Pineapple Upside-Down Cakelets

By west757

One of America's most popular desserts for almost a century, the pineapple upside-down cake was once known as a skillet cake because it was baked on the stovetop in a cast-iron pan. Here, the cake is made in one of Williams-Sonoma specially designed cakelet pans, which feature indentations to hold the pineapple rings and look like minature pineapples.

Ingredients

• For the topping:
• 6 canned pineapple slices in juice, 2 Tbs. juice reserved
• 5 Tbs. (3/4 stick) unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup plus 2 Tbs. firmly packed light
• brown sugar
• 6 maraschino cherries in syrup
• For the cake:
• 1 1/3 cups all purpose flour
• 3/4 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 8 Tbs. (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup milk

Details

Servings 6
Adapted from williams-sonoma.com

Preparation

Step 1

Have all the ingredients at room temperature.

Position a rack in the lower third of an oven and preheat to 350°F. Grease and flour the wells of the pineapple upside-down cakelet pan; tap out excess flour.

To make the topping, place the pineapple slices in the prepared pan, In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, combine the reserved pineapple juice, butter and brown sugar and heat until the butter is melted, then stir to combine. Spread 2 Tbs. of the mixture on the bottom of eachprepared well. Place a cherry in the center of each slice. Set aside.

To make the cakelets, whisk the flour, baking powder and salt; set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the flat beater, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy and smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the granulated sugar and continue beating until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes, stopping the mixer occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the eggs a little at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla until just incorporated.

Reduce the speed to low and add the flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with the milk and beginning and ending with the flour. Beat each addition just until incorporated, stopping the mixer occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl.

Spoon a scant 1/2 cup batter into each well, spreading the batter so the sides are higher than the center. Gently tap the pan on the countertop to release any air bubbles. Bake until the center of the cake springs back when touched and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 30 minutes.

Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let the cool for 10 minutes. Gently tap the pan on the countertop tp loosen the cakelets. Set the rack over the pan, invert the pan onto the rack and lift off the pan. Let the cakelets cool completely, at least 1 hour, before serving.