This homespun classic is no less delicious because it is gluten-free. It calls for fresh pineapple and that makes all the difference.
If following tradition, slice your pineapple into rings, but it’s also fine to use pineapple chunks instead of rings. The cake will look lovely with pineapple chunks arranged in concentric circles or whatever design you come up with.
We use ground chia seeds or flaxseeds in this cake. They act the same way that xanthan gum does in gluten-free baking. Many people who experience digestive problems with xanthan gum are fine with chia seeds and flaxseeds.
Yields one 9- or 10-inch cake
Prep time: 20 minutes
Baking time: 30 to 35 minutes
1 fresh, ripe pineapple
4 tablespoons (½ stick) butter
½ cup packed brown sugar
1 cup chopped walnuts
1⅓ cup Moosewood’s Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour
¾ cup granulated sugar
2½ teaspoons baking powder
¾ teaspoon ground chia seeds or flaxseeds
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup vegetable oil
¾ cup milk
2 large eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon reserved pineapple juice or bottled pineapple juice
Cut off both ends of the pineapple and stand it upright on a cutting board. Using a sharp knife, cut off the peel from top to bottom. Either use a pineapple corer to remove the core and then cut the pineapple into six or seven ¼-inch-thick rings, or cut the pineapple into rings and then use a paring knife to cut the core out of each ring. Place the pineapple in a bowl for a little while and most likely some juice will accumulate in the bowl. Reserve this juice. In the unlikely event that your pineapple doesn’t yield any juice, you can substitute bottled pineapple juice.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Put the butter in a 9- or 10-inch cast-iron skillet, 9-inch round cake pan, or 10-inch pie plate and place in the preheated oven to melt. When the butter has melted, remove the pan from the oven and sprinkle the brown sugar evenly across the bottom. Arrange the pineapple rings in a single layer (a 10-inch pan usually accommodates 6 rings around the pan and 1 in the middle, but it depends on the size of the rings). Evenly sprinkle the walnuts over the pineapple.
In a mixing bowl, sift the flour mix with the sugar, baking powder, ground chia or flaxseeds, and salt. Add the oil and milk and stir to combine. Add the eggs, vanilla, lemon zest, and pineapple juice and mix until smooth.
Pour the batter evenly over the pineapple rings in the skillet or pan. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until the cake is golden brown and begins to pull away from the sides of the skillet. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack for 5 to 10 minutes. While the cake is still warm, invert it onto a serving plate.
Pineapple Upside-Down Cake works well at the end of a tropical meal, after a casual outdoor meal in summer, and as a winter coffee break treat, and it has a certain nostalgic appeal, perfect for your next ’50s-themed dinner party.