Upside-Down Pudding

Sunday 14 March 2010

Upside-Down Pudding

Growing up I often saw photos of Pineapple Upside Down cakes in my mother's ladies magazines and on the telly, but it was not something that my mother ever baked. I suppose she might have considered it somewhat exotic, and she was a good, but plain cook.

Upside-Down Pudding

Exotic was not really in her vocabulary when it came to food, and my dad really wouldn't have liked anything out of the ordinary anyways.

Upside-Down Pudding

I always thought they looked so delicious and once I was grown up and living on my own, and raising a family, I often baked Pineapple Upside Down Cakes as a special treat. I used an old cast iron skillet and they were always very well received by everyone. We used to have them with dollops of sweetened whipped cream on top, or scoops of cold Vanilla Ice Cream.

Upside-Down Pudding

I don't have an iron skillet over here. I have been looking for one, but haven't come across one yet. They are much too heavy to bring back on a plane when I go to Canada for visits. I thought Todd was going to have a heart attack the last time we went when I tried to stuff a full size turkey roaster in my bag. It took me a while to convince him that I wasn't nuts and that once you stuffed it and surrounded it with clothing it didn't take up much more room than a piece of paper would . . . well, at least that was my theory anyways.

Upside-Down Pudding

The other night I baked my honey bun a delicious upside down pudding . . . a rich and buttery cake with a lucious toffee, apricot and hazelnut topping baked right in. Oh my but it was good.

Upside-Down Pudding

Of course he enjoyed it with lashings of double cream . . .

Upside-Down Pudding

And why not. In for a penny . . . in for a pound is what I always say!!!

Upside-Down Pudding

*Upside Down Pudding*
Serves 6 to 8
Printable Recipe

Sometimes known as upside down cake, this is a delicious creamed cake mixture that is baked over top of a scrummy brown sugar and fruit base. Once it is baked and turn out, the fruit makes a very attractive picture with it's lovely rich butter, sugar and nut topping. You could also use pear halves and walnuts instead of the apricots and hazelnuts.

225g unsalted butter, divided, plus extra for buttering the pan ( cup)
50g soft light brown sugar (1/4 cup packed)
14 to 16 hazelnuts
600g of tinned apricot halves, drained well (large tin, 21 ounces)
170g demerara sugar (14 TBS)
3 large free range eggs, beaten
 170g self raising flour (1 1/4 cup)
56g ground hazelnuts (1/3 cup)
2 TBS milk
custard or thick cream to serve
Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F. Butter a 10 inch round cake tin and base line it with nonstick baking paper.

Cream 60g/1/4 cup of the butter together with the soft light brown sugar until pale and fluffy. Spread over the base of the prepared tin. Put a hazelnut into the hollow of each apricot half and invert onto the base. The apricots should completely cover the surface.

Cream the remaining butter and the demerara sugar together until pale and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, a little at a time, beating well after each addition. Sift the flour and then gently fold it into the creamed mixture, along with the nuts and milk, using a metal spoon. Spread the finished batter over the fruit.

Bake in the centre of the heated oven for 45 minutes, or until golden brown and well risen. Run a knife around the edge of the pudding and invert onto a armed plate to serve.

Serve warm and cut into wedges along with some custard or thick cream.


13 comments

  1. Oh, Yum! I love Pineapple Upside-Down Cake! I think the best one I ever had was one my Grandpa Smith cooked outside in a dutch oven over a fire--absolutely dreamy!

    I'm excited to try your delicious-looking recipe! Just got back from a Youth Conference--long but fun! I'm sleepy, so off to bed for me! Hope you're having a beautiful Sunday, my friend! Lots of love and hugs sent to you today!

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  2. Lovely Cake !!!! Great blog!
    Congratulations!

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  3. That does look good Marie. I especially love the asddition of the toffee sauce and the hazelnuts. Yum-o!

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  4. Marie, my northern Italian grandmother used to bake these in a big heavy pan all the time. As an adult, I've often wondered where she learned to do it as upside down cakes are not typical of Italy as such. Lovely!
    xoxo Pattie

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  5. This pudding looks really good Marie - love the toffee sauce!
    Ps: Thank you for your comment on my blog - please can you let me know if you got an error message (via email) after posting it?? Seems people have been getting one although I do get the comments coming though...strange :(

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  6. Wonderful cake!!Thank you for the recipe and the lovely history.

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  7. Mmmm, that looks like a particularly fine example of pineapple upside-down pudding - very luscious!

    I'm not a huge fan of pineapple, but this is certainly one of the ways in which I positively enjoy it. Lovely!

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  8. Oh, that is a pretty cake, Marie! I like the idea of the hazelnuts... I can't remember the last time I had or make a pineapple upside-down cake. My Mom used to make a good one using a boxed cake mix... brings back memories! Happy Day, my friend :o) LOVE YOU HEAPS ((HUGS))

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  9. mmmmm, this looks so good Marie, especially with the lashing of single cream. Lucie x

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  10. I had to laugh when you talked about stuffing your bag with the turkey roaster. My husband would roll his eyes and shake his head when the packing began on our return trips from home back to the UK. Now, when I go visit my friends in Nottingham, it is all done in reverse. I have even stuffed a rug in my bag and brought it back.

    Your upside down pudding looks fab. I remember my grandmother cooking hers in her iron skillet. I don't know that I have ever made one myself. I guess there's no time like the present. Thanks for the inspiration.

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  11. Looks wonderful. I'm sure it would be just as delicious with almonds (I can't eat hazelnuts). Extra cream on top? Hello! I'm in! :o)

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  12. I love to visit your blog, your cake and food looks delicious, and also the photos, I just love to read your blogs whenever I have the time. Everything is just so nice. Please don't feel sad about the dog, all good dogs go heaven, my doggie too, be happy and pray hard.

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