Whitworths Sugar Baking Challenge recipe #1 : Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

I was over the moon to be picked by Britmums recently as one of the Whitworths Sugar Baking Challenge bloggers. I received a lovely pack from Whitworths containing some kitchen essentials like an oven mitt and gorgeously festive apron (am I reasonably allowed to start feeling Christmassy yet ? Less than a hundred days to go after all!), as well as the whole range of their sugars in its handy new packaging that stands up and is resealable. There was also a rather clever Twist & Sprinkle (sounds like what Pierre does when he goes to the toilet !!) Icing Sugar cannister and a fab snowflake template for making my cakes look funky and ... am I allowed to say it again ?! - Christmassy !

My first task was to use the kit to rustle up one of my own tried-and-tested recipes. Well, I decided to go all retro and make up an old-fashioned Pineapple Upside Down Cake, just like me granny used to make. Here's the recipe we use :

Pineapple Upside Down Cake

Ingredients

for the topping :

50g softened butter

50g Whitworths light soft brown sugar

can of pineapple rings in syrup, drained (but keep the syrup)

optional : glacé cherries

for the cake :

100g softened butter

100g Whitworths fine Demerera sugar

100g self-raising flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 eggs

a good glug of juice from the tin of pineapple

Preheat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas mark 4. 

For the topping, beat the butter and brown sugar together until light and creamy. Spread over the base of a 21cm round cake tin. Arrange the pineapple rings on top, then place cherries in the centres of the rings, if desired. (We do usually but I forgot to buy some - oops !)

Place the cake ingredients in a bowl along with some of the pineapple syrup and whisk to a soft consistency.

Pour into the cake tin on top of the pineapple and smooth it out so it's level. Bake for 35 minutes. Leave to stand for 5 mins, then turn out onto a plate. Serve warm.

Utterly gooey and delicious - a real trip down memory lane too.

Disclosure: I'm working with Whitworths Sugar, whose www.whitworths-sugar.co.uk site includes ideas and recipes for baking with sugar. Follow the conversation on Twitter with the #bakingS0S hash tag and @WhitworthsSugar.

Other blogposts you may be interested in :

Whitworth's Home Baking Products

Whitworths Christmas Cake Baking Kit 

Whitworth's Sunny Raisins