Upside Down Pineapple Christmas Cake

RECIPE OF THE WEEK: Affordable Wholefoods

A delicious alternative Christmas cake recipe for those who aren’t into your traditional fruit cake. This cake is super moist and sweet and is perfect with a dollop of natural yoghurt or plain vanilla ice-cream.

Serving Size: 12

Ingredients:

250 grams organic unsalted butter (halved into 125g quantities)

1 1/2 cups brown sugar

12 canned full pineapple slices

2 cups of organic stoneground wholegrain plain flour

2 teaspoons gluten free baking powder

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 cup organic raw sugar

2 free range eggs

1/2 cup whole milk

1 teaspoon Australian vanilla essence

Glace cherries to decorate

Method:

1. Pre-heat your oven to 155’C fan forced (175’C conventional) then prepare a baking dish (33 x 22 cm) by greasing it with butter and lining with baking paper.
2. Melt half (125g) of butter in a medium saucepan over low heat and stir in a cup of brown sugar. Bring the mix to the boil, stirring frequently and then pour the mix into the prepared pan.
3. Drain the juice from the pineapple tin reserving half a cup, then place the rings across in the bottom of the pan.
4. In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and nutmeg.
5. In a large mixing bowl beat the softened butter with the raw sugar and remaining 1/2 cup of brown sugar until smooth. Add the eggs and beat again until well combined.
6. Add half of the flour mixture and continue to beat (on low speed if you are using an electric mixer). Pour in the milk and half a cup of the reserved pineapple juice. Once well mixed, add the remaining flour mixture and vanilla and mix until smooth.
7. Spread the mixture carefully over the pineapple slices in the pan and then bake for 35-40 minutes in the heated oven, or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean and dry.
8. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for ten minutes (Do not invert the cake too soon).
9. Place a serving tray or baking tray over the cake and carefully invert. If you have some pineapple sticking to the pan gently replace on top of the cake.
10. Serve warm topped with glace cherries…enjoy!

Note: You will need 2 x 440g tins of pineapple for 12 slices.