On Mon, 20 Apr 2009 10:18:44 -0500, "Thechefkat"
> wrote:

>Please share a tried & true recipe for a very moist pineapple upside down
>cake using brown sugar.

This is one of the best from The Cake Bible --Rose Levy Beranbaum. She
highly recommends a 10" cast iron skillet.



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Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

cakes, desserts, fruits

Fruit Topping:
14 pineapple slices; well drained
14 sweet cherries; pitted
4 tb unsalted butter; unsalted
1/2 c light brown sugar
1/4 c pecan halves
Cake:
3 lg egg yolks
1/2 c sour cream
1 ts vanilla
1 1/2 c cake flour; sifted
3/4 c superfine sugar
3/4 ts baking powder
1/4 ts baking soda
1/4 ts salt
9 tb unsalted butter; softened

One 10" cast iron skillet measured at bottom; top measures 11
inches.
Finished Height: 1 1/2" inches.

Preheat oven to 350F. Place oven rack in lower third of oven.

TO MAKE FRUIT TOPPING: Drain pineapple slices and cherries and place
on
paper towels to absorb excess moisture. You will need 8 whole
pineapple
slices and 8 whole cherries. Halve 6 remaining slices and the
remaining
cherries.


In the skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Stir in the brown
sugar
until moistened and remove from the heat.

Place 1 whole pineapple slice in the center of the pan and 7 whole
slices
surrounding it. Place the half slices slice by side against the
sides of
the pan, the two cut edges down, touching the brown sugar. Place the
whole
cherries in the center of the whole pineapple slices; the halved
cherries
in the center of the half slices. Tuck the pecans into any gaps
between
the fruit.

TO MAKE CAKE BATTER: In a medium bowl, lightly combine yolks, about
1/4
of the sour cream and the vanilla.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients and mix on low
speed
for 30 seconds to blend. Add butter and the remaining sour cream. Mix
on
low speed until dry ingredients are moistened. Increase to medium
(high
speed if using hand mixer) and beat for 1 1/2 minutes to aerate and
develop
cake's structure. Scrap down the sides.

Gradually add egg mixture to batter in 3 batches, beating for 20
seconds
after each addition to incorporate ingredients and strengthen
structure.
Scrape down the sides. Scrape batter into fruit-lined skillet,
smoothing
evenly with a spatula. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until golden
brown and
the wire cake tester inserted in center comes out clean and the cake
springs back when pressed lightly in center. Run a small metal
spatula
around sides and invert at once onto a serving place. Leave the
skillet in
place for one or two minutes before lifting. If any fruit has stuck
to
the skillet, simply use a small spatula to place it back on the cake.

A cast iron skillet is ideal for preparing this cake not only because
the
butter and brown sugar for the topping can be heated directly in it on
top
of the stove, but because it helps the brown sugar topping to
caramelize
while baking.

Notes: The Cake Bible --Rose Levy Beranbaum


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