Two Words ...

... pineapple Pisa ...

... perfect pecans ...

... pirate's booty ...

... secret lagoon ...

... tropical treat ...

... hidden treasure ...

... pineapple upside-down ...

Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

adapted from a Lukins and Rosso recipe

Ingredients:

6 tbsp butter, melted
½ c. dark brown sugar, packed
3 tbsp. dark rum (I use Captain Morgan Spiced)
1- 20 oz can sliced pineapple rings in their own juices, drained with ½ c. of the juice reserved
12 – 15 perfect pecan halves
½ c. unsalted butter (1 stick) softened
¾ c. granulated white sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. ground ginger
1 ½ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt

sweetened whipped cream – for topping each warm serving

Making the Dish:

1. Pre-heat the oven to 360°F.

2. Trace a piece of parchment paper with the bottom measurement of a 9 ½ inch spring form pan. Cut the circle and place the paper in the bottom of the pan. Place the pan on a larger piece of aluminum foil and bring the foil up around the outer edges of the pan to prevent leakage. Place the pan on a slightly larger cookie sheet. Set aside.

3. Drizzle half the melted butter into the bottom of the pan (atop the parchment paper). Sprinkle half the dark brown sugar into the bottom of the cake pan and then drizzle the other half the melted butter over top the brown sugar. Sprinkle 2 tbsp. of the rum over the layer of butter and brown sugar.

4. Lay seven of the drained pineapple rings over this sugar layer – one in the center and the other six around the edges of the pan.

5. Place the perfect pecans in the centers of the rings and in the spaces around the edge of the pan.

6. Place the other three rings of pineapple and the last tablespoon of rum in a small blender and whiz to purée. Set aside.

7. Combine the softened stick of butter and the granulated sugar in a deep mixing bowl and cream until smooth and silky.

8. Add one egg at a time and beat until combined.

9. Turn in the pineapple purée and the vanilla and beat well.

10. In another small bowl, sift together the flour, ginger, baking soda, and salt.

11. Alternating the dry ingredients with the reserved pineapple juice, mix to make a thick batter.

12. Spoon clumps of the batter over the pineapple rings and pecans, spreading very gently so as not to disturb the fruit/sugar layer.

13. Bake on the upper middle rack of the pre-heated oven for 40 minutes. Test the center of the cake with a cake tester. It should come clean when poked in the center of the cake.

14. Cool the cake for a few minutes on a rack before removing the outer ring of the spring form pan. Continue to cool about ten minutes.

15. Place a cake plate over the top of the cake and then, holding all the layers of plate and pans, quickly invert.

16. Gently, lift the bottom layer of the spring form pan to reveal the pineapple/pecan/sugar cake top. If the parchment paper is still stuck to the layer, gently peel it loose.

17. Let the cake cool uncovered and re-heat at a later time to serve or serve immediately with sweetened whipped cream as a topper.