WOMderful-For all things "Word of Mouth": Fresh Pineapple Upside Down Buttermilk Cake

Everyone loves pineapple upside down cake. If someone doesn't, then they haven't had it made right. Little things make the biggest differences. Like, I always just used canned Pineapple. One day I had a fresh pineapple on the counter and decided to try my recipe with it. Best ever, and I have never gone back! One of my easier cakes to make and perfect during the warmer months. Bakes quickly and you can serve it warm, room temperature or even cold. The buttermilk keeps the cake moist and gives it a unique flavor that is not typically associated with cakes. So, I hope this breaks up the usual and you enjoy it as much as we do.

Let's begin....

Glaze:

4 tablespoons of Butter

3 tablespoons of Maple Syrup

1/2 cup of Brown Sugar

Fruit:

1 whole fresh Pineapple (canned may be used if needed)

6 Maraschino cherries

Cake Batter:

1/2 cup Unsalted Butter (softened)

2/3 cup of Sugar

2 large Eggs (room temperature)

2/3 cup of Buttermilk (room temperature)

1 tablespoon of Maple Syrup

1/2 teaspoon of Vanilla Extract

1/2 a Vanilla Bean

1 1/2 cups All-Purpose Flour

1/2 teaspoon of Salt

1/2 teaspoon of Baking Powder

1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda

1/4 teaspoon (or to taste) of Cinnamon and Nutmeg

First you start by cutting your pineapple slices and coring the rounds. Set those aside and begin making your glaze.

Add your butter, brown sugar and maple syrup to a nonstick pan.

Over medium-low heat, you begin to dissolve the sugar. I usually use a silicone spatula to make sure undissolved sugar crystals do not get stuck to the sides of the (non-stick) pan. Keep stirring and increase the heat slightly. You will reach a gentle boil as you stir and then continue cooking for about 45 seconds, and then remove the glaze from the stove.

I take a large lasagna pan (sprayed with cooking spray)

Pour the glaze carefully over and evenly. Then place your pineapple slices carefully over the glaze.

Next comes the cherries.

Start your cake batter by first blending the unsalted butter with the sugar, until nice and fluffy.

Add one egg and blend until it is incorporated into the mixture.

Then add the second the egg and fully incorporate into the mixture.

Follow with the buttermilk, maple syrup and vanilla. I tend to mix all three and pour them at the same time. Pour only half of the mixture in.

Follow by adding the 1/2 Vanilla Bean.

Then comes the dry ingredients. I mix the flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and nutmeg in a large bowl.

You then take half of the dry ingredients and add it to the mixer. Mix well until everything is wet, remembering to scrape the sides of the bowl.

I slowly then add the second half of my buttermilk mixture intermediately with the left over half of the dry mixture. I do this so I do not over whip the batter, since this tends to produce a dryer cake if you over beat it. You will end up with a nice smooth mixture by halving the wet and dry, and not over beating.

Once everything is incorporated, I take the batter and drop spoonfuls into the pan with the glaze and pineapple. I do six large spoonfuls so I can get a nice even layer without disrupting the fruit's placement.