A new fave.

I'm telling you, if there's one thing you should bake this month, it's this one because UGH I'm obsessed!

Not gonna lie, the idea of making an upside down cake was daunting to me. What if the sprinkled sugar gets stuck at the bottom of the pan? What if it burns? What if it ends up such a fail that it becomes a waste of ingredients AND time AND electricity? After a few comforting and encouraging words from mom, I figured I should just suck it up and try it. I'll never know unless I try, right?

Well, as I was following the procedure step by step, I slowly had that feeling that everything will turn out nicely. My main concern, which was the sugar syrup at the bottom, turned out not to be a problem at all because it didn't burn nor stuck at the bottom of the pan. In fact, it turned out to be such a wonderful glaze all over the cake, with the pineapple flavor oozing through that cuts and complements the sweetness of the brown sugar. The cake itself turned out soft and creamy and moist, and the cake was just a nice balance of sweetness and tartness, a lovely dessert to end a meal or to just pair with a nice hot cup of tea. Honestly, I'm not a big pineapple fan but on this cake? I can't get enough!

  If there's one thing I would change, I'd probably add more pineapple rings to the bottom, maybe halve a ring and place it on the sides. Mom said I could also add in some cherry halves as well to add a bit more color to the top so I might try that next time. Also, I was thinking of adding cinnamon to the glaze too, to add a bit of spice and bite. I super love it as it is, though!

Just like making madeleines, I'm so glad I got over my fear of making an upside down cake. Now I know that everything will be alright, I now can't wait to make more, even experiment with different fruits and all that. But for now, lemme just obsessed over this wonderful thing I made and give myself a pat on the back for a job well done. :)

Enjoy!

PINEAPPLE UPSIDE DOWN CAKE

(adapted from the Galing Galing cookbook)

Glaze/syrup:

2 tablespoons butter, melted

1/2 cup brown sugar, slightly packed

1 can pineapple rings (I used a 8.25 oz can that has 4 rings per can)

1/4 cup pineapple syrup from the pineapple rings

Cake:

1 1/4 cup cake flour 

(I DIY'd  the cake flour: 1 cup all purpose flour minus 2 tablespoons then add 2 tablespoons of cornstarch + 1/4 cup all purpose flour minus 1 1/2 teaspoons then add 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch. Measure everything first THEN sift)

2 teaspoons baking powder

a pinch of salt (1/4 teaspoon if you're using unsalted butter)

1/3 cup (75g) butter, softened

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 egg, room temp

1/2 cup milk (I used fresh milk)

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven at 350F.

2. At the bottom of an unlined 8" pan, evenly spread out the melted butter. Then, sprinkle the brown sugar all over, followed by the pineapple syrup. Do not mix. The syrup will be very runny. Lastly, add in pineapple rings. Set aside.

3. In a new bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

4. In another bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add in egg and vanilla and beat until just combined.

5. Alternate adding the flour mix and milk onto the butter mixture until batter looks well-combined.

6. Transfer batter onto pan with syrup. I scooped the mixture instead of pouring it so that the syrup will mostly stay at the bottom. Spread batter carefully before baking.

7. Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted at the center comes out clean.

8. Let cool for 5-8 minutes before inverting to a plate, tray, or any container. Enjoy!