TODAY IN FOOD HISTORY Pineapple upside down cake (Do We Have a Recipe Thread for Easter Yet?)

CantonRep.com ^ | April 21, 2011 | Jim Hillibish

[I still care]

April 20, 1901: The pineapple upside-down cake appeared, prompted by Jim Dole’s amazing canned pineapple from Hawaii. Stoves at that time were wood and coal fired. The ovens were highly inaccurate. Cakes were made in skillets on stove tops. Placing fruit on the bottom caramelized it.

PINEAPPLE UPSIDE DOWN CAKE ◦ 3 cans 8 1/2-ounce pineapple rings ◦ 1/4 cup butter ◦ 2/3 cup brown sugar ◦ 1 cup flour ◦ 1/3 cup pecan or walnut halves or maraschino cherries ◦ 3/4 cup sugar ◦ 1 1/2 teaspoon salt ◦ 1/4 cup shortening ◦ 1/2 cup milk ◦ 1 egg

[I still care]

I've never started a "light" thread before but I was looking at google trends - hard boiled eggs is at 3, Green Bean Cassarole is at 6, Pineapple Upside Down Cake at 7. So I figure people have food on their minds today.

I used to make a great cake - the secret is in the heavy pan. Use a skillet or a very heavy ceramic dish - it makes the brown sugar like crispy syrup. (I broke my dish and haven't been able to reproduce it since). If it's warm it's extra good.

I know the article is a couple of days old but it's such a good recipe! Plus I let the ingredients stay in the exerpt so even if the paper loses the page you have the amounts. Enjoy a great American classic, courtesy of the CantonRep.com, Hawaii, and Dole!

[Sacajaweau]

1/2 Marchino cherry in each of the pineapple rings was always a nice touch.

[I still care]

I used to make a sort of a checkerboard. I would lay out the rings, and in the center of each put a half cherry. And then in the space created by four rings coming together, I put a half pecan or walnut.

I used to have a coworker who died for it. Whenever we had an occasion, she’d come up and ask me if I was going to make my “special cake”. She wasn’t from America and my guess is she hadn’t tasted it before. It is an American food.

[libertarian27]

Pineapple Upside Down Cake - Recipe

FReeper Kitchen Ping
(to be added/deleted - just PM me)

There’s not an Easter recipe thread that I’ve seen yet, per se, but come on over a join us in the Weekly Cooking Thread today - and all week!
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2709393/posts

Weekly Cooking Thread. April 23, 2011(Happy Easter)
FreeRepublic Cooks | April 23, 2011 | libertarian27

[sheana]

I just finished making Chocolate Tea Biscuit cake (Prince William’s fave) for Easter tomorrow. My family are chocoholics. Lol

[stylecouncilor]

I’ve been wanting to get a cast iron skillet...now I have a good excuse! :)

[texmexis best]

There is no cake that equals a Pineapple Upside Down Cake.

Nothing comes close.

[ViLaLuz]

Do you have a heavy cast iron skillet? That works well for pineapple upside down cake, too.

[kalee]

Recipe please? :) TIA

[Joya]

If you live near Safeway Grocery, look there, they have a very nice display of cast ironware for sale in front of the registers at my store.

Walmart also sells cast iron skillets.

= = =
Thanks to all for this thread.

[sheana]

Was posted the other day. Here you go.

http://www.nhregister.com/articles/2011/04/13/life/00413royalcake041111.txt?viewmode=fullstory

[bigheadfred]

I used to have a coworker who died for it.

And then you just leave us a hanging. That musta been some GOOD cake.

[kalee]

Thank you

[sheana]

Anytime. ;)

[JoeFromSidney]

I love pineapple upside down cake. My first wife (God rest her soul) used to make it every year for my birthday. She used a heavy electric skillet.

Unfortunately now it's not in my diet. But I can still dream about it.

[Pete from Shawnee Mission]

Taking nothing away from Pineapple Upside Down Cake, a cake pantheon:

Carrot cake made with pineapple that has a thick cream cheese frosting.

Cream cheese cake with a drizzle of raspberry reduction.

Williamsburg Orange cake. (Betty Crocker!)

Various chocolate tortes that sit just on the baked goods side of fudge or pudding....

And Pineapple Upside Down Cake topped with homemade whipped cream!

[Mrs. P]

I like to make upside down cake with pears instead of pineapple and gingerbread batter instead of the regular batter. A little orange rind in with the butter and brown sugar is very good too.

[rightly_dividing]

My mom used to make a pineapple upside down cake in an old iron skillet. I wish that I had her recipe, there was none better.

[2nd amendment mama]

Bookmark for my VERY favorite cake....thanks for posting this recipe.

[Palladin]

This thread is making me long for the good old parish bake sales where one could pick up any of these great cakes at a good price, and help the church’s charities.