FRESH PINEAPPLE UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE

FRESH PINEAPPLE UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE

Preheat your oven to 350 and cut a parchment paper liner for the bottom of a 9" round cake pan. Spray the pan and parchment paper with a light coating of cooking spray. The parchment paper is not absolutely necessary, but it helps if you have a "sticking" issue with the sweet pineapple glaze (you can use waxed paper in a pinch).

5 tablespoons of melted butter
2/3 cup brown sugar (packed)
3 cups fresh pineapple cut into 1" cubes (see note)
maraschino cherries cut in half
1 & 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 & 1 /2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup butter (room temperature)
2/3 cup white sugar
2 eggs
3/4 cup pineapple juice (or milk)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon butter extract
1/2 cup pecans chopped medium-small

Mix melted butter with brown sugar and spread evenly in prepared 9" round cake pan. Set aside.

Cut pineapple into 1" chunks and blot them dry between several thicknesses of paper towel (press on them a little to extract excess juice).

For the batter, cream the butter and sugar until it is really fluffy. Under-beating the butter at this stage will give you a poor quality cake. When it is nice and fluffy, add the eggs (one at a time) and extracts and beat until its fluffy again.

Sift the flour, baking powder and cinnamon into a bowl. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture in three parts, alternately with the pineapple juice (or milk) starting and ending with the flour. Set aside.

Assembly: Nestle the pineapple, pecans and cherry pieces down into the brown sugar mixture in the cake pan (arrange in pretty fashion because this will show). Pour the cake batter over the top and very gently spread it out.

Bake in 350 oven for 45 to 55 minutes or until a toothpick tests clean (my oven took exactly 45 minutes). Remove from oven and sit pan on a cooling rack for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, run a thin bladed knife around the edge of the cake and invert onto a serving plate. Serve cake warm or at room temperature.

NOTE: I cut the pineapple into very small pieces (almost a dice) and arrange the cherries randomly over the cake. If you use this diced pineapple style, it only takes two cups of diced fruit instead of three.

Banana Pineapple Nut Bread

Banana Pineapple Nut Bread



Serves: 8 (1 thick or 2 thin slices)

1 ½ cup all- purpose flour

1 (4-serving) package JELLO-O sugar-free
instant banana cream pudding mix

1 tsp. Baking powder

½ tsp. Baking soda

1/4 cup (1 oz.) chopped pecans

8 maraschino cherries, chopped

1/3 cup (1 ripe medium) mashed banana

1 cup (one 8 oz. Can) crushed pineapple, packed in fruit juice, undrained

1/4 cup Land O lakes no-fat sour cream

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.

Spray a 9x 5 in. loaf pan with butter-flavored cooking spray.

In a large bowl, combine flour, dry pudding mix, baking powder
and baking soda. Stir in pecans and maraschino cherries.

In a small bowl, combine banana, undrained pineapple and sour cream.

Add banana mixture to flour mixture. Mix just until combined.

Evenly spread batter into prepared loaf pan.

Bake 55-65 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Place loaf pan on a wire rack and let set for 5 minutes.


Remove bread from pan and continue cooling on wire rack.
Cut into 8 thick or 16 thin slices.

H.E. = 1 Bread, 1/2 Fruit, 1/2 Fat, 20 OC

Pineapple Angel Food Cake

Pineapple Angel Food Cake
Serves 6

1 (8 oz) can pineapple chunks in juice
1 (6.2 oz) pkg white angel food cake mix
3 tbsp shredded coconut
3/4 cup seedless raspberry all-fruit spread
2 tsp raspberry liqueur or fresh lemon juice

Preheat the oven to 350 deg F.

Place a sieve over a cup measure or small
bowl. Add the pineapple and drain; set the juice aside.

Cut the pineapple into small chunks.
Return the pineapple to the sieve and set over the cup measure.
Gently press out any excess juice with the
back of a spoon.

Prepare the cake mix according to package
directions, omitting the water specified on the box.

With an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the cake mix and
6 tablespoons of the pineapple juice for 1 minute.
(Reserve any remaining pineapple juice
for another use.)

With a large rubber spatula, gently fold in the
reserved pineapple chunks and the coconut until just combined.

Scrape the batter into an ungreased 4 1/2 x 8 1/2-inch loaf pan.

Bake immediately, until the top is golden brown and springs
back when gently touched, 25 to 30 minutes.

Immediately place the pan on one side on a rack and
cool completely, about 1 hour.

To loosen, run a thin-bladed knife around the edges of the pan.

Invert onto a plate or cake rack, then reinvert right-side up.
Combine the fruit spread and the liqueur or lemon juice in a
small microwavable bowl; microwave on High 40 seconds;
stir until smooth. Serve cake with the sauce.

Per serving (1/6 of cake with 2 tablespoons sauce): Calories 196;
Fat 1g;Chol 0mg;Sodium 230mg;Carb 43g;Fiber 2g;Protein 3g
Weight Watchers Magazine, Jan/Feb 03

Florida Cream Coconut Cake

Florida Cream Coconut Cake

1 (4 serving) pkg. JELL-O sugar free vanilla cook-and-serve
pudding mix
1 (4 serving) pkg JELL-O sugar free orange gelatin
1 c Diet Mountain Dew
2 (8 oz) cans crushed pineapple, packed in fruit juice,
undrained
1 (11 oz) can mandarin oranges,rinsed and drained
2 1/4 c Bisquick Reduced Fat Baking Mix
1 1/2 c Splenda Granular
1/2 c flaked coconut*
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 c I Can't Believe It's Not Butter Light Margarine, melted
1 (12-fluid-ounce) can Carnation Fat Free Evaporated Milk
4 egg whites, slightly beaten
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 c Cool Whip Lite

In a medium saucepan, combine dry pudding mix, dry gelatin,
Diet Mountain Dew and undrained pieapple. Cook over medium
heat until mixture thickens and starts to boil, stirring
constantly. Remove from heat.

Stir in mandarin oranges. Place saucepan on a wire rack and allow
to cool for 30 minutes. Meanwhile preheat oven to 350*.

Spray a 9x13 inch baking pan with butter flavored cooking spray.

In a large bowl, combine baking mix, Splenda, 1/4 c coconut and
baking powder. Add margarine and milk. Mix well, using a sturdy
spoon. Stir in egg whites and coconut extract. Evenly pour batter
in prepared cake pan.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until top of
cake springs back when lightly touched. Place cake pan on a wire
rack and let set for 15 minutes. Evenly spread cooled fruit
mixture over cake.

Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Just before serving,
spread Cool Whip Lite over fruit mixture, and garnish with
remaining 1/4 c coconut. Cut into 12 servings.

Serves 12. Each serving equals:
HE: 1 Br, 1 Fa, 1/2 Fr,1/4 FFM/ 1/2 Sl, 18 OC
211 calories, 7 g Fa, 5g Pr, 32 g Ca, 502 mg So, 134mg Cl, 1 g Fi
DIABETIC EXCHANGES: 1 1/2 St/Ca, 1 Fa, 1/2 Fr

Keeping Fresh Pineapple

Keeping Fresh Pineapple

You can store a pineapple in the refrigerator for 2 or 3 days if you
wrap it in plastic below the crown. If you slice it or remove from the
shell, pineapple can be stored in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days.
It's best to eat fresh pineapple as soon as you can.