LITTLE ROCK — Recipes that appear in Idea Alley have not been tested by the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.
Several Kats came to the rescue for NLA’s plea for a from-scratch Pineapple Upside Down Cake. Unfortunately we don’t have space to print them all. Our thanks to Pat King, Helene Furst, Janet Lewis, Cecille Tibbets Hughes, Sally Brune, Elizabeth Rabeneck and Julia Sims.
“This recipe, with a few modifications, has been in our family for over a century,” Brune writes.
Sally Brune’s Pineapple Upside Down Cake 1/4 cup butter or margarine 3/4 cup packed brown sugar 1 (20-ounce) can crushed pineapple in heavy syrup (fruit in its
own juice makes a heavier, tougher cake) 3 eggs, separated, divided use 1 cup granulated sugar 11/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt
Heat oven to 300 degrees.
Melt butter and brown sugar in a deep cast-iron skillet. Drain pineapple well, reserving 6 tablespoons of the liquid. Stir drained pineapple into butter-sugar mixture. Mix well; spread evenly in bottom of skillet.
In a mixing bowl, beat the egg yolks with the 6 tablespoons reserved pineapple liquid. Add the granulated sugar and continue beating until well-mixed; set aside.
Measure flour back into sifter and add baking powder and salt.
Sift flour mixture into egg yolk mixture. Beat well.
In separate bowl, beat egg whites until stiff. Gently fold into flour mixture, keeping as much air as possible in the egg whites.
Pour over pineapple in skillet.
Bake 1 hour, or until a pick inserted in or near the center comes out clean. Immediately invert onto large serving plate. Cool before slicing.
Sims sends this version, originally published in Southern Living magazine in October 1974. It adds a little lemon flavoring and pecans.
Pineapple Upside Down Cake 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar 1/3 cup butter 1 (20-ounce) can sliced pineapple, drained Maraschino cherries Pecan halves 11/3 cups sifted, all-purpose flour 1 cup granulated sugar 2 teaspoons baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/3 cup shortening, softened 2/3 cup milk 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/2 teaspoon lemon flavoring 1 egg
Heat oven to 350 degrees.
Melt butter in a heavy 10-inch, oven safe skillet. Spread brown sugar evenly over melted butter. Arrange pineapple slices on sugar in an attractive pattern. Place a cherry in the center of each pineapple slice. Fill gaps with pecan halves; set aside.
In a mixing bowl, combine flour, granulated sugar, baking powder and salt. Add shortening, milk, vanilla and lemon flavorings. Beat 2 minutes on medium speed with an electric mixer. Add egg and beat 2 minutes more, scraping sides of bowl frequently. Pour batter over pineapple.
Bake at 350 degrees for 40 to 50 minutes, or until a pick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Makes about 8 servings.
Bobbie Holliday share this recipe for Lime Jell-O Salad.
“Here is a quick and easy salad for Sunday church dinners,” writes Holliday. “It was given to me by my college roommate, Joyce Swanson.” Lime Jell-O Salad 1 (16-ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained 1 (16-ounce) container small curd cottage cheese 1 (6-ounce) package lime gelatin mix 1 (8-ounce) carton Cool Whip 1 cup chopped walnuts
Mix together pineapple, cottage cheese and gelatin. Add Cool Whip and walnuts and spread in 9-by-13-inch pan. Refrigerate until set and cut into squares.
Makes 15 to 18 servings.
REQUESTS
Fruit Cocktail Cake for Tana Jackson.
Cheese soup like that served at Scallions for Rose Tipton.
Send recipe requests, contributions and culinary questions to Kelly Brant, Idea Alley, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, P.O. Box 2221, Little Rock, Ark. 72203; e-mail:
Please include a daytime phone number.
Food, Pages 40 on 03/28/2012