Pineapple Upside Down Cake

Ingredients

Topping:

• 565g/ 20 oz canned pineapple slices in juice (not in syrup, Note 1)
• 12 – 18+ maraschino cherries (Note 2)
• 60g/ 4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
• 1/2 cup brown sugar

CAKE:

• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda (sub 1 tsp baking powder)
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/3 cup milk, full or low-fat
• 1/4 cup pineapple juice, reserved from can (under Topping ingredients)
• 1/4 cup sour cream, full fat (sub plain yogurt)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract (or essence)
• 115g/ 1 stick butter, unsalted, softened (to 18C/64F, Note 3)
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature (Note 4)
• Any leftover pineapple, chopped (Note 1)

Steps

1. Heat the oven ahead of baking to 180°C/350°F (160°C fan).

Pineapple decorative top:

1. Line a tray with paper towels or a tea towel, place the pineapple and cherries on it and pat dry with paper towels.
2. Pour the melted butter into a 23cm/9" cake pan at least 5cm/2" deep. Do not use a springform pan, as it will leak. Brush the butter up the sides.
3. Sprinkle the brown sugar over the base and spread it roughly with the brush.
4. Put one pineapple ring in the centre and surround it with either halved rings (as pictured) or whole rings.
5. Arrange cherries as desired; the usual placement is in the middle of the pineapple rings.
6. Press the cherries and pineapple firmly against the pan's base so their red and yellow colours remain vibrant rather than tarnished by caramel (Note 5).

Batter:

1. In a bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt together for the Flour Mixture.
2. In a 2nd bowl, whisk the milk, sour cream, pineapple juice and vanilla together for the Milk Mixture.
3. In a third, final bowl, beat the butter and sugar with a handheld mixer for 2 minutes on speed 7, until fluffy.
4. Add the eggs one at a time, beating for 20 seconds between additions.
5. Alternate the Flour Mixture and Milk Mixture: mix in 1/3 of the Flour Mixture with a rubber spatula, then mix in 1/2 the Milk Mixture. Mix in half the remaining Flour Mixture, then all the remaining Milk Mixture, then the last of the Flour Mixture. Stir in the leftover pineapple pieces.
6. Spread the batter over the pineapple layer, smoothing and levelling the surface.
7. After baking for 30 minutes, remove the cake and cover loosely with foil. Bake for a further 15 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean.

Turning out cake:

1. Cooling (20 minutes): Take the cake out of the oven and let it cool in the pan for 20 minutes.
2. Run a butter knife around the pan's inner edge. Put a plate or serving platter over the cake and flip. Tap the base / gently shake the pan, then lift slowly.
3. Wait until the cake has cooled completely before serving it.