Several weeks ago I received an email from Jennifer, who was putting together a post on how to eat more fruits and vegetables. She was looking for a variety of suggestions from different sources and I was happy to throw a few ideas her way. Now I certainly can do a much better job of eating more vegetables with every meal, but with recipes like the one below, I will have no problem keeping pineapple in my desserts! Welcome guest blogger Jennifer and check out her blog, Down-Home South Jersey…
Hello dear readers! My name is Jennifer, and I write the blog Down-Home South Jersey. My focus is on food, family, and fun – in South Jersey and beyond! Well, this is definitely beyond 🙂
A big thank you to Pat, The Ranting Chef, for inviting me here today.
Since I knew I would be writing for such a discriminating audience, I wanted to step up my game with a knock-out recipe. This one is for all of you who love your cast iron skillet. Come on, admit it. You really love it!
I got mine for Christmas and just can’t get enough of it. It does bacon and eggs, burgers and steaks, and especially grilled cheese sandwiches really well. But did you know you can bake a cake in it?
I know, I was just as surprised as you.
This upside-down cake recipe is a classic cast iron dish that caramelizes in the skillet to create a gooey, tasty topping. Once inverted, the topping oozes down the sides, moistening every delicious bite! The flavors of pineapple with coconut and rum are enhanced here by the unique flavor of cardamom. If you’ve never had cardamom before, like me, you are in for a surprise! I can’t imagine this mouthwatering tropical cake without it.
Pineapple-Coconut Upside-Down Cake
For the topping:
For the batter:
Preparation:
2. For the topping: Melt the butter in a well-seasoned 9 inch cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the brown sugar and melt, stirring constantly, until bubbling, about 6 minutes. Remove from heat, add pineapple rings in one even layer, and set aside.
4. Beat in vanilla and coconut rum. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, cardamom, baking powder, and salt. Add half of the flour mixture to the egg mixture and beat on low speed just until blended. Add the pineapple juice and beat on low to incorporate. Add remaining flour mixture, beating until just incorporated.
6. Remove from the oven and let stand for 5 minutes. To remove from the skillet, run a sharp knife around the edge to release the sides.
8. Drizzle the cake with additional rum and top with coconut flakes. Yum!
Note: Remember that the handle of your cast iron skillet will be hot! Please use a pot holder or oven glove when handling.
Rantings of an Amateur Chef 
Oh that looks so good! I might have to try this on my cast iron skillet I bought over a year ago but have yet to use.
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Yum! My dad used to do stuff like this in his cast iron, Im not much of a baker type though, so never tried! Might have to try this one 🙂
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I live and breathe by my cast iron collection! It makes amazing–everything! I use it for pot pie, shepherd’s pie, banana bread (or any quick bread), pizza, calzones, heating left overs…just name it, and it can be made twice as yummy in cast iron.
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I love my cast iron. The fry pan, griddle and two dutch ovens stack inside each other and sit out permanently on top of our gas tabletop range. I use them almost everyday – and have made a few cakes and cornbreads in the oven with them.
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So glad to see someone else loving their Lodge! I cook almost exclusively in cast iron, and have never thought of returning to stainless or (heaven forbid) non-stick pans.
There’s a reason this stuff has been around for hundreds of years!
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Great post Jennifer – I think you might have convinced me to finally buy a cast-iron pan! I still don’t have one, at least not one large enough to bake a cake in!
And Pat, thx for liking my post about Hawaii and Portuguese sausage. Welcome a visit from a ranter anytime!
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Beth – Just do it! You won’t be sorry 🙂 Mine was less than $20 at Target.
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Besides Pineapple Upside Down Cake, which we always decorated with cherries and pecan halves, I learned to make peanut brittle in a big cast iron skillet.
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Oh, please tell. We need your peanut brittle recipe 🙂
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Peanut Brittle — Charlotte Proctor
Combine in large iron skillet:
1 Cup Sugar
1 Cup Karo light corn syrup
½ Cup water
Cook to spin a thread stage.
Add: 1 to 2 cups red-skinned peanuts
Add: a pinch of salt.
Cook until syrup is golden-brown, and the peanuts begin to pop.
Add: heaping teaspoon butter, stir to melt.
Add: heaping teaspoon soda and stir (syrup will foam up).
Pour quickly on to foil, and spread out with back of spoon.
When cool, pick up the foil by the ends, and drop it to break up candy.
Store candy in air tight bags.
Enjoy!
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Yay! Thanks 🙂
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If you publish this recipe anywhere, please credit me and my blog. Thanks!
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Of course. But I don’t think I want to share it. It’ll make a good present 🙂
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This is an old classic that you don’t see as often as you should. It is easy and delicious. I do some with other fruits as well, but I’ll have to try this version. Looks yummy….
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Wicked pan and great looking cake! Love this recipe.
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You have just posted one of my top three favorite desserts, but I’ve never added coconut and that seems such an obvious ingredient. Can’t wait to make this in my faithful old cast iron skillet.
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My wife has her Dad’s skillet and hardly ever uses it.
We may need to break it out this weekend!
🙂
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Thank you for visiting my blog and following. My favourite baking sheet belonged to my Granny who was born in the 1890s! My Mum used it for many years then it came to me 🙂
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Great post. I love upside down cake. My 4 cast iron pans are my favorite.
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Wish I had a cast iron pan…Becuase that looks too good..
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I LOVE pineapple upside down cake. My family is sometimes picky, I made one about 5 years ago and…I enjoyed most of it. They tried tiny portions and they were not finished. I didn’t think the seat of my pants would hold out for another try, but decided to give it another go anyway last week. Same recipe as before, same luscious cake. The family results, however, were not. They loved it (with italics and pink hearts). “WHY don’t you make this more often???”. That’s when I realized that my kids are schizophrenic eaters. They can love something one day, loath it the next and remember nothing about it the following week. From here on in, everyone eats what mummy likes!
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I find that if I tell my son he is not allowed to have it, then he will want it more! Give it a try, see if it works for you.
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What a stunning & divine pineapple upside down cake! The endresult says it all: EAT ME RIGHT NOw! 🙂
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I love cast iron skillets! They become family heirlooms.
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Love cooking in my cast iron…..love all those flavors it’s had built up over the years of use…..
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Looks delicious, Jennifer! It’s one of my favorite desserts 😀
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Thanks!
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This looks so scrummy – could I use fresh pineapple or would it be too juicy?
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Hey Jennifer, I’m a Jersey girl by birth…stuck here in NY. LOVE my cast iron. Much of it belonged to my grandma! Lovely cake, thanks for the recipe.
*anna
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You are so lucky to have “heritage” cast iron. I bet it’s great!
I was forced (kicking and screaming) to be a Jersey Girl, but now I’m so glad to live here 🙂 Thanks for your kind comments 🙂
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Holy cow, you just upped the Pineapple Upside-Down Cake Stakes! Coconut, rum and cardamom: wow. WHY have I never thought to make the cake version of my favourite drink, malibu and pineapple? Well, duh. *smacks head* And adding cardamom is just lush – it’s such a great spice, I use it all the time.
Top marks for innovation! As soon as I’m allowed carbs again (see my blog for why I’m currently not) I’ll be making this!
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The cardamom is the key. I can’t believe what it does to the flavor – wow!
Hope you can try some cake soon…
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Well, I’m allowed a leetle bit of carby stuff per day – the problem might arrive when I can’t leave it at just a leetle bit! LOL
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Thanks everyone for your kind words and enthusiasm. Pat gave me a great birthday present when he decided to post my recipe today!
Stop by and visit anytime 🙂
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I “pinned” this on pinterest and it got quite a few repins. I guess pineapple is popular right now. i love love love pineapple so this is going on my “to do” list. along with your mac n cheese recipe.
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My Mom has always baked hers this way, except without coconut. Mmm, love the chewy, gooey edges! My husband likes pineapple in every bite, so I usually used crushed pineapple, but it doesn’t caramelize as well.
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I inherited my nana’s set of iron skillets. One of them even has my name (misspelled) imprinted on the back–Sidney. I let my daughter and my daughter-in-law each choose one. It seems that everything cooks better and tastes better in an iron skillet.
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Will definitely try this at home. Thank you for the recipe!
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Thanks for the recipe… this looks amazing!
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Besides peanut and butter sandwiches, pineapple upside down cake was the first dessert I made.
This looks terrific.
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‘Mom, make this cake pleaseeeeeee..’ is what I actually said to my Mom next to me when I saw this post. Me love this cake. Oh My. Thanks for a yummy-licious post.
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I’ve been wanting to try a pineapple upside down cake in my cast iron, but wasn’t sure how exactly… Thanks for posting! I’m going to try this on my Big Green Egg!
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Looks so delish!
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I liked this post even though it has coconut in it. lol
Thanks for letting me camp out in your blog today. I had a great time and tried to leave my campsite as clean as when I arrived. If I weigh an extra 50 pounds next time I come camping, I’m blaming it on you.
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I’m stealing this one. yum! 😉
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Reblogged this on Catholic Glasses and commented:
I love Pineapple Upside Down Cake. I’ll try it.
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