Giz Wiz Pineapple Upside Down Cake. Finally!
December 25, 2009 
This is the one I baked on Thanksgiving Day.
I have varied this mixture so many times I don’t use a recipe. But found an official recipe, which I pasted here and then I’ll tell you how I alter it.
You make the topping first. You’ll need:
4 tablespoons or 1/4 pound of butter. (Recipe says “unsalted”, I use “salted”.)
¾ cup light brown sugar. (Read below. I never measure the brown sugar and I use dark brown sugar, not light.)
Canned pineapple rings drained.
I melt almost ¼ pound of butter in the pan I’m going to bake the cake in. I do this over a burner on the stove set at low to medium heat. In the melting butter I add about ¾ of a cup of brown sugar. (I don’t actually measure the sugar. I just drop a “nice amount” from the box into the melting butter.) When both the butter and the brown sugar have melted together, shut off the heat. Use 4 or 5 rings of pineapple – how many I use depends on the size of the pan. (The web recipe calls for making this topping in a separate saucepan. By making it right in the pan you’re going to bake in, it saves clean up.) Most recipes call for a cherry in the center hole of each pineapple ring. One day I didn’t have cherries so I filled the pineapple ring holes with raspberry jam. I liked it lot and never went back to using cherries. I’ve used all different kinds of jam.
For the cake batter you’ll need:
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour (I use one cup & a little more. I sift it and add it in after the butter, vanilla, sugar & eggs are mixed.)
2 teaspoons baking powder. (This I measure pretty accurately.)
1/4 teaspoon salt. (This I just sprinkle in from a saltshaker and guess.)
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature. (I often put in less than that and again I use salted butter.)
1 cup granulated white sugar (I put in what looks like a cup or so)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract. (I put in a ‘touch’ more. I’ve used both pure & imitation.)
2 large eggs, separated. (Although the recipe calls for 2, I use four eggs at room temperature. If I have a lot of time, I separate them and whip the egg whites until stiff. Then I add them to the batter. It makes a slightly higher cake. Yolks go into too & I whip them just a touch. If I’m in a hurry I just throw in all four eggs without separating them. (No matter how much of a hurry I’m in, I do take them out of the shells!!!)
1/2 cup milk. I put this in last & if the batter looks a bit on the thin side I put in less milk. Sometimes just a few tablespoons.
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar. (I don’t add this.)
Instead of pouring the batter into the cake pan over the melted brown sugar and pineapple, I ladle it on so the pineapple slices don’t move. Bake in a 350 degree preheated oven for about 30 to 35 minutes. Use a toothpick – I sometimes use a fork – insert into the cake and when it comes out clean & dry, it’s done.
Right from the oven I turn the cake upside down on a large serving plate. Use potholders & be careful!! Everything is really hot, especially the topping! After a few minutes I carefully lift the pan to check that the cake has separated from the pan correctly. With all that melted butter it rarely sticks! I usually put the pan back in place if I have to take the cake to a party. It protects the cake during travel.
Serves one. Oh, okay, it serves 6 or 8 depending on who’s not on a diet!
This is important! Sometimes the topping boils over during baking, so make sure you have a sheet of aluminum foil on the bottom of the oven under the pan as it bakes.
Disclaimer: I'm not a chef and don't pretend to be one. This recipe has worked for me personally, but I have no idea how it will work for you. I'm pretty sure I haven't left anything out. Hopefully you'll love it!
Reader Comments (14)
Thanks Dick!
Thank you so much for all the effort of writing down your recipe. Finally I know!
Verena
Thanks, DD. You should post this on your Facebook or My Space pages.
If I’m in a hurry I just throw in all four eggs without separating them. (No matter how much of a hurry I’m in, I do take them out of the shells!!!)
I had a good laugh from that line. :)
Where you say use a toothpick or fork, I would've thought you'd use a spork.
Hey Dick, I noticed that your recipe calls for cream of tartar and that you don't use it. I'm going to guess the reason it's there is because it's useful when whipping egg whites. It helps denature them and prevent the whites from separating when you're beating them into submission. Rule of thumb is 1/8 tsp per egg white.
Dumb Dora was soooo dumb..... (How dumb was she?)
When she made The Giz Wiz Pineapple Upside Down Cake,
she turned the ________ upside down.
What a great treat ,,, your right it dose serve one thanks
Just a suggestion, instead of the milk i use the pineapple juice (drained from the pineapple can) just adds a richer/fruity taste ;-)
Oh and I use Chunks of Pineapple instead of the rings...i find cooked pineapple difficult to cut...especially when i'm in a hurry to eat it ;-) Just place dabs of jam in your butter/sugar mixture ;-)...again just another 'tip'.
great recipe.. to me the center needs something.. if you don't want to add another pineapple slice, how about one of those dashboard bobble hula girl dolls as deco?
Excellent!! This pineapple cake recipe. This cake is looking very beautiful and delicious. Thanks for sharing this nice cake recipe.
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