PROJECT 12

TUNA CAN CAKE

Individual Pineapple upside-down cakes

I like pineapple upside-down cake, but I don’t make it often. We never end up eating the whole cake and I hate to see it wasted.

I first tried this recipe as an experiment in using cleaned out tuna cans (it grew out of the stove experiment in an earlier project book).

The result was much better than expected, and the individual portions were a hit, and allowed excess to be frozen for later use.

Greased and floured tuna cans ready for batter

Ingredients:

•   Cake mix

•   Egg*

•   Oil*

•   Flour*

•   1 can of Pineapple rings

•   1 jar cherries

*These ingredient amounts will depend upon the cake mix you purchase. Refer to the amounts listed on the box.

Tools:

•   6–12 cleaned tuna cans (the more you have the easier the project—I have done it with 4)

•   Parchment paper

•   Cookie sheet

•   Mixing bowl

•   Spoon

•   Measuring cups

•   Toothpick

Procedure:

1.     Following the recipe on the cake mix box, mix the cake batter.

2.     Preheat your oven as listed on the recipe.

3.     A pineapple ring fits very well in a tuna can; place one ring into each tuna can.

4.     Place a cherry in the center of each ring.

5.     Fill each can ¾ full of the batter.

6.     Place the filled tuna cans on a cookie sheet and bake for 15–20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean. (Time depends on many factors so check your cakes—I find that earlier batches cook faster as the oven cools from repeated openings.)

7.     Dump the can over on a parchment paper-covered cookie sheet and refill until you have made enough individual cakes.

8.     Let cool and enjoy.

Yield:

One can is a single serving

Lessons Learned:

This project is one of the most difficult recipes in this book, but the results are some of the best.

This teaches that reward requires effort, and that to achieve good results time must be spent mastering simple skills before attempting the more complex.