Madhouse Family Reviews: Madhouse recipe : Caramelised Upside-Down Pineapple Muffins

Thursday, 3 April 2014

Madhouse recipe : Caramelised Upside-Down Pineapple Muffins

I made these as an experiment because I had half a can of chopped pineapple to use up and I wasn't at all sure it would work. The result was amazing - the most indulgent, delicious muffins I've ever made and ideal as a special dessert if served warm, straight from the oven. I made twelve yesterday and there's only one left, which goes to show that I wasn't the only one to think they were rather delicious. In fact, Sophie has asked me to make some more at the weekend !

Caramelised Upside-Down Pineapple Muffins

ingredients (for 12) :

1/2 can chopped pineapple

12 tbsp light brown sugar (I used golden syrup sugar)

12 tbsp melted butter/margarine

12 tbsp golden syrup

1 & 1/2 cups plain flour

1 sachet raising agent (or 1tbsp baking powder)

1/2 cup porridge oats

pinch of salt

1 tbsp vanilla paste

3tbsp vegetable oil

1 cup yogurt (I used strawberry Yop because it needed using up !)

1 egg

1 cup brown sugar (I used dark muscovado sugar)

Carefully grease 12 silicon muffin cases (paper ones will not work here). Place pieces of pineapple into the bottom of each muffin case.

Put a tablespoon of soft light brown sugar into each muffin case and press down with your fingers so it covers all the pineapple and fills all the gaps.

Pour a tablespoon of melted butter into each muffin tin (Juliette did this step and was very heavy-handed with the butter, pouring all the leftover bit into the muffin cases, which might be why they came out so lovely !). Repeat the operation with 1tsp of golden syrup in each muffin case.

In a large bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, salt, sugar and oats. Add the oil, yogurt and egg and mix quickly until just blended.

Use the cake batter to fill the muffin tins - don't worry if the butter/syrup comes through in places but aim to seal it all in, as far as possible.

Bake at 180° for 25 minutes. Remove from the oven but leave to rest for 10 minutes.

Carefully turn them out onto a plate. I was worried they'd fall to pieces but they came out absolutely perfect, if I say so myself. The cake part is soft and moist and the topping is deliciously gooey, chewy, sticky and sweet. I think these are my new all-time favourite homemade cake now !