Description
A moist and tender sour cream cake is crowned with pineapples and a golden, brown caramelized crust. The best version of a classic dessert! Maraschino cherries optional, but whipped cream highly recommended.
Ingredients
Scale
CARAMEL TOPPING:
- 1–1/4 cups (266 grams) firmly packed dark brown sugar
- 1 stick (1/2 cup) butter
- 1/2 small, plump vanilla bean, seeds scraped
- Pinch of salt
- 1 tablespoon dark rum, optional
- 1 tablespoon amaretto, optional
- One 20-ounce can of pineapple slices in their own juice, well-drained and juice reserved
SOUR CREAM CAKE:
- 1–1/2 cups (180 grams) all-purpose flour
- 6 tablespoons (45 grams) cake flour
- 6 tablespoons (36 grams) almond flour
- 3/4 teaspoon (6 grams) baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1–1/2 cups (297 grams) granulated sugar
- 2 sticks (226 grams) butter, at room temperature
- 4 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon pure almond extract
- 1 tablespoon amaretto, optional
- 3/4 cup (6 ounces) sour cream or crème fraiche
CRÈME FRAICHE WHIPPED CREAM:
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup crème fraiche
- 1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Maraschino cherries, for serving, if desired
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°. Generously grease a 10-inch cake pan (high-sided is best). Set aside.
- To make the caramel topping: Melt the brown sugar and butter together in a large skillet on medium heat. Once the sugar has melted, do not stir anymore! This will form sugar crystals in your caramel. Continue cooking until the mixture is bubbly. Add the vanilla bean, salt, rum and amaretto if using and allow to heat together for about 30 seconds to 1 minute to cook off some of the alcohol. Set aside to cool slightly.
- Combine the all-purpose flour, cake flour, almond flour, baking powder and salt and stir together to combine. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or using a handheld mixer), cream the butter and sugar together on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Ensure you scrape down the sides and bottom occasionally when preparing the batter. Add the eggs, one at a time, allowing each to combine into the batter before adding the next one. Add the vanilla and almond extracts and amaretto, if using, and mix to combine. Add half of the flour mixture and stir together on low speed until mostly combined. Add half of the sour cream and again mix together. Add the remaining half of the flour mixture, alternately with the sour cream, until the batter just comes together.
- Pour the caramel into the bottom of your prepared cake pan. Arrange the pineapple slices in a single layer around the top, starting in the middle. Pour the batter on top, spreading to the sides and smoothing the top. Transfer to a large baking sheet and place in the oven. Bake for 65 to 75 minutes, until the cake is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Some of the caramel may bubble over; that’s okay! You can scrape it up a few times with a spatula while baking and put it on the bottom of the cake if desired (why not!). When the cake is done, cool for 5 minutes in the pan. While it is cooling, use a pastry brush to spread some of the reserved pineapple juice all over the bottom of the cake; this will help keep it moist and impart more pineapple flavor into the cake. You will not (and should not) soak the cake in juice…just a little! Invert the cake onto a plate or platter and allow to cool; serve warm or at room temperature.
- To make the crème fraiche whipped cream: Combine the cream, crème fraiche, confectioners’ sugar and vanilla in a large mixing bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat together until soft peaks form. Chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Notes
Inspiration: Pineapple Upside-Down Cake on simplyrecipes.com