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Pineapple-Zucchini Upside-Down Cake

By Annalise Sandberg
Flip the script and try this twist on a Betty Crocker classic. The combination of flavors is killer!
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Upside-down cakes are humble cakes masquerading as fancy desserts thanks to their stunning presentation. They are made up of layers of melted butter, brown sugar and fruit, all covered with a simple cake batter. In the oven the butter, sugar and fruit caramelize to create a beautiful topping once the cake is flipped over. No need for frosting or any other accompaniments for this cake, it has plenty of flavor all on its own.

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Pineapple upside-down cake is a classic we all know and love, but this pineapple and zucchini variation will shake things up. The two flavors go together surprisingly well, as evidenced in this top-rated quick bread, and the addition of nuts and cinnamon only makes the cake more irresistible.

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To start, pour the melted butter into your cake pan and sprinkle with the brown sugar. Next, place the pineapples in the pan. With the traditional pineapple upside-down cake design I feel like there’s not enough pineapple, so I prefer instead to place one pineapple ring in the center with half rings fanning out around it. Put a walnut or pecan half in the center of each ring and set the cake pan aside. (If you’re not a fan of nuts in your baked goods, feel free to omit them!)

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In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients: flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. In a separate bowl combine the wet ingredients: buttermilk, vegetable oil, egg and shredded zucchini.

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Add the wet ingredient to the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Pour the cake batter into the cake pan, on top of the pineapple rings.

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Bake until the top of the cake is golden brown and center springs back when lightly touched.

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At this point the cake won’t look like much, though it will smell absolutely divine! Let it cool and then invert it onto a cake stand, plate or platter to reveal the beautiful design underneath. Upside-down cakes are super forgiving, so don’t fret it some of the pineapple sticks to the pan! Simply scrape it out with a knife and place it back on the cake. No one will ever know.

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