthwise, and cored
¾ stick unsalted butter (6 Tablespoons)

¼ cup granulated sugar
½ cup packed light brown sugar

For cake
1 ½ Teaspoons vanilla
1 ½ Tablespoon dark rum

¾ cup coconut milk or regular milk
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 to 2 Teaspoons ground cardamom

½ to 1 Teaspoon cinnamon – optional
2 Teaspoons baking powder
¼ Teaspoon salt

¾ stick unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons dark rum for sprinkling over cake – optional

Special equipment: a well-seasoned 10-inch cast-iron skillet

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Make topping:
Slice pineapple crosswise into ¼ to 3/8-inch-thick pieces and set aside. Melt butter in skillet. Add granulated and brown sugars and simmer over moderately low heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat. Arrange as many pineapple slices on top of sugar mixture as possible overlapping pieces and filling in gaps. You can also place pecans in the gaps.

Make batter:
Blend together coconut milk, rum and vanilla and set aside. Sift together flour, cardamom, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt, setting aside. Beat butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, then gradually beat in granulated sugar. Beat on high for 4 to 5 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add a third of flour mixture alternately with a third of the milk/rum mix into the butter and egg while beating on low speed just until all blended.

Spread batter evenly over pineapple topping in the skillet. Bake cake until the center springs back and a tester comes out clean, about 50 to 55 minutes. Let cake cool on wire rack in skillet for 10 - 15 minutes. Tap the pan on a work surface to loosen the topping. Invert skillet over a cake plate keeping plate and skillet firmly pressed together. Lift off the pan and replace any pineapple stuck to bottom of skillet. Sprinkle rum over cake and cool for 30 minutes before serving. Best served slightly warm or at room temperature.