Retro Recipe Challenge #9

Dolores of Culinary Curiosity is co-hosting this months Retro Recipe Challenge #9 with Laura Rebecca. The recipe must have been published before 1980 and contain sugar. Well, I stepped into my way, way, way back machine and found this recipe from 1925. According to Food Reference Website it’s the 1925 winner of the Hawaiian Pineapple Company Recipe Contest, which is now known as, Dole. The website provides a nice history about how the contest was held, who judged, and the winning recipe. A nice piece of Americana. There's still time to participate, the challenge ends on October 26, 2007. On October 31st look for the round up of all the sugar soaked recipes.

The cake itself was phenomenal! I made mine in a square cast iron skillet. The brown sugar and butter created a nice crumb top, similar to that of coffee cake. The cake part tasted like a butter cake to me. I can see why this cake has been popular for decades. The maraschino cherries were optional and I opted not to put them in. (I just can’t hang with chemically dyed food.) I had a warm slice, a cold slice, and I think I prefer the cake cold with a hot cup of coffee. I am going to add this recipe to my binder of “keepers” because this is just too good to be forgotten. Enjoy!

Upside Down Pineapple Cake

1 Can of Dole Pineapple (I used Dole Organic, from Whole Foods)
2 cups flour
2 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup of butter, at room temperature
1 cup of sugar
2 eggs, separated
½ cup of milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup of firmly packed brown sugar
Maraschino cherries, optional

Preheat the oven to 350F degrees. "Drain the juice from 1 large can of either Crushed or Sliced Hawaiian Pineapple. Sift 2 cups flour. Sift again with 2 teaspoons baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon salt.

Cream 1/2 cup butter or substitute, gradually add 1 cup sugar; cream well. Beat yolks and whites of 2 eggs separately. Add yolks to creamed mixture; mix well, then add flour and 1/2 cup milk alternately, mixing well. Fold the 2 beaten egg whites and 1 teaspoon vanilla.

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in large frying pan. Spread 1 cup of brown sugar over pan. Add pineapple (if Sliced is used, place slices closely together on the sugar; if Crushed, simply pour in the well-drained fruit). Pour cake batter over fruit.

Bake 45 minutes. Turn upside-down on serving dish and garnish with maraschino cherries. Whipped cream may be spread over top."