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Time for something totally new: a coconut sugar, pineapple and coconut upside down cake. It’s dairy-free and sugar-free, making it a tasty dessert for diabetics and those with dairy intolerances. It went down a treat at our summer BBQ.
You can make this dessert into an island holiday, sipping-cocktails-by-the-blue-sea kind of treat by soaking the pineapple in rum or Malibu. Rum soaked pineapple cake? It’s giving piña colada. Even without the alcohol, this upside down cake will be great for a party, a BBQ, or just a fun night-in.
Ingredients (with prices)
- 8oz plant-based butter – Stork Original, 500g, £2 from Tesco
- 8oz coconut sugar – Jarganic Organic Coconut Sugar, 500g, £6.59 from Amazon
- 8oz self raising flour – £0.70 for 1.5kg, Tesco
- 4 large eggs – Tray of 20, £5.99 from Barleylands Farm Shop
- 2oz desiccated coconut – 150g for £1.48, Asda
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract – Ms Mollys for £0.59, Tesco
- Tin of chopped pineapple – Pineapple chunks for £1.10, Tesco
(Optional) Rum/Malibu
Total price: £25.92
If you’re making these from total scratch, you may baulk at the upfront ingredient cost. However, chances are you’ll already have some of the ingredients in your cupboard, so check those first. Don’t worry if you only have plain flour – you can turn plain into self-raising flour with baking powder, if you have any. Everything you’ve already got is a thing off the list.
Likewise, if you have a dairy-based unsalted butter in your fridge, then use that.
To make the list even cheaper, buy a tray of six eggs, or go for a 250g block of baking butter. We shop on a budget by choosing items with the lowest unit prices, hence the bulk tray of eggs from our local farm shop.
On the upside, the next time you bake, you’ll already have the ingredients. To help you use up the last of the coconut sugar, eggs, and flour, we have a selection of recipes you can try out:
Method
Now onto the part that you’ve been waiting for: how to make our coconut sugar, pineapple and coconut upside down cake.
Step 1
If you’re going for the alcoholic version, drain your pineapple, place it back in the tin, add 50ml of rum or Malibu, and then leave it to soak for at least an hour.
Step 2
Preheat your oven to 180C.
Step 3
In a mixing bowl, cream together the butter and the coconut sugar.
Step 4
Next, add the four eggs and teaspoon of vanilla extract. Continue mixing until everything is combined.
Step 5
Gradually sieve the flour, and slowly mix until smooth. Don’t mix too quickly or you’ll knock all the air out and end up with a flat cake.
Step 6
Add in the desiccated coconut and stir until it’s evenly distributed throughout.
Step 7
With a bit of kitchen roll, rub some baking butter around the inside of your baking tin – this is to stop the cake sticking when you try to remove it from the tin. Once done, sprinkle a tablespoon or two of coconut sugar around the base.
Step 8
Place the pineapple pieces evenly across the base – if you’re feeling creative, you can arrange your pineapple chunks in a pretty pattern, but who’s got the time for that?
Once done, pour in the cake mix and make sure it’s spread evenly.
Step 9
Place the baking tin into the oven for 20-25 minutes and bake until golden. Remember that the coconut sugar will make the cake appear darker than if you were using white sugar. To check and see if the cake is ready, stick a knife or a skewer through the centre; if it comes out clean, your cake is done.
Step 10
Let your cake cool before trying to remove it from the tin. You can flip the tin and remove it that way, or if it requires a bit of help, you can run a knife round the edges before turning it upside down.
Serve with cream, ice cream, or custard and enjoy.
