Upside-Down Pineapple Coffee Cake

(8 servings)

  • 1 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup quick-cooking or Old Fashioned oats
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup butter (1 stick) - softened
  • 1/2 cup white sugar
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar - packed
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup buttermilk (regular milk will also work)
  • 1/2 cup pineapple juice (reserved from can of pineapple below)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 teaspoon finely grated orange peel

  • For The Topping:
  • 1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar - packed
  • 7 canned pineapple rings in juice (reserve 1/2 cup juice)
  • 2 Tablespoons sliced almonds - lightly toasted
Preparation:

Prepare an 11-inch diameter baking pan by coating generously with butter. Cut a piece of parchment paper to fit the inside-bottom. Place in the bottom of pan. Butter the parchment as well. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Coffee Cake Batter:

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, oats, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.

In a separate larger bowl, beat the softened butter with 1/2 cup white sugar and 1/2 cup brown sugar until creamy and smooth. Add the eggs and continue beating until well combined. Add the buttermilk, the 1/2 cup reserved pineapple juice and 1/2 of the flour mixture. Beat until combined. Add the vanilla, grated orange peel and remaining flour mixture. Mix until combined. Set the coffee cake mixture aside.

Pineapple Topping:

In a sauce pan over medium heat, melt 1/2 cup butter. Add 3/4 cup brown sugar. Stirring constantly, bring this mixture to a boil. Pour into prepared baking pan.

Arrange the pineapple slices in the baking pan - making a circle out of 6 slices and placing the 7th in the center. Sprinkle almond slices in spaces between the pineapples. Press any leftover almonds against the side of the baking pan.

Put It Together And Bake:

Dollop a spoonful of batter over each pineapple slices and gently spread out the batter with a spatula. This is to help assure the pineapple slices stay in place. Add the remaining batter and smooth it out with a spatula.

Bake at 350 for 45 to 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out dry.

Remove pan from oven and cool on a wire rack for 10 to 15 minutes. Invert the pan onto a serving plate and gently tap the bottom and sides of the pan with the large spoon. Remove the pan and... presto... Upside-Down Pineapple Coffee Cake.


Upside-Down Pineapple Coffee Cake

Upside-Down Pineapple Coffee Cake



Cooking Notes:

Be sure that the plate that you invert your coffee cake onto is your final serving plate. You won't be able to slide the coffee cake again without it falling apart.

For best results, pulse the oats in food processor just enough to make smaller pieces. This step isn't necessary, but it does help create a more uniform cake texture.

To make a circular piece of parchment that's just right for your pan... take a marker and trace the bottom of your pan on a square of parchment. Cut along the inside of the line you traced. The parchment should fit the bottom of your pan perfectly.

This recipe has a lot of mixing... an electric beater is highly recommended.


A hint of citrus and a sticky topping and this Upside-Down Pineapple Coffee Cake gets an upside-right thumbs-up.


Mr Breakfast would like to thank Mr Breakfast for this recipe.

Recipe number 3020. Submitted 5/9/2011.