SERVES 8
For this recipe, we prefer to use a 9-inch nonstick cake pan with sides that are at least 2 inches high. Alternatively, a 10-inch ovensafe skillet (cast iron or stainless steel) can be used to both cook the pineapple and bake the cake. If using a skillet instead of a cake pan, cool the juices directly in the skillet while making the batter; it’s fine if the skillet is warm when the batter is added. See the sidebars that follow the recipe.
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TOPPING |
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1 |
pineapple, peeled, cored, and cut into ½-inch pieces (4 cups) |
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1 |
cup packed (7 ounces) light brown sugar |
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3 |
tablespoons unsalted butter |
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½ |
teaspoon vanilla extract |
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CAKE |
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1½ |
cups (7½ ounces) all-purpose flour |
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1½ |
teaspoons baking powder |
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½ |
teaspoon salt |
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8 |
tablespoons unsalted butter, softened |
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¾ |
cup (5¼ ounces) granulated sugar |
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1 |
teaspoon vanilla extract |
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2 |
large eggs plus 1 large white, room temperature |
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⅓ |
cup whole milk, room temperature |
1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 9-inch round nonstick cake pan, line with parchment paper, grease parchment, and flour pan.
2. FOR THE TOPPING: Cook pineapple and brown sugar in 10-inch skillet over medium heat until pineapple is translucent and has light brown hue, 15 to 18 minutes, stirring occasionally during first 5 minutes. Transfer fruit and juices to fine-mesh strainer set over bowl (you should have about 2 cups cooked fruit). Return juices to skillet and simmer over medium heat until thickened, beginning to darken, and mixture forms large bubbles, 6 to 8 minutes, adding any more juices released by fruit to skillet after about 4 minutes. Off heat, whisk in butter and vanilla. Pour caramel mixture into prepared cake pan and set aside while preparing cake. (Pineapple will continue to release liquid as it sits; do not add this liquid to already-reduced juice mixture.)
3. FOR THE CAKE: Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in medium bowl. Using stand mixer fitted with paddle, beat butter and sugar on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to medium, add vanilla, and beat to combine. Increase speed to medium-high, add eggs and white, one at a time, and beat until combined. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with milk in 2 additions, scraping down bowl as needed (batter will be thick). Give batter final stir by hand.
4. Working quickly, distribute drained pineapple in cake pan in even layer, gently pressing fruit into caramel. Using rubber spatula, drop mounds of batter over fruit, then spread batter over fruit and to sides of pan in even layer. Gently tap pan on counter to release air bubbles. Bake cake until golden brown and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes, rotating pan halfway through baking. Let cool for 10 minutes on wire rack, then place inverted serving platter over cake pan. Invert cake pan and platter together, then remove pan. Let cool to room temperature, about 2 hours, and serve.