Granny's dutch pineapple upside down cake

By Unicorn1259

Very good

Ingredients

• CAKE
• 3 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups sugar (divided)
• 1/2 cup boiling water
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• TOP: Granny's Version
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 can #2 crushed pineapple
• TOP: My Version
• 1/2 stick butter
• 1/4 - 1/2 inch layer of brown sugar
• 2 cans #2 of crushed pineapple
• Maraschino cherry de-stemmed

Details

Servings 8
Preparation time 30mins
Cooking time 75mins

Preparation

Step 1

Works best in a well seasoned Cast Iron Skillet.
Preheat oven to 325.
Heat skillet on stove. Cut a stick of butter in ½ and peel back the paper from the cut end.
Hold it with the paper end and use the open end to rub around the sides of the skillet (to prevent sticking).
Then, remove the paper and melt the rest of the butter into the bottom of the skillet.
Next, I layer Brown Sugar ¼-½ inch thick evenly in the bottom. I use 2 (#2) Cans of Crushed Pineapple (very well drained).
To drain, I place all of the pineapple in a wire colander strainer and mash out as most of the juice.
Then, I arrange it evenly over the Brown Sugar. Arrange and press cherries into the pineapple.

Separate eggs (Yolks into large mixing bowl & Whites into small mixing bowl).
Place whites into refrigerator until you need them later. Beat yolks until thick and lemon colored.
Add ½ Cup of Sugar and beat well. Measure ½ Cup of water into a microwavable dish or Pyrex glass measuring cup.
Place in microwave and heat for 1 ½ - 2 min. until it boils. Begin beating your mixture again while slowly adding the boiling water and beat well.

Combine 1 cup of Sugar with the rest of the dry ingredients, and stir with a fork until well mixed.
Fold into liquid and beat well. Clean beaters (I usually just fill my Pyrex measuring cup with water and run them in it).
Remove egg whites from refrigerator and beat until stiff peaks form. Fold into cake mixture with mixing spatula.
Do not mix, just make it look “airy.” Pour into skillet and bake at 325 degrees for 45 minutes.
Test with toothpick in center, and push it way down in. Cake is done when it comes out clean.

Remove from oven and allow to cool on stove for 5 - 10 minutes. Run a knife around the outer edge of the cake.
Usually, I gently pull it away from the sides with my fingers (if sides of skillet were well buttered) before I run the knife around it.
Place your cake plate upside down and centered on top of the skillet and flip. It should fall right out onto the plate.
Before I remove the skillet from on top, I use it to make sure the cake is perfectly centered.
Slightly spinning the skillet while removing will help keep the pineapple from sticking.
Use a spoon to get any pineapple that may have stuck, and you can patch where it came from, usually without even being able to tell.

**IMPORTANT NOTES**
1. Granny’s recipe says to bake for 45 minutes. I have never had one pass the toothpick test at that time. So, at 45 minutes I begin testing every 5-10 minutes. It seems to vary.
2. Once the top is light golden brown, I place aluminum foil over it to prevent it from getting too hard or burning before the cake is done. Mine usually has a thin crispy layer on top.
3. Be sure to measure the dry ingredients EXACT. If you don’t, it won’t come out right. I run the flat side of a knife across my measuring cups and spoons to make sure it full and flat across the top.
4. The recipe may seem complicated as I have tried to include every minor detail in my own process. It is actually very quick and simple. From start to placing it in the oven, it usually takes me about 10 - 15 minutes.