Pineapple Upside Down Cake Heaven

The other day I was cruising around looking for a dessert recipe that called out my name. Apparently I was craving cake because when I found this recipe I jumped up, grabbed my apron, and got to baking.

The cake turned out beautiful. So many of my baked goods are whipped up so fast that I neglect the aesthetic appeal and tending to the appearance. This recipe would be difficult to make anything but pretty, by how it is made. I was able to make it in about 15 minutes or less and then a half hour after baking, I was chewing a very luxurious, moist cake. The top of the finished product is wonderfully sticky sweet and reminds me of my mom's monkey bread made with brown sugar and butter. I added pecans to this recipe and it added a nice, flavorful crunch to an otherwise soft, perfectly moist cake. Although it was perfectly moist, it did not burst with flavor. I would add spices next time or more vanilla, and I even thought of adding macadamia nuts instead of pecans and putting shredded coconut in the batter. As it is, I halved the recipe since my cast iron skillet is much smaller than the one used in the original recipe.

*Note: This recipe can be altered in so many ways. You can easily substitute gluten-free flours, or take the dairy products and eggs out and use substitutes, although I have not tried it yet.

By the way, since I've been talking about coconut milk lately, I've been putting two or three spoonfuls of it in my coffee every morning and it is sinfully perfect. It almost seems too good to be true. I do not want my coffee tasting like coconut and it doesn't. It's just thick, creamy, rich and slightly sweet. It has now replaced the tablespoon of heavy whipping cream that I was using every morning.

Pineapple Upside Down Cake

For the top:
sliced pineapple
4 Tbsp butter
1/2 C. honey
*optional: pecans

For the cake:
1 C whole wheat flour
1 C white whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 C butter or coconut oil
1/2 C honey
2 eggs
1 C buttermilk
1 and a half tsp vanilla

Directions: Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Melt the 4 Tbsp butter in a 10 inch cast iron skillet (I halved the recipe and used my smaller skillet). Once melted, add in the honey and stir until combined. Cook a couple minutes until the mixture is nice and bubbly.



Place pineapple slices in pan.



Continue to cook another couple minutes, turn the slices over, and turn off heat. (If using, place the pecans in pan after you turn off heat.)

Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium mixing bowl and set aside. Next, cream together the 1/2 C butter, and the 1/2 C honey until light and fluffy. Add the eggs in one at a time and then stir in vanilla. Alternating between flour mixture and buttermilk, add them into creamed mixture, stirring just until combined.

Pour over the pineapple slices.



Bake for about 35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.



Cool in pan for 5 minutes. Then run a knife around the edge to loosen the cake from the sides and quickly tip over onto a flat plate or cutting board.

Enjoy with a hot mug of coffee & coconut milk!