Pineapple Upside Down Cake(Eggless) for a "Happy Birthday"

Ahem ahem..its my birthday today and I so badly want everyone to wish me,hence the addition of “Happy Birthday” in the post name!Well,I have to tell you guys,how else would you know,right..?*wink wink*So while you guys sing Happy Birthday to me..I present you people with a yummy cake –Pineapple Upside Down cake.

As always,I had major plans for my birthday cake.Hubby tried to give me an option of ordering a cake from outside(since we stay a stone’s throw away from one of the famous cake shops in Chennai),I was adamant that I would be baking a cake on my own.Had bookmarked many(MANY) recipes.Suddenly,hubby decided to take me out for dinner and we went to GRT Temple bay in Mahabalipuram with friends.Even though I enjoyed each and every moment there,at the back of my mind I was thinking about the cake,to be cut at midnight.We reached home quite late and I had barely 2 hours to whip up the wonder..scanned through the recipe books for the easiest of the lot,decided to let go of frosting/icing since it would take up so much of my time.Chanced upon this one and I knew this was it.Had all the ingredients ready(Thank God for that!),made the cake and cut it at midnight.Planning to relish the rest today..;-)

Recipe Marathon – Day 23

Pineapple Upside Down Cake(Eggless) [Adapted from Nita Mehta's Cakes&Cookies]

Ingredients

Pineapple slices(Canned) – 5-7,thinly sliced
Glazed Cherries – a few,cut into two horizontally
Almonds – a few,halved

Flour/maida – 1 ¼ cups
Baking powder – 1 tsp
Baking soda – ½ tsp

Butter – ½ cup
Milkmaid – ½ tin
Pineapple essence – 1 ½ tsp
Yellow colour – a pinch (optional)

Milk – ½ to ¾ cup,as required
Sugar – 3-4 tbsps,for making the caramel

Method

Grease a round cake tin and arrange a pineapple ring in the centre.Arrange the rest of the slices to fill up the tin(I arranged half slices all over).
Keep a cherry half in the centre of the pineapple rings,the cut side touching the bottom of the tin.
Arrange halved almonds around the slices(flat side touching the bottom of the tin). 

Heat sugar in a heavy bottomed pan till it melts and becomes golden brown.Pour immediately in the cake tin on and around the pineapple slices.Keep aside.

Cream butter and milkmaid.

Beat well and add pineapple essence and yellow colour.

Sift together flour,baking powder and baking soda.

Add the flour and milk to the butter-milkmaid mix little by little till it becomes a smooth batter.

Pour the batter into the decorated cake tin and bake in a preheated oven at 150*C for 30-40 minutes.

Remove from the oven,loosen the sides and immediately turn into a wire rack to cool.

A peep into my fellow marathoners kitchen!!

1) DK
2) Siri
3) Srivalli
4) Ranji
5)PJ
6)Curry Leaf
7)Medha
8)Priya
9)Bhawna
10)Raaji
11)Ruchii
12)Anu
13)Kamala
14)Roopa
15)Rekha
16)Divya M
17)Lakshmi
18)Raaga
19)Lakshmi Venkatesh
20)Sripriya
21)Viji
22)Kamalika
23)Pavani
24)Karuna
25)Roochi
Happy Birthday to me..;-)