Piña Colada Upside Down Cake

30 mins Prep Time

45 mins Cook Time

Written By

Nadia Boachie

Inspired by Claire Saffitz's Pineapple and Pecan Upside Down Cake, I have put my own riff on this classic dessert. Where Claire uses pecan, I have used coconut. I have omitted the warm spices like cinnamon and nutmeg and made some additions like coconut milk, coconut milk powder and coconut extract to give the cake the best coconut flavour I could get. To Claire's recipe, I have modified the amount of caramel for the base of the cake and voilà, a piña colada cake! I love the method Claire uses for the bottom (or top, depending on who you are asking) of the pineapple cake, so I have kept this technique. The beautiful finish on this cake makes it the perfect show stopper finale at a dinner party. It is tasty, moist and the perfect combination of tart and sweet. If you love yourself a piña colada or love adding fruits to your desserts, this recipe is for you.

Ingredients

Pineapple Caramel Layer

1 pineapple
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons of bourbon
1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter + extra to prep cake pan
3/4 cup water
Kosher salt, pinch

Cake

113 grams unsweetened desiccated coconut
1 cup (130 grams) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 stick (113 grams) unsalted butter
1/4 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
1/4 cup (50 grams) brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon coconut extract (optional)
2/3 cup coconut milk
1 tablespoon vinegar
2 tablespoons coconut milk powder (optional)

Topping

1/2 cup strained apricot jam
1/2 cup desiccated unsweetened coconut

Directions

Pineapple Topping

9 Steps

Step 1

Prep a 9-inch round cake pan by buttering it well on all sides and lining the bottom with parchment paper.
Step 2

Cut outer skin off pineapple, core and cut into quarters.
Step 3

Slice each quarter as thinly as you can while keeping it intact. It will make trapezoid-eqsue pieces.
Step 4

In a sauce pan, add your pineapple slices, any juices on your cutting board, bourbon and sugar. Add a little bit of water until pineapple is mostly submerged but not floating around in liquid.
Step 5

Boil on medium until pineapple is translucent and nicely poached. This takes about 15 minutes and some pieces on top may take a little longer.
Step 6

Remove pineapple pieces keeping the bourbon sugar syrup in the pan. Set aside to cool.
Step 7

Add butter to the pan with liquid and mix and continue to boil on medium until it thickens and forms a caramel. Add a pinch of salt and make sure it dissolves.
Step 8

Poor the caramel at the bottom of your prepared cake pan and spread around to coat. It is okay if there isn't a crazy amount of caramel, spread it as best you can.
Step 9

Arrange pineapple slices circularly around your cake pan. Overlap until you use up all your pineapple.

Cake

15 Steps

Step 1

Toast desiccated coconut in a frying pan until nice and golden, use a wooden spatula to mix it around so it toasts evenly and does not burn. This can take anywhere from 5 to 10 minutes. Set aside and let cool.
Step 2

Once toasted coconut is cool, pulse 3 to 4 times in food processor until pieces are slightly smaller but the coconut is not a fine powder.
Step 3

In another bowl, combine coconut milk and vinegar and set aside. If coconut milk is separated (fat on top, liquid on bottom, try to mix it together as best you can before measuring it out).
Step 4

Cream butter and sugars together using a stand mixer. This should take about 5 minutes. Make sure to scrape a couple of times.
Step 5

Add eggs one at a time and add vanilla and coconut extract.
Step 6

In a separate bowl, mix dry ingredients flour, baking soda, coconut milk powder, baking powder, kosher salt and ground toasted coconut together.
Step 7

Add your dry ingredients into butter, sugar and egg mixture and slowly pour in coconut and vinegar interchangeably with dry ingredients while mixing on low until everything is mixed well but not overmixed.
Step 8

You may have to remove bowl from stand mixer and use wooden spoon or spatula to make sure everything is combined properly.
Step 9

Poor batter into your pineapple-caramel lined circular cake pan.
Step 10

Bake your cake at 350°F for 40 to 45 minutes until tooth pick inserted in the middle comes out clean. At about 30 minutes, if I find the top of the cake getting too brown, I cover with tin foil and bake until done.
Step 11

While cake is baking, toast extra desiccated coconut and set aside for garnish when cake comes out.
Step 12

When the cake is done, leave to cool for about 10 to 15 minutes. Run a metal spatula along the edge of the cake and carefully flip over.
Step 13

If the parchment comes off with the cake, carefully peel off the bottom of the cake slowly and leave to cool completely.
Step 14

Brush the top with strained apricot jam to add a nice gloss to your cake. You may have to heat strained jam slightly in microwave for 10 seconds to make it easily applicable to your cake with a kitchen brush.
Step 15

Garnish with toasted desiccated coconut and serve!