Pineapple upside-down cake without butter and lactose, a soft cake with a very special taste thanks to the caramel that wraps the pineapple slices.
After trying the original recipe I decided to try the recipe that my mom used and understand the differences.
Both are very good and the process is quite similar, both are soft but the first, starting from a base of whipped butter, remains more compact.
The particularity of this cake lies in the caramel at the base of the pan where the pineapple slices are placed, and after baking, we will flip everything, finding the caramelized pineapple on top.
I also prepared a vegan version of this pineapple upside-down cake, which the whole family really enjoyed, so this one is also highly recommended.
For homemade cake lovers for breakfast and snack, I also remind you
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 12
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Energy 365.18 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 59.30 (g) of which sugars 41.60 (g)
- Proteins 4.54 (g)
- Fat 13.98 (g) of which saturated 2.26 (g)of which unsaturated 11.12 (g)
- Fibers 0.87 (g)
- Sodium 20.40 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 125 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
- 5.3 oz sugar (for the caramel)
- 1 can canned pineapple
- 3 eggs
- 1.25 cups sugar
- 2/3 cup vegetable oil
- 1 packet vanillin
- 2.33 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 packet baking powder
Tools
To prepare the caramel, I suggest a high-edged saucepan. For mixing, you can use a stand mixer with a whisk or an electric whisk, and for baking, I suggest a 9.5-inch springform pan.
- 1 Saucepan
- 1 Stand Mixer Howork
- 1 Springform Pan
Preparation
The preparation of the upside-down cake starts with the caramel that covers the pineapple slices. Then it continues with a classic ring cake batter covering the caramelized pineapple.
As a first step, put the sugar needed for the caramel in the high-edged saucepan and place it on the stove, without adding anything else. Initially, do not stir it so as not to lower the temperature as you can see in the photo it will start to melt.
When it starts to melt and you see it from the edges, you can start stirring gently with a knife simply trying to incorporate the still granular sugar from the already melted one. In a few minutes, it will melt completely and turn off the heat before it browns too much.
While preparing the caramel, cover the bottom of the pan with parchment paper. When the caramel is ready, pour it immediately into the pan trying to cover almost the entire base and place the pineapple slices on top. Do not worry as you will see the caramel cooling and solidifying, in baking it will become liquid again. Place the pineapple slices close to each other and place one in the center, in total you will need 8 slices for the indicated pan.
Now we need to take care of the batter. Start by putting the eggs in the stand mixer bowl with the sugar and whisk well until the eggs are well-whitened. When they are well whisked, continue stirring and add the oil, the juice from the can of pineapple, the vanillin, the flour, and finally the baking powder. If there are any pineapple slices left in the can, you can chop them and add them to the batter.
Pour the obtained batter over the caramelized pineapple slices and bake in a preheated oven at 350°F for about 50 minutes, the batter will remain quite liquid during baking so do not turn off without performing the toothpick test. You may need another 5/10 minutes of baking depending on your oven’s power.
NOTES
The pineapple upside-down cake has a truly unique texture and keeps well for about 3/4 days when kept at room temperature in a cake container with a lid. In the following days, I can say it seems even more flavorful because the caramel slowly penetrates inside the cake itself.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is it possible to substitute granulated sugar with brown sugar?
Yes, you can substitute brown sugar for granulated sugar even to prepare the caramel.
