Tropical Pineapple Upside Down Cake Delight

on
Monday, March 3, 2008
Pineapple upside down cake made with sweetened flaked coconut, rum and ginger. 








Tropical Pineapple Upside Down Cake

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt (scant)
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 cup sweetened flaked coconut
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened, divided use
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons minced ginger root
2 tablespoons Malibu Banana Rum
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon coconut extract
3 large eggs
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 cups coarsely chopped fresh pineapple

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

In a medium sized mixing bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg. Stir coconut into flour.
In a large mixing bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat together 1/2 cup butter, granulated sugar, ginger, rum, vanilla extract, and coconut extract, until creamy, about 1 minute. Beat in eggs, gradually, until combined.
Gradually beat in flour mixture, until combined.

Melt the additional 1/4 cup butter in a 10-inch round or square cast iron skillet, over medium high heat. Stir in brown sugar and pineapple, and cook mixture for 10-12 minutes, stirring frequently, until pineapple is softened, and mixture is syrupy.
Place heaping spoonfuls of the cake batter over pineapple mixture, and smooth with a rubber spatula.

Bake at 375 degrees F, for 35-40 minutes, or until deep golden brown. Cool cake for 10 minutes on a wire rack; run a knife around outside edges, and invert onto serving dish.

Yield: 9 big slices

38 comments on "Tropical Pineapple Upside Down Cake Delight"
  1. Emi, the cake looks moist, topping is good enuff to eat solo and carpe diem!

    If you've got the ducats...go to NYC girl.

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  2. Hi Emiline. Good luck with your decision to have culinary education. If I were your age and had to start my education, that would be my first choice.
    Your cake sounds delicious.

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  3. Emiline,
    I'll email you my thoughts about school...I've got a lot!
    Nice Hula Hula cake! "Sky Rockets in Flight" - you ARE an old soul!

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  4. Okay, I now have a new foodie word for my vocabulary -- *pud*?? Love it! You are so funny. Just know that wherever you decide to go to school, you will do great.

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  5. I almost applied to a cooking school in Chicago, when I was done with law school and we moved there. Then I saw how much my law school loans were, and almost barfed, and decided I couldn't go to cooking school.

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  6. The cake looks wonderful! I wish you luck in your school endavours.

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  7. I would like to someday go to culinary school, too. But I am not sure that I want to be a professional chef. I enjoy more writing about food than making it for a restaurant. Maybe because I spent the first 20 years of my life in one. But anyway good luck in your decision and we'll visit you if you come to Columbus, Ohio. LOL
    And that cake looks delicious. It reminds me of my mom's killer pineapple upside down cakes. Hmmm I will make one soon.

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  8. Would really never have thought to bake a cake in my cast iron. I suppose because it is rather new and i just don't know all the possibilities yet. Thanks for another one!

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  9. No real opinion on where to go for culinary school, but want to say good luck and I'm jealous! You are definitely their kind of material :)

    Fab cake by the way.

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  10. Consider Chicago. There are some great schools her like Kendall College( part of Northwestern),The French Pastry School( actually a city college, but Pierre Herme is doing a workshop there this spring), A Cordon Bleu School, etc. Plus some of the best restaurants in the country. Chicago is close to home and would be mor affordable. OK I'm going to shut up now and stop acting like your mother.

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  11. I live in Canada so no suggestions about schools in the States. It looks as though you are getting lots of advice. Good luck with your decision :D PS the cake sounds delicious and looks even better.

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  12. PUD - love that! my very favorite PUD cake is in my blog - you should try it!

    i have no culinary advice for you b/c i have no formal training, but good luck with it!

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  13. great, now that song'll be stuck in my head all day...thanks a lot! :)

    60 degrees? i'm so jealous. if you do go to nyc, you'll have to brace yourself for much worse!

    great cake, by the way, and good luck with that decision!

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  14. Fantastic cake Emiline - I love the fact that there are 9 BIG slices. Good luck with whatever decision you make about culinary school.

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  15. heh...PUD cake.

    good luck with your decision. the only people i know who went to culinary school went to CIA, so i can't help you out (but if you want to talk to one of them, i can hook you up).

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  16. Hi Emiline,

    About culinary school. Have you considered going abroad? It's actually not as expensive as you might think! I went here: http://www.apicius.it/ They have intensive programs so you can finish up quickly and they set you up with internships while you are there so you are working in real italian kitchens. The classes are all in english and the school is small so you get incredible personal attention. I would encourage you to definitely check it out! Also, although it's *technically* not legal, just about everyone I knew found odd jobs working at stores or waiting tables there too so you don't have to worry about extra cash while you're there either.

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  17. The CIA is prolly just as much for tuition, but they have branches in Texas and California (as well as NY).

    I have some pineapple in the fridge that needs eating, and some coconut milk too. Ooh, I have some marshmallows too. I should make some crazy old lady dessert.

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  18. Come to NYC!!! Maybe I'm a little biased, though...

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  19. Ok, my internet is back now!

    Peter- I think NYC is calling me.

    Ivy- Thanks!

    Catherine- I'd love to hear your thoughts.

    Anj- Pud takes way too long to write.

    Amy- Aww, I wish you would have. There are some great schools in Chicago! You should do it someday, since you love to cook so much.

    Tartlette- Thanks!

    Ben- I don't blame you.

    Gretchen- Cast iron is fun!

    Kevin- Thanks!

    Nemmie- Thank you.

    Glamah- Good advice, thank you so much. I was really considering Chicago, but I'm not really into the managment part. I just want to concentrate on the cooking.

    Valli- Thanks!

    Jaime- Thanks.

    A. Grace- That is true! Maybe I should consider Florida.

    Cakelaw- That's a lot of butter for 9 slices of cake. I think.

    Michelle- I know I don't want to go to CIA.

    Alejandra- Thanks for the advice! I would love to go abroad, but I don't see it happening. Maybe someday! Also, I think I deleted another comment you sent me. I was fooling around with my comment settings, so sorry about that. It was an accident.

    Heather- Maybe... I'll look into it.
    Crazy old lady dessert? Yum!

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  20. The cake looks awesome Emiline! and its great that you've decided to join a culinary school!! I've dreamt about it for so long but work never allowed me to pursue my passion!! So just choose one and go for it girl! you have talent, the schools will only groom you, and the rest is upto you! but NYC sounds great for added exposure...

    I'm definitely planning to participate in your event; I hope you can find some time to check out my event WBB-Balanced Breakfast:)

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  21. pineapple upside-down cake is a family favorite - your version of it looks SPECTACULAR!!! oh my goodness, it's too gorgeous, haha.

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  22. I'm so proud of you for saving up to pursue your dream!

    I went to a small po-dunk community college for my culinary degree, but wanted to go to Johnson and Wales in Charleston. It's an "old soul" town. I love Charleston. I couldn't afford it, so I didn't go. But, I loved culinary school, and although I wasn't where I wanted to be, I was thrilled to be studying culinary arts. Period.

    Point being, I think you'll be thrilled with wherever you land. It's about the food - it's about the art.

    Not having the prestige, the "old soul" town, or even the big name chef instructors couldn't change the fact that I was doing what I had always wanted to do and I was ecstatic about it. Something tells me it may be the same for you. (((Hugs))) while you decide.

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  23. Btw, you know that song is about having a "nooner", right?

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  24. Your personality is so fun loving. I bet you would just love NYC and all that it has to offer! Just think of the cuisine alone. Everywhere, there will be something fantastic to smell, see, taste, enjoy! Vendors galore showing you all types of fabulous food along with restaurants, delis, Mom and Pop stores, etc! Okay, I'll stop. I wish you all the best in your choice and I can just imagine how hard it would be to make such a life altering decision. . .did I mention that I am stopping? =D

    You put this cake together without any recipe? I am so envious! The cake is beautiful and the caramelized crust looks so nibble worthy! Beautiful =)
    Shandy

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  25. Hi em,

    First lovely changes to your blog, it looks wonderful and so does your gorgeous cake.

    As for your choice of schools, I say follow your heart, you don't want to have any regrets in life. Deep down you know what's best for you! (whispers nyc)

    Good Luck em!

    Pix

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  26. Decisions, Decisions,
    How fun does Culinary School sound? I've always thought it would be so fun to go to France and study there, but totally unrealistic.

    So many options for you, hope you come to a decision that you feel good about. AZ is a great place to live, minus June-September!

    I wish you the best and your cake looks delicious!

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  27. Wow there is a lot going on in your life right now. Follow your feeling. Do it now, don't wait.

    You were asking about Ricardo. Hopefully you'll get him on Food Network in US. People love him in Canada. He's great.

    That cake looks like something I would have enjoyed today. We had to make big decisions and this would had come at the right time.

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  28. I'm not such a big fan of pineapple, but the other ingredients in this - especially the rum ;) - make me think this might be worth a try. Looks delish!

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  29. The cake looks awesome. I should make some this weekend before I leave for my business trip, have some, and let my husband get fat on it while I'm gone.

    I have often considered the ICE myself when I think I want a career change. I used to get their newsletters and stuff. I know they offer all kinds of enrichment classes locally. I'd say go for it. Come to NY and bake for me!

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  30. What a beautiful cake, Emiline! I think your fiid just keeps getting better and better!

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  31. What a decision. I do (and don't!) envy you. Hope that what you decide feels entirely right.

    I was thinking of making an uber-retro pinapple upside cake recently myself. Great minds, Emiline, great minds. :)

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  32. EM, that is a BIG decision. I have no real advise other than go with your heart and the rest will all work out!

    BTW, Yum to the pud cake...

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  33. I have a friend who does the jury during exams at the ICE in New York. If you come here i'll tell him to give you good marks. haha.

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  34. Wow is this the month to put a fresh face on your blog yours is the 3rd I have seen so far this month. looking good.

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  35. Dang it woman, you have me drool again! Now I have to figure out yet another recipe in a gluten free version. Dang it.

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  36. If I were you I would go to Arizona
    love the weather

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