Sometimes the classics are the best and this pineapple and cherry upside down traybake is truly one of the best. It’s probably because the pineapples I’m using are from the wonderful people at Opies who sent me a box of wonderful goodies. Whilst a pineapple upside down cake isn’t the first cake that springs to mind when thinking about Christmas, I actually think it’s very festive. It could be the golden colour or the nostalgia is gives me and takes me back to my childhood. Or it could be the rum-soaked pineapples which are very christmassy. Either way it’s my new seasonal favourite and a traybake version is perfect for sharing this Christmas.
Opies
If you don’t know, Opies is a delicious range of pickles and home baking products available in ASDA, Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Morrisons, Waitrose, Ocado and many others. Founded in 1880, they are one of the oldest private family-owned food companies in the country and are still family run to this day!
Some of their well-loved products include gherkins, pickled walnuts, cocktail cherries, stem ginger with syrup, fruits with alcohol and many more. So whether you’re looking for the best ingredients for that showstopper cake or something delicious and tangy to elevate your cheeseboard or salads, Opies have something you’re bound to love!
#Fromourtabletoyours campaign
This Christmas, Opies is launching its campaign #Fromourtabletoyours. Like many of us, they believe some of the best moments happen around the table. Whether together on the big day or simply in the lead up to Christmas, many of us are looking forward to precious time with family and friends, catching up on lost time and creating new memories after being apart for so long. And it goes without saying, this occasion is going to call for great food and of course this is where Opies comes in.
My pineapple and cherry upside down traybakeis all about sharing and it uses both the incredible Pineapple in Spiced Rum as well as some stunning Black Cherries in Kirsch.
- butter (for greasing)
- 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
- 6 – 8 slices of the wonderful Opies Pineapple in Spice Rum
- 8 -9 Opies Black Cherries in Kirsch
- 145g self-raising flour
- 75g ground almonds
- 220g butter at room temp
- 220g caster sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 3 large free-range eggs
preheat the oven to 180°C. and line and grease a 23cm cake tin – make sure you use a solid tin, no loose-bottoms nor springform or all the juices will ooze out.
sprinkle the 2 tablespoons of brown sugar on top of the buttered base, and then arrange the pineapple slices to make a circular pattern then fill each pineapple ring with a cherry, and then dot one in each of the spaces in between.
put the flour, butter, caster sugar, vanilla and eggs into a mixer and beat until the batter is smooth. Then pour in 3 tablespoons of the incredible spiced rum pineapple juice to thin it a little.
Pour this mixture carefully over the cherry-studded pineapple rings; it will only just cover it, so spread it out gently.
Bake for 30 minutes, then allow to cool entirely in the tin on a wore rack. Once cooled, ease a spatula around the edge of the tin. Place a plate on top and, with one deft – ha! – move, turn it upside-down.
Check out Dom in the Kitchen for more cake recipes.
Eat and of course, enjoy!
