This cake is a sweet homage to the past, with caramelised pineapple rings and cherries sparkling like jewels on a golden, buttery sponge. When you flip the cake out of the pan, the magic happens – what was once the base becomes a beautiful, sticky-sweet topping that’s sure to captivate your senses. Each slice is a delightful contrast of textures, from the moist crumb of the cake to the chewy, caramelised fruit.
Ingredients:
For the topping:
- 50g softened butter
- 50g light soft brown sugar
- 7 pineapple rings in syrup, drained (reserve syrup)
- 7 glacé cherries
For the cake:
- 100g softened butter
- 100g golden caster sugar
- 100g self-raising flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 eggs
Method:
Prepare the topping:
Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
Grease the base of a 20-25cm round baking tin with the softened butter.
Sprinkle the light soft brown sugar evenly over the butter.
Arrange the pineapple rings on top of the sugar and place a glacé cherry in the centre of each pineapple ring.
In a mixing bowl, cream the softened butter and golden icing sugar until light and fluffy.
Beat in the eggs one at a time, adding a spoonful of flour to prevent the mixture from curdling.
Stir in the remaining flour, baking powder and vanilla extract until smooth. If the mixture is too thick, add a splash of the reserved pineapple syrup.
Pour the cake mixture over the pineapple and smooth down the top with a spatula.
Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.
Allow the cake to cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then invert onto a plate.
Serve hot or at room temperature. The cake is delicious on its own or with a dollop of whipped cream.
