Fresh Pineapple Upside-Down Coconut Cake

Here is another fresh pineapple recipe for you.  My hungry puppies have been requesting this cake since before Christmas.  Make your pineapple upside-down cake irresistible with fresh pineapple and the addition of coconut in the batter.  This is a wonderful recipe that elevates this cake.  The addition of maraschino cherries is totally optional.  This is another Sunday dinner dessert, and I am pretty sure that my mom likes cherries in her pineapple upside-down cake.  I prefer this cake without, but you get to decide on this one.


Fresh Pineapple Upside-Down Coconut Cake


Cake:
2 cups all purpose flour
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon coconut extract
1/2 cup shredded coconut


Pineapple:
1 medium pineapple, chopped into chunks
maraschino cherries, whole, halved, or chopped (optional)
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter


Preheat the oven to 350F.  Grease and flour a 10 x 2 inch round cake pan.  For the cake, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl.  In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Beat in the eggs, one at a time.  Add the vanilla and coconut extracts and beat well.  Stir in half of the flour mixture, followed by half of the buttermilk.  Mix well after each addition.  Add the rest of the flour mixture, then the rest of the buttermilk, stirring until well incorporated and smooth.  Fold in the coconut.


For the pineapple, combine the brown sugar and butter and melt in a small saucepan over medium heat until sugar is dissolved.  Pour the mixture into the prepared cake pan.  Arrange the pineapple chunks and cherries in a single layer on top of the brown sugar mixture.  Pour the cake batter evenly over the pineapple.  Bake the cake for 45 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.  Let the cake cool in the pan on a cooling rack for 15 to 30 minutes (long enough for the brown sugar sauce to firm up a little.  If not, when you invert the cake, it will run down the sides).  Run a thin knife around the edge of the cake and invert onto a plate.


Enjoy!  -Cardamommy