pineapple and ginger upside-down cake
- 190g unsalted butter, softened
- 1¼ cups (275g) caster (superfine) sugar
- 3 eggs
- 2 cups (300g) plain (all-purpose) flour, sifted
- 1 tablespoon ground ginger
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder, sifted
- ½ teaspoon bicarbonate of (baking) soda, sifted
- ½ cup (60g) almond meal (ground almonds)
- 1 cup (250ml) buttermilk
pineapple syrup
- 450g pineapple (about half a pineapple), peeled, cored and thinly sliced lengthways
- ½ cup (110g) caster (superfine) sugar
- 1½ cups (375ml) water
- 20g ginger, peeled and sliced
- To make the pineapple syrup, place the pineapple, sugar, water and ginger in a saucepan and bring to the boil over medium heat. Cook for 10 minutes or until the pineapple is tender. Carefully remove the pineapple slices and set aside to cool slightly. Return the syrup to the heat and cook for 6–8 minutes or until thickened slightly. Remove and discard the ginger.
- Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F). Line the sides of a 22cm round cake tin with non-stick baking paper. Arrange the pineapple slices, overlapping slightly, in the base of the tin and pour over half the syrup. Place the butter and sugar in an electric mixer and beat for 8–10 minutes or until pale and creamy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the flour, ginger, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, almond meal and buttermilk and beat on low speed until just combined. Spoon the mixture over the pineapple and bake for 1 hour. Cover loosely with aluminium foil and bake for a further 15–20 minutes or until cooked when tested with a skewer. Allow to cool in the tin for 10 minutes.
- While the cake is cooling, place the remaining syrup over medium heat and bring to the boil. Cook for 3–4 minutes or until thickened.
- Turn the cake out onto a serving plate. Top with the hot syrup to serve. Serves 8–10
© DONNA HAY GROUP
