Pineapple and Lime Upside Down Cake

This recipe is such an old favourite and the addition of quatre epices makes an intriguing change.

Serves: 8
Prep time: 15 – 20 minutes
Cooking time: 40 – 50 minutes

2 tablespoons sugar
1 small (900g) pineapple
zest and juice of 5 limes (200mls juice)
2/3 cup (150g) caster sugar

Cake mix
160g butter, diced
½ cup (110g) caster sugar
2 teaspoons quatre epices: 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice, ¼  teaspoon ground cloves, ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
3 large eggs
1 ½ cups (225g)  self-raising flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons dessicated coconut
Thick cream or yoghurt, to serve

Pre-heat oven to 180’C.

Grease a 25cm cake tin. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons sugar over the base.

Peel, core and slice pineapple into 1 ½ cm slices (you will need around 7). Lay over sugar on base of tin with one in the centre and the others around the edge. If there is any excess, cut up and fit in around the edges.

Zest limes before you juice. Stir ¼ cup of the lime juice into 2/3 cup caster sugar and set aside.

Make the cake batter by creaming together butter, sugar and spices in a small to medium bowl. Transfer to a large bowl and mix in remaining lime juice. Add eggs, flour, baking powder, coconut and lime zest.

Spread cake batter carefully over the pineapple. Bake 40 – 50 minutes or until the top is browned and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. If the top is brown and yet the inside is not cooked, cover with foil and cook a little longer.

Remove from oven and put the whole cake tin on a cake rack. Pour over the lime juice and sugar mixture and stand for 10 – 15 minutes. Invert the cake onto a flat plate.

Lyndey’s note: I have a terrific little gadget which looks like a pineapple – it cores the pinapple and removes the skin for about the thickness of one slice. Slice discard what you don’t want and repeat. A 900g pineapple when peeled and sliced weighs about 450g.

Wine: pineapple can be difficult to match with wine, though cooked is easier, but why not stick to tea or coffee? Or you could have a dessert wine such as a botrytised semillon.

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