Pineapple Upside Down Cake Recipe

Prepare the Cake

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9-inch round cake pan.

Make the Batter

In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract.

Combine Dry Ingredients

In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing until just combined.

Arrange Pineapple and Cherries

Place the pineapple slices at the bottom of the cake pan. Insert maraschino cherries in the center of each pineapple slice.

Pour Batter

Pour the batter over the arranged pineapple and cherries, smoothing the top.

Bake

Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let it cool for 10 minutes before inverting onto a serving plate.

Make the Caramel Sauce

In a saucepan over medium heat, combine brown sugar and butter. Stir until melted and bubbling. Carefully add heavy cream and dark rum, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat and set aside.

Infuse Cream

In a saucepan, combine heavy cream, whole milk, sugar, and cardamom pods. Heat gently until sugar dissolves and mixture is warm. Remove from heat and let sit for 30 minutes to infuse.

Prepare Ice Cream Base

Whisk the egg yolks in a bowl. Slowly pour the warm mixture into the egg yolks, whisking continuously. Return to the saucepan and cook over low heat until thickened.

Chill and Churn

Strain the mixture to remove cardamom pods. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or overnight. Churn in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions.

Serve the Cake

Slice the pineapple upside down cake and serve warm. Drizzle with rum caramel sauce and top with a scoop of cardamom ice cream. Garnish with sundried cherries.