Upside down cake is called so as it is had after being turned upside down. The cake is upturned with the pan onto a flat surface or a serving plate after it has been cooked. The cake is typically prepared using a pan that has a bent bottom. The cake generally has a decorative appeal due to the addition of chopped pieces of different fruits. The fruits that are added include cherry, apple, and pineapple whose pieces are arranged first in the cake pan upon which the cake batter is added on. The decorative look for the cake can be maintained by placing the cake onto a serving area after turning it over with care as there can be chances of the fruit pieces sticking onto the bottom of the pan. In order to ensure that no such instance occurs, it is better to apply a coating of sugar or else butter at the base of the pan.
Popular conventional upside down cake recipe preparations include- the French Tarte Tatin, Brazilian Bolo de Banana and American Pineapple Upside-down Cake.
History of Upside down cake
Upside down cake gained popularity only after the mid-19th century. Although the process or the method of baking relates back to the middle ages more or less.
Earlier it was prepared using skillet or pan made of cast iron upon stove The old classical upside down cake recipe happens to be the American 'Pineapple Upside Down Cake' made somewhere around 1903 after the invasion of canned pineapple. Another event that leads to determine the time when the cake could have been invented happens to be a recipe contest held by Hawaiian Pineapple Co. in the year 1925 in which there were around 2,500 entries of variations of the pineapple upside down cake recipe.
Ingredients Used and Popular Methods of Preparation of Upside down cake
Upside down cake recipe can be split into two parts-one being the making of the fruit portion and the other being the making of the cake portion. For the fruit portion, chopped pieces of fruit including plums, pears, cranberries, apricots, nectarines, raspberries, huckleberries, cherries and huckleberries can be made use of. For the cake portion butter, vanilla essence, flour, eggs and milk are made use of.
Firstly the fruit layer is prepared. For this in a pan, butter melted after which sugar is added to mix and thereafter allowed to cool. Thereafter the fruit pieces are arranged and the preparation is kept aside to cool. The cake batter is prepared by mixing the flour, eggs, baking powder, salt and vanilla essence. In a preheated oven the batter, spread in the pan with the fruit is placed and allowed to bake for 45 minutes to one hour. Thereafter it is taken out and allowed to cool for 20 minutes and flipped onto a plate held against the pan firmly.
Serving and Eating Upside down cake
Upside Down Cake is in its best form when served warm along with vanilla ice cream or else whipped cream. It either be prepared beforehand and retained in the pan to be reheated right there prior to being served. The cake can be reheated in a microwave as well before serving.
Popular Upside down cake Variations
Pineapple-Macadamia Upside Down Cake recipe is a delicious recipe that makes use of pineapple pieces and macadamia nuts or pecans for its decorative topping.
Chocolate Praline Upside down Cake is a richly chocolate flavored cake containing a layer of pecan halves on the top of the turned over cake.
Pineapple-Pecan Upside Down Cake recipe makes use of pecans and pineapple pieces for the fruit layering.
Pineapple Upside Down Cake is most popular among upside down cake recipe variation that uses pineapple slices for its fruit layering.
Blueberry Upside Down Cake makes use of fresh chopped blueberries along with bits of lemon zest for its fruit layering.
Mango Upside-Down Cake recipe makes use of fresh mango pieces for the fruit layering spiced up with cinnamon bits and nutmeg grates.
Peach Upside-Down Cake recipe makes use of canned sliced peaches with flavorings from honey and butter.
Health and Nutrition Facts of Upside down cake
Upside down cake is mostly rich in Vitamin C due coming from the fruit content in it. Pineapple, oranges and other citrus fruits in particular are rich sources of the vitamin. The cake can also be made in fat free or low cal version using the appropriate substitutes for fat and sugar.
Miscellaneous Facts About Upside down cake
The classical pineapple upside down cake recipe made use of maraschino cherries.
The National Pineapple Upside-down Cake Day is celebrated on the 4th of April every year.
In the book The Food Temptress, Pineapple upside-down cake converted Dante Coolidge, a gay, to straight.