Description
Adapted from a recipe at Bon Appetit.
Ingredients
Scale
CARAMEL TOPPING
- 1 C brown sugar, packed
- 6 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp Morton kosher salt
- 1 15-oz can pineapple rings, drained
- 8 maraschino cherries, stems removed—or other canned cherries according to taste
CAKE AND ASSEMBLY
- 2½ C (288 g) cake flour
- 1 Tbsp baking powder
- 1 Tbsp Diamond Crystal or 1¾ tsp Morton kosher salt
- ¼ tsp ground mace
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
- 12 Tbsp (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1½ C (300 g) granulated sugar
- 1½ C sour cream
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C), adjust a rack to the middle position.
- In a small pan, compine the butter, brown sugar, vanilla, and salt from the topping ingredients. Cook them together over medium heat until bubbly.
- Pour the caramel mixture into a prepared 9×13” pan. Spread the caramel out with a silicone spatula, if needed.
- Arrange the pineapple slices on the surface of the caramel in whatever pattern or design you choose. Place a cherry in the center of each ring.
- Whisk together the flour, salt, and baking powder, and mace in a bowl, set aside.
- In another bowl, whisk together the eggs and vanilla.
- In a stand mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until fluffy and light colored, 4–5 minutes.
- Add the egg mixture in four additions, completely combining after each addition.
- Add the dry ingredients alternating with the sour cream—3 additions of dry with 2 additions of cream between them.
- Make sure the batter is well mixed by stirring through it a couple times with a spatula.
- Pour the batter onto the caramel in the prepared cake pan. Smooth with a spatula.
- Bake the cake for 40–50 minutes, checking the temperature with your Thermapen ONE at 40 minutes. If you find a temp lower than 200°F (93°C), keep cooking. If not, pull the cake from the oven.
- Let the cake cool on a wire rack somewhat, about 15 minutes. Loosen the cake from the edges of the pan with a butter knife or small spatula. (If you wait until the cake is completely cooled, it will be harder to remove from the pan.)
- Flip the cake pan over onto a cutting board or large platter and lift it off the cake.
- Beautiful! Enjoy the cake with some good vanilla ice cream, or just on its own.
