This is Greg’s favorite cake– his dad’s, too– so when the family came to visit in February, I made two. One I made with this recipe (that I have altered from the original in a Cooking Light cookbook), and the other one I made from a more traditional recipe. The one made with this recipe, caramelizing the pineapple in its juices with rum, was definitely the more popular one.
Also, the original recipe called for gluten-free flour, but I used brown rice flour. It’s always a gamble what will happen when not using “regular” flour and how much is equal to each, but I figured with all the liquid (plus the butter and brown sugar), it would be fine. And it was.
Finally, my rum didn’t ignite, but none of that matters when it’s all about the flavor.
1/2 cup packed brown sugar; also 2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup unsalted butter, divided
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 can sliced pineapple and its juices
1/4 cup dark rum
cooking spray
Maraschino cherries, as desired
1 cup brown rice flour or flour of your choice- I used a one-to-one ratio but you can Google to confirm what is best with the type of flour you’re using
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup plain yogurt (I used plain Greek as that’s what we usually have)
2 tablespoons canola/vegetable oil
2 large eggs
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Combine 1/2 brown sugar, 2 tablespoons butter, and vanilla in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook 6 minutes or until butter melts and sugar dissolves, stirring frequently. Add pineapple in a single layer. Carefully pour rum over pineapple. Tilt pan to ignite (or not!). Simmer 5 minutes on each side or until slightly tender and caramelized.
Coat a 9-inch cake pan with cooking spray. Arrange pineapple in single layer in bottom of pan (adding cherries to the middles), pour mixture over pineapple, tilting pan to coat bottom.
Combine flour with baking soda and baking powder, stir with a whisk. Microwave 2 tablespoons butter (about 35 seconds on high). Place melted butter, yogurt, and oil in a bowl, stirring well with a whisk.
Place 2/3 cup brown sugar and eggs in a large bowl. Beat with a mixer at high speed 5 minutes or until fluffy. Reduce speed to medium. Add flour mixture and yogurt mixture alternately to egg mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Spoon batter over pineapple, spreading evenly. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan 15 minutes on a wire rack. Loosen cake from edges of a pan with a knife and invert onto a plate.