Don't even think about baking this in anything but a well-seasoned 10" cast-iron skillet.
If you haven't any cast-iron pieces handy, succumb to a pyrex pan and make a small sheet cake instead. Just remember to grease up your pan with either non-stick or shortening.


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Pre-heat oven to 350º.

Drain a 12 oz. can of pineapple chunks and cut the chunks in half. Reserve the juice.

Melt ½ a stick of butter in the skillet and add to that 3/4 c. packed brown sugar. Melt the sugar and cook it over moderate heat for about 3 minutes. Take off the heat and arrange the pineapple pieces in it.

Whisk together: 2 tsp. baking powder, 1½ c. flour, ½ tsp. salt, and 2 tsp. ground cardamom. (Yes, 2 whole teaspoons.)

Beat 3/4 stick of butter until fluffy, and add 2 eggs to it. Ensure each egg is thoroughly incorporated. To that add 1 c. white sugar. Add 1 tsp. vanilla extract and ½ c. of the reserved pineapple juice. Finally, gradually add the flour mixture, mixing until everything is just incorporated.

Spread the batter evenly over the pineapple-brown sugar mixture in the skillet, and bake for about 45 min. or until a fork comes out clean from the middle of the cake.

Let the cake sit in the skillet for 5 minutes before turning out onto a platter. Surprisingly, there won't be any juice or run-off - everything is pretty contained in this. Serve warm or at room temperature, plain or with whipped cream, or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Variations: throw maraschino cherry slices in between some of the pineapple pieces. (Ewwwwww....I'd rather not, but some people LOVE maraschino cherries.)
Put in a teaspoon of cinnamon along with the cardamom.
Sprinkle with two tablespoons of dark rum as soon as it's inverted.


Love to all!

I just line a pan with Reynolds "Release" foil - no worries.

andie, I love that stuff. I probably use if most often for roasting veggies.

Housechef, the cake sounds great and my hubby loves pineapple upside down cake.