By Week 437. Year 9. Tommy is 42. Deep summer. The business thriving. Luc (18) at LSU studying engineering. The heat index above 100 and the AC straining and the only relief is the cold beer and the screened porch and the sound of the fan turning and the knowledge that fall is coming and the gumbo is waiting.
Made BBQ shrimp this week — the kind of food that fills the house with the smell of Louisiana and the knowledge that whoever walks through the door is walking into a home where the stove is on and the food is ready and the welcome is unconditional. The meal was the day. The day was the meal. Both were good. Laissez les bons temps rouler.
The shrimp were gone and the beers were cold and the porch was doing its best against the heat index — and that’s when something sweet felt right. Not heavy, not complicated, just a little caramelized brightness to close out a good evening the right way. These Mini Pineapple Upside Down Cakes have that same quality as the whole day did: warm, self-contained, each one its own little thing, finished and golden and exactly enough.
Mini Pineapple Upside Down Cakes
Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 22 min | Total Time: 37 min | Servings: 12
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
- 12 pineapple rings (canned, drained — cut rings to fit muffin cups)
- 12 maraschino cherries, drained
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 2 tbsp reserved pineapple juice
Instructions
- Preheat & prep. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 12-cup standard muffin tin well, including the rims.
- Make the caramel base. Stir together the melted butter and brown sugar. Divide evenly among the muffin cups, about 1 tsp per cup, spreading to coat the bottom.
- Add the fruit. Cut pineapple rings into halves or quarters to fit snugly in each cup. Press one piece flat into each cup over the brown sugar. Place a maraschino cherry in the center.
- Mix the batter. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. In a separate large bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each. Mix in vanilla extract.
- Combine wet and dry. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture in two additions, alternating with the milk and pineapple juice. Stir until just combined — do not overmix.
- Fill & bake. Spoon batter over the pineapple layer in each muffin cup, filling about 3/4 full. Bake for 20—22 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and tops are lightly golden.
- Cool & flip. Let the cakes cool in the pan for exactly 5 minutes. Run a knife around each edge, place a baking sheet on top of the muffin tin, and carefully invert in one firm motion. Lift the tin away and let the caramel settle over each cake. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 265 | Protein: 3g | Fat: 12g | Carbs: 38g | Fiber: 1g | Sodium: 115mg