Pineapple Upside”Dad” Cake – An Homage to Father’s Day

Cooking With Dad

Every year, Father’s Day gives me pause to reflect on the things I loved most about my dad.  His calm demeanor, his subdued but hysterical sense of humor, his generosity with his family and friends.  He was a flawed soul (as we all are) with a kind heart and a love of life.  He was the youngest of 13 kids who grew up during the depression, and sometimes there was a sadness in his soft, blue eyes…which typically turned to a twinkle with some joke or story he was telling.

My dad loved to cook.  He was, in modern terminology, the very definition of a self-taught home cook.  He was a “gourmand” who rarely finished cooking a dish in the same pan he started it in because, as he added ingredients, his meal outgrew the pan.  My mom cooked not out of a love of cooking, but out of necessity to feed her family.  But my dad always cooked with a passion for food.

I smile when I think about standing on a chair in the kitchen next to him, “helping” him make his thick hearty beef stew; or delicious cornbread dressing (which to this day I can’t quite replicate although I keep trying); or his tender, flavorful meatloaf.  He didn’t even make me wash the dishes, which probably set me up for a difficult transition into adulthood now that I think about it!  He had such a knack for seasoning, always understanding what flavors would enhance his dish, and what was missing when we taste-tested.

Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

Daddy was not a big sweet eater, but he loved Pineapple Upside Down Cake.  Okay, his favorite dessert was actually Coconut Cream Pie, but he pretended his favorite was Pineapple Upside Down Cake so I could help him with it.  He always made it in his cast iron skillet to get that golden crunch on the bottom/top.  He would melt the butter directly in the pan, add the brown sugar, then let it cool so I could set the pineapple rings and cherries into the mixture by myself.  Then we would gently dollop the thick cake batter over the pineapple-sugar layer together.

Dad would reserve one pineapple ring and a small bit of batter (sounds like a tongue twister) so we could make a small cake in one of my Easy Bake Oven pans (this is where my offspring would incredulously interject “They had Easy Bake Ovens when you were a kid?”).  I remember the buttery smell of the cake as it baked, rising in the pan while I anxiously sat in front of the oven peering through the little window.

The Love of Cooking

After dad had his stroke and had to quit working, he filled his days with cooking.  He would call my brothers and I and tell us to come over for some “care packages.”  He would order to-go boxes from a restaurant supply company (no Amazon back then) so he could send food home with anyone and everyone who came to visit. His deep freezer was stacked with unlabeled freezer bags he would insist on giving us…we were never sure what it was going to be, but it was always delicious!  And he was so excited to feed us…it gave him purpose in those later years…fed his soul you could say.

“To her, the name of father was another name for love.” —Fanny Fern

I always miss my dad most on Father’s Day, but I know I have much of him in me, including my love of cooking and sharing that passion with others.  Remembering him keeps me grounded…reminds me of what’s important…family, passion, caring, sharing.  So, this Father’s Day enjoy a Pineapple Upside Down Cake recipe from the little girl watching through the oven window.

And remember to always find a way to add a little Slice of Spice to your every day!

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Michele

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Dads Pineapple Upside Down Cake

Sweet pineapple; ooey, gooey, caramel sauce; fluffy butter cake...whats not to love?

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 25 minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes

Servings 10

Author Hersh

Ingredients

• 4 tbsp butter
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 20 oz can sliced pineapple reserve juice
• 10-12 maraschino cherries
• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 8 tbsp butter - melted
• 2 large eggs

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

2. Place cast iron skillet with 4 tbsp butter in oven as it preheats. 

   

3. When butter is melted remove skillet from oven.  Sprinkle brown sugar evenly over melted butter and put back into oven until bubbly. Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly.

4. Remove pineapple rings from can.  Place one ring in center of skillet.  Arrange remaining rings around center ring to the edge of skillet.

   

5. Place maraschino cherry in the center of each pineapple ring, then set pan to the side.

6. Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt in medium bowl. Set aside.

7. In a large mixing bowl, cream together sugar and 8 tbsp melted butter until light and creamy.  Add the eggs and beat until smooth.

   

8. On low speed, incorporate a third of the flour mixture into the butter mixture. Add 1/2 cup of reserved pineapple juice, mix until smooth. Add 1/2 of the remaining flour, then 1/2 cup of pineapple juice.  Mix until smooth.  Add remaining flour mixture and mix until smooth.

9. Gently dollop cake batter over the pineapple rings in the skillet, being careful not to displace the fruit/sugar.  Smooth the batter with a spatula and gently tap on the counter to remove any air and settle the batter.

10. Bake for approximately 40 minutes, until it is a deep golden brown and springs back to the touch.

    

11. Cool cake for 10-15 minutes.  Invert cake plate over skillet; flip plate and skillet over so plate is now on the bottom.  Gently remove skillet from plate.

12. Serve warm or cool.