UPSIDE-DOWN PINEAPPLE CAKE WITH FRESH MINT AND LEMONGRASS
UPSIDE-DOWN PINEAPPLE CAKE WITH FRESH MINT AND LEMONGRASS
Recipe
This cake is great because you can use whatever fruit is in season.
SERVES 12
20 fresh mint leaves (plus a few extra to garnish with)
1 stalk lemongrass, root part cut off and exterior layers removed, chopped into 2cm pieces
300g coconut sugar
150g butter, softened
½ a large pineapple, skin and core removed and chopped into 2cm cubes (about 550g)
4 free-range eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
150g all-purpose white flour
80g ground almonds
2 tsp baking powder
Pinch sea salt
½ cup whole milk
- Preheat the oven to 170°C fan-bake. Grease and line a 22cm diameter cake tin.
- First, in a food processor, pulse the lemongrass pieces, mint leaves and coconut sugar until finely chopped and incorporated into the sugar. Set aside.
- Next, melt 50g of the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add 100g of the coconut sugar infused with mint and lemongrass, stirring occasionally for about 4 minutes.
- Spread this caramel over the base of the tin and arrange the pineapple cubes on top.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the remaining 100g butter and 200g coconut sugar infused with mint and lemongrass together until pale, light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs, one at a time followed by the vanilla.
- In 2 parts, add in the flour, ground almonds, baking powder and salt until just combined. Finally fold through the milk and stop your electric mixer once all the ingredients are combined; do not over-mix.
- Spoon the batter over the pineapple in the tin, smoothing it to make it even on top.
- Bake for approximately 45 minutes, or until the cake is golden in colour, springy to the touch and a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.
- Allow the cake to cool for around 10 minutes, before turning out onto a cooling rack. Garnish with some mint leaves.
- Serve the cake slightly warm with yoghurt, cream or mascarpone. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days.