Cranberry Upside-Down Cake

If there's a holiday, there is bound to be a potluck at my office.

The weekend before Christmas, we had a potluck, with my boss providing a delicious ham as our main dish. I wanted to try something new, and I wanted something that didn't scream "Christmas cookies!" like most other desserts around that time of year. I poked around on my old friend allrecipes.com, and I found a yummy pineapple upside down cake that received fantastic reviews. I needed to make this cake a few days before the potluck, too, so I was thankful that it was amazingly moist and easy to transport.

Ingredients
1 (20 ounce) can pineapple tidbits
1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries (I used dried cranberries)
1/2 cup walnut halves
1 (18.25 ounce) package yellow cake mix
3 eggs
1/4 cup vegetable oil

Directions

1. Drain pineapple, reserving juice. Add water to juice to measure 1-1/4 cups; set aside.

2. Pour butter into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking dish. Sprinkle with brown sugar,cranberries and walnuts. Top with pineapple.

3. In a mixing bowl, combine dry cake mix, eggs, oil and reserved pineapple juice. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. Pour into prepared pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 25-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before inverting onto a large serving platter (top will have an uneven appearance).

Source: allrecipes.com

Pina Colada Cake

It's been hot in Phoenix lately (duh), and with the Fourth of July approaching, I decided I wanted to celebrate our country's birthday with some kind of refreshing dessert. My husband agreed, requesting something with fruit.

I'm 30 weeks pregnant, so I wasn't interested in standing in the kitchen for hours on end. So I perused my "101 Things To Do With a Cake Mix" book. Those recipes are always quick and easy, and I knew I could find something that fit the bill.

I came across this Pina Colada Cake and knew it sounded like a winner.

Ingredients

1 yellow cake mix

1 can crushed pineapple, drained

1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk

8 oz. whipped topping

2/3 cup coconut

Directions

Prepare cake mix as directed on the back of the package.

Mix 1/2 can of the pineapple into batter. Bake according to directions on the package.

With a fork, poke holes in warm cake at 1-inch intervals. Pour sweetened condensed milk evenly over cake. Allow cake to cool.

Spread whipped topping over the cake. Sprinkle the top with coconut and remaining pineapple.

Source: 101 Things To Do With a Cake Mix

My notes:

Instead of layering the whipped cream, coconut and pineapple on the top, I decided to just mix the three together to make it more cohesive. It was delish!

If you like moist cake, you'll love this. The pineapple and milk make the cake practically melt in your mouth.

Be forewarned:

Baking this cake will cause you to have "Escape" by Rupert Holmes going through your head for hours.

Happy July 4!

Polish Pineapple Crumb Cake

My husband and I were invited to a holiday party a few months ago. It was a hot summer day and the party started around lunch, so I knew I was making a dessert and I knew I didn't want it to be really rich or heavy.

Enter the pineapple.

The buttery topping tasted good on the hot day, and the cake itself was sweet and light. The chunks of pineapple provided an extra pop of flavor and sweet tartness.

Truth be told, this recipe also appealed to me because I am Polish :)

Ingredients:

Crumb Topping:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
3 tablespoons packed light or dark brown sugar
4 ounces (1 stick) cold butter, cut into pieces

Cake:
4 ounces (1 stick) softened butter
2/3 cup sugar
1 large egg
2 large egg yolks
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
3 tablespoons sour cream
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 medium fresh pineapple (about 2 pounds) or 20 ounces precut fresh pineapple (I used canned pineapple, I admit it!

Preparation:

1. To peel the whole pineapple, cut off the crown and the bottom. Stand the pineapple upright and, using a sharp chef's knife, Compare Prices, and a sawing motion, remove the tough outer skin, all the way around. Slice the pineapple in half vertically and remove the core from both halves. Cut the halves into 1/2-inch thick half-rings. Cover with plastic and reserve.

2. Place rack in center of oven and heat to 350 degrees. Coat a 9-inch square pan with cooking spray.

3. Prepare the crumb topping by mixing together flours and 1/3 cup sugar and 3 tablespoons packed brown sugar in a large bowl. Cut in butter as you would for pie dough until large crumbs form. Transfer crumbs to another bowl and reserve.


4. In same large bowl, make the cake batter by creaming the butter and 2/3 cup sugar with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add the egg and yolks one at a time, beating after each addition. Add vanilla and beat on medium speed 30 seconds. Add the sour cream and mix until blended. Batter will look curdled and this is OK.


5. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add the flour mixture to the batter and beat on low speed for 30 seconds, then on medium for 1 minute or until thick and creamy.

6. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Arrange the half-rings of pineapple overlapping in two rows on top. Place any remaining half-rings in the spaces. Sprinkle evenly with crumb topping. Place pan on a baking sheet and bake 50 to 55 minutes or until toothpick tests clean. Let cake cool in pan 30 minutes, then cut into squares and serve warm or at room temperature.


Makes 1 (9-inch)square Polish Pineapple Crumb Cake
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 55 minutes

Source: East European Food at about.com