Last weekend we had a meeting of tribes (his and mine) and what’s more the head of the family was there (Gran). Sometimes I find catering for quite a few people can be tricky from the point of view of finding something that will suit everyone. Well, I figured you can’t beat a curry! So I served up a chicken korma with loads of chickpeas and butternut squash to fill out the corners, pilaf rice and Bombay potatoes. I don’t always do a pudding, but I thought a pineapple upside-down-cake would be the perfect ending to a meal of exotic origins.
Whilst I know curries originated in the East, it’s almost as if Westerners have adopted it as their own, especially in the UK and Ireland. A pineapple upside down cake is, to me, the epitome of this East meets West blend. The exotic pineapple and cherries covered in traditional sponge cake and custard. On a plus note, this is a ridiculously easy cake to make particularly when catering for a crowd. You’ll need:
7 pineapple slices, from a tin
14 glace cherries
200g plain flour
200g soft butter
200g caster sugar
4 large eggs
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1. Put the oven on to 180 and generously butter a 24 inch spring-form tin. Sprinkle 2 tbsp caster sugar into the tin and shake it around to cover the whole tin with sugar. Lay the pineapple rings on the base of the tin and place a cherry in the center of each. Also place a cherry in the gaps between the rings.
2. Put the remainder of the ingredients into a large bowl and using an electric whisk, beat until you are left with a smooth batter. Use a spatula and scrape down the sides of the bowl and give a good mix to ensure that all the ingredients are properly incorporated. Spoon over the pineapple rings and smooth out the top.
3. Bake for 35-40 minutes until a skewer comes out clean. I checked mine after about 25 minutes and needed to place a sheet of tin foil on top to shop it from browning too much. Once ready remove from the oven and run a knife around the sides of the tin. Pop the sides open, place a plate on top and quickly turn it round so the cake is sitting on the plate. Remove the base and allow to cool. Enjoy with cream or custard.
