Old Fashioned Upside-Down Cake

Submitted by Sharlene~W

"A traditional pineapple upside-down cake cooked in a cast-iron skillet. I guess you could use a regular cake pan as well. I found in an article on "skillet" recipes years ago--sounded strange, but it is very good."

 

• Ready In: 45mins
• Ingredients: 13
• Serves: 8

ingredients

• 2⁄3 cup butter
• 2⁄3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 (16 ounce) can sliced pineapple
• 8 maraschino cherries
• 1 1⁄2 cups sifted cake flour
• 1 3⁄4 teaspoons baking powder
• 3⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs, separated
• 3⁄4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon lemon, zest of, freshly grated
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1⁄2 cup sour cream

directions

1. Melt 1/3 cup of the butter in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet; stir in brown sugar until well blended.
2. Drain pineapple, reserving 2 tablespoons of the syrup.
3. Arrange pineapple slices close together in butter-sugar mixture.
4. Center each slice with a cherry.
5. Sift flour, baking powder and salt onto waxed paper.
6. Beat egg whites until foamy in medium bowl.
7. Beat in 1/4 cup of the granulated sugar a tablespoon at a time until meringue stands in soft peaks.
8. With same beater, beat remaining 1/3 cup butter with remaining 1/2 cup sugar until fluffy.
9. Beat in egg yolks, lemon rind, lemon juice and vanilla.
10. Blend flour mixture into creamed mixture alternately with sour cream and the 2 tablespoons reserved pineapple syrup.
11. Fold meringue until no streaks of white remain.
12. Pour over pineapple in skillet.
13. Bake in a 350° oven for 35 minutes or until center springs back when lightly touched with fingertip.
14. Cool cake in skillet on wire rack for 10 minutes; then invert over serving plate.
15. Allow skillet to remain over a cake a minute for syrup to drain from pan.
16. Serve warm or cold.

Reviews

[Tom C.]

I agree with the others, this is a pretty dog gone good cake...Easy to make...When I make it again, I may cut back on the brown sugar...

 

[Kimberly C.]

Just but it in oven...I too was uncertain about the instructions of mixing dry ingredients....Anticipation:).

 

[ChefLee]

Wonderful cake!!!! Nice and moist and dense. I used whole wheat pastry flour and a springform pan instead of the cast-iron skillet. It worked great!! I kind of got scared at step 11 because I had thought on step 8 you were to mix in everything to the meringue at that point. It turned out great and I just ignored step 11. I love the ingredients of this with the sour cream and lemon zest, this will be my upside-down cake recipe from now on. Thanks!!!!

 

[Jenny M]

So, this is how good this recipe is...I completely made a mess of it & it still worked out beautifully!First, I had no measuring cups (@ b/f's),so nothing was correct.I had baking soda,not powder.The mixing of the cream & dry ingredients was so sticky that the beaters wouldn't go through it.I kneaded it instead!Lol.Then I "folded" in the whites with my hands!I dumped it all in a bread pan, crossed my fingers & baked it for 1/2 an hour.It looked beautiful so took a bite.Yummy!

 

[imclc]

I lost my Mother's recipie for this kind of cake. I know I have found a winner in this recipie. Thanks for having it posted so I can make a old time favorite. imclc