Pineapple Inside-Out Spot Cake

Serves 16-20

Hey every one, happy spring! I hope you have been enjoying my recipes.

Since the weather is getting warmer and the outdoors are becoming more inviting, I decided to share a recipe that embodies warm weather and warm welcomes. It’s called pineapple spot cake. You may ask why it’s called pineapple spot cake and not upside down pineapple cake. I figured, why not use pineapples throughout the entire cake instead of only the bottom? Also, if you’ve ever seen the outside of a pineapple, you’ve noticed it is covered with brown spots. So I thought it would be cute to make a cake that looked like a pineapple turned inside out with chocolate chips for spots.

Pineapples always remind me of tropical weather and in many cultures pineapples are associated with the idea of welcoming someone. So try my new tasty recipe and enjoy it with your family and friends, or welcome someone new to your neighborhood, school or workplace with a slice or two.

You will need:

• 1 greased medium sized square pan
• 1 large mixing bowl
• 1 whisk
• 1 colander
• 1 non stick pan
• 1 teaspoon
• 1 small bowl (optional)

Ingredients:

• 18-20 oz. of any cake mix you like
• 20 oz. of unsweetened crushed pineapple
• 3 oz. of coconut flakes
• 3 large egg white
• 1/3 cup of water
• 1/2 cup of vegetable oil
• 12 oz. of mini semi sweet or bitter chocolate chips
• 1/2 teaspoon of green food coloring (optional)
• 16 oz. of whipped cream (optional)
• 3 oz. of coconut flakes (optional)

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Place your coconut flakes in a non stick pan and lightly toast them for about five minutes. Put the toasted coconut aside as they will be used to garnish the top of the cake later. Drain the juice from the crushed pineapple in a colander and taste the juice to see if it’s too tart for you so that you can choose a proper topping later.

Take your cake mix, pour it into the mixing bowl and add the egg whites, drained pineapples, water, vegetable oil and chocolate chips and mix it all together. If you’re wondering why this recipe calls for unsweetened pineapples and semi sweet or bitter chocolate chips, it’s because the coconut flakes and whipped cream should make the cake sweet enough.

Once the ingredients are all incorporated, grease your square pan with some butter and pour the mixture into the center of the pan. Place the whole thing into the oven and bake for about 30 to 35 minutes until it turns a golden brown. If you're not sure if the cake is ready, insert a tooth pick into the center of the cake and pull it out. If it comes out clean the cake has fully cooked. If not, leave it in the oven for another 15 minutes and try the toothpick test once more.

* * *Topping your pineapple cake * * *

With this recipe I usually use either whipped cream or pineapple syrup. This is why I advised tasting the pineapple juice to see just how tart or mild it is. If the juice is a bit too tart for your personal taste, then the whipped cream is probably the best option for you as a topping, as its sugary base will counter against the tartness. But if you decide to use the juice as a topping, simply pour it into a saucepan and let it simmer over a medium flame until the water evaporates, leaving a thick syrup. Wait for the syrup to cool a bit before carefully pouring it onto the baked pineapple cake. This is what I meant by using the pineapple throughout as opposed to just on the bottom.

I like using coconut flakes for this recipe because like pineapples, they are also a tropical fruit. It’s necessary to use a glaze on the cake (either the whipped cream or the syrup) so the flakes can more easily stick to the cake. By now your toasted coconut flakes should have cooled down. Using your fingers, evenly sprinkle the flakes onto the cake’s surface.

I also like to mix the toasted coconut flakes with green coconut flakes to keep up the whole tropical theme. It’s a little extra work but it sure does make the cake even prettier. Place about 3 ounces of coconut flakes into a small bowl and douse it with about a half teaspoon of green food coloring. Mix everything with the teaspoon until the white flakes are completely green and use your fingers to sprinkle the green flakes onto the cake.

P.S. If you'd like to sample my pineapple inside-out spot cake in cupcake format and meet me, you can do both this Sunday, April 27 from 7 to 10pm at Arlene's Grocery, 95 Stanton Street (between Orchard & Ludlow) in the Lower East Side, near the 2nd Ave. station on the F line.