Brown Sugar Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

Ingredients

Tick the ingredients as you go

Topping

• 1/4 cup (4 Tbsp; 56 g) unsalted butter, melted
• 1/2 cup (100 g) packed light or dark brown sugar
• 8-10 pineapple slices (see Notes)
• 15-20 maraschino cherries (see Notes)

Cake

• 1 1/2 cups (177 g) cake flour, spooned and leveled
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 6 Tbsp (85 g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar
• 2 large egg whites, at room temperature
• 1/3 cup (80 g) sour cream, at room temperature
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) pineapple juice (from the can), at room temperature
• 2 Tbsp (30 ml) milk, at room temperature

Instructions

1. 1

   Heat the oven to 350°F (177°C).

2. 2

   Pour the melted butter into an ungreased 9x2-inch round cake pan (or deep pie dish) and sprinkle the brown sugar evenly over it. Pat the fruit dry, then lay about 6-7 pineapple slices over the sugar and tuck the cherries into the gaps and centres. Cut 3 more rings in half and arrange them around the edge. Pop the pan in the fridge while you make the batter.

   
3. 3

   Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl.

4. 4

   Beat the butter on high for about 1 minute, add the sugar and beat for about 2 minutes more. Beat in the egg whites, followed by the sour cream and vanilla, scraping the bowl as needed. Add the dry ingredients, then, with the mixer on low, slowly pour in the pineapple juice and milk. Stop as soon as everything is combined; don't overmix. Finish with a whisk if there are lumps. The batter will be fairly thick.

6. 5

   Take the pan out of the fridge and spread the batter evenly over the fruit.

   
7. 6

   Bake for 43-48 minutes, laying a loose sheet of foil over the top halfway through. It is ready when a toothpick comes out mostly clean, with just a few moist crumbs.

8. 7

   Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for 20 minutes, then turn it out onto a serving plate. Allow it to cool completely at room temperature before slicing (don't hurry it along in the fridge).

   
9. 8

   Refrigerate leftover slices for up to 3 days, or freeze them for up to 3 months and thaw at room temperature. Freezing the cake whole isn't recommended.