Mean Chef's Pineapple Upside-down Cake

Total Time: 1 hr 5 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 35 mins

Ingredients

• 14 pineapple slices (rings from 1 1/2 20 ounce cans packed in unsweetened pineapple juice)
• 1/4 cup pecan halves
• 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt, preferably kosher
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup creme fraiche (homemade or store-bought) or 1 cup sour cream
• 6 ounces unsalted butter, divided and at room tempature
• 1/2 cup dark brown sugar (lightly packed)
• 1 tablespoon bourbon (optional)
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature

Recipe

• 1 preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• 2 use a 10-inch (measure across the bottom) cast iron pan. (although this cake can be made in a round cake pan, it is better if you use cast iron).
• 3 drain pineapple slices and place on paper towels to absorb moisture. (you will need 8 whole slices; the other 6 will be cut in half).
• 4 whisk or stir the flour, baking powder, and salt together just to blend; set aside.
• 5 in a separate bowl, stir the vanilla into the creme fraiche or sour cream; set aside.
• 6 melt 2 oz of butter in the cast iron pan.
• 7 add the brown sugar and bourbon (if using) and cook over medium heat, stirring with a wooden spoon, until the sugar melts.
• 8 place 1 whole pineapple slice in the center of the pan and 7 whole slices surrounding it.
• 9 place the half slices side by side against the sides of the pan, the two cut edges down touching the brown sugar.
• 10 place pecan halves in the middle of each pineapple slice and in the gaps between the fruit.
• 11 place remaining butter (4 oz.) and the granulated sugar in the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or use a hand-held mixer, and beat on medium-high speed until the mixture is smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed.
• 12 the butter and sugar must be beaten until light and fluffy; don't rush it- the process can take 3 to 4 minutes with a heavy-duty mixer and 6 to 8 minutes with a hand-held mixer.
• 13 reduce speed to medium adding eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
• 14 working with a rubber spatula, carefully fold in dry ingredients and creme fraiche alternately- 3 additions of dry ingredients, 2 of creme fraiche. (you will end up with a thick batter).
• 15 spoon batter over pineapple and smooth the top by spreading the batter with an offset spatula.
• 16 put the cast iron pan in the oven and bake for 20 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of cake comes out clean (test in a couple places to be certain).
• 17 as soon as the cake is removed from the oven, turn it out onto a round plate large enough to hold the cake.
• 18 if any of the fruit sticks to the skillet, use a small spatula to place it back on the cake.
• 19 note: the cake can be kept wrapped in plastic at room temperature overnight.