Recipe: Pineapple-Cranberry Upside-Down Corn Bread Cake

PINEAPPLE-CRANBERRY UPSIDE-DOWN CORN BREAD CAKE

1/4 cup unsalted butter
3/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 (15 ounce) can sliced pineapple in juice, undrained
1/3 cup sweetened dried cranberries
FOR THE CAKE BATTER:
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup finely ground or sifted stone-ground yellow or white cornmeal*
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Melt 1/4 cup butter in 10-inch cast-iron skillet over medium heat. If skillet is not well seasoned, also coat with cooking spray. Add brown sugar to melted butter and cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove skillet from heat and spread mixture evenly in skillet.

Remove 7 slices pineapple from can and drain on paper towels. Reserve remaining pineapple and juice for another use. Place 1 pineapple slice on top of brown sugar mixture in center of skillet. Place remaining pineapple slices evenly around edges of skillet. Place cranberries in centers of pineapple slices and between pineapple slices, set aside.

TO PREPARE THE CAKE BATTER:
Beat 1/2 cup butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy; gradually add granulated sugar, beating well. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition.

In separate bowl, combine flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt until well blended. Add to egg mixture alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed until blended after each addition. Stir in vanilla, beating until blended. Carefully pour mixture over pineapple slices in skillet.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 40-45 minutes. Remove from oven; cool in skillet 30 minutes.

Carefully invert skillet onto serving platter, scraping any remaining sauce from skillet onto cake. Cut into wedges to serve.

*Stone-ground cornmeal from some gristmills may contain more large grains and flecks of husks not appropriate for some desserts. Buying finely ground cornmeal, sometimes called bolted cornmeal, may solve this dilemma, or gently sift cornmeal through wire strainer to remove large pieces before measuring the meal.

Makes 8-10 servings
Source: Glorious Grits, Fresh, Flavorful Recipes for Grits, Cornmeal and Polenta by Susan McEwen McIntosh