Honey Glazed Pineapple Cake

Pineapple cake is the one I have baked the most. Got this recipe from the 2005 Christmas edition of the Vanitha magazine.  There were number of cake recipies in that edition, posted by many expert chefs. I cut those pages out and stuck into my recipe book and they have stuck with me till date!

You will need...

Self raising flour - 225gms

Butter - 250gms

Caster sugar - 250gms

Eggs - 5

Lemon juice - 1 lemon's

Glaced cherries - few

Cinnamon powder - 1/2 tsp

Pineapple essence - 1 tsp

Canned pineapple rings - 9-10

Honey to brush

Make sure that the butter and eggs are kept in room temperature for sufficient time.  Seperate egg yolks and white and keep both aside. Chop four slices of pineapple into fine pieces and gently squeeze out the juice. Keep the pieces aside. In a mixing bowl mix butter and caster sugar well, preferably with an electric hand mixer.  Add egg yolks and mix well.  Add lemon juice, cinnamon powder, pineapple essence and mix well.  Take out the hand mixer, add pineapple pieces and mix well with a spatula. Beat egg whites seperate until stiff peaks form and fold into the mixture(mix gently, avoid vigorous stirring to maintain the frothiness of egg whites).  Line the bottom of the baking tin with baking parchment(preferably 2 layers) and arrange the pineapple pieces and cherries as in the picture or according to your liking.  Pour the batter on top. Preheat the oven to 200 degree celcius or gas mark 5 and bake for 30 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.  Cool on wire rack, place it upside down on a cake stand, pour honey on top and spread it out with a pastry brush.

This cake can be moistened and is good to serve as a dessert. To moisten you will need...

Pineapple juice - 1/2 cup

Sugar - 2 tbsp

Rum - 2 tbsp(optional)

Mix everything together and sprinkle on top of the cake evenly before taking out of the tin.

Note:

If you are planning to decorate the cake with sugarpaste or fondant, avoid the pineapple and cherry base. 

If you are using plain flour instead of self raising one, swift the flour with 1/2 tsp of baking powder.

You can divide the batter into three, bake three thin layers and assemble with fresh cream and cherry filling like for black forest, finishing with fresh cream frosting.