Gluten-Free Upside Down Pineapple Ginger Cake

This is not your grandmother’s cake. Popular in the 1950s and ’60s, pineapple upside-down cake is cool again. If you wait long enough, almost everything comes back into fashion! Today, we know the health benefits of ginger and have evidence-based nutrition research and diet management to help IBS. I hope you enjoy this new twist on an old favorite.

Servings: 10
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 35 minutes
Total time: 50 minutes

Ingredients for gluten-free upside down pineapple ginger cake

For the pineapple base:

• 2 Tbsp vegan butter
• ¼ cup coconut sugar, packed
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
• 1 20-ounce can sliced pineapple rings (save the juice for the cake!)
• 5-6 cherries (canned, fresh, or frozen), halved

For the cake:

• 1 1/2 cup gluten-free all-purpose baking flour
• Reserved pineapple juice (~1/3 cup)
• 2/3 cup coconut sugar, packed
• 2 large eggs
• 1/4 cup sunflower seed oil
• 2 Tbsp maple syrup
• 1 Tbsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup almond milk
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp almond extract (optional but tasty)

Directions for gluten-free upside down pineapple ginger cake

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. For the base: Heat vegan butter and in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet over medium low heat until melted. Turn off heat and sprinkle the coconut sugar and fresh ginger on top. Place the pineapple rings (in 1 layer) over sugar. Place a cherry half in the center of each pineapple ring and between them.
3. For the cake: In a large bowl, combine GF flour, coconut sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ground ginger, and salt. Whisk very while to combine. In a separate bowl, whisk eggs, oil, maple syrup, almond milk, fresh ginger, almond extract, and vanilla. Add the wet mixture, along with the apple cider vinegar and reserved pineapple juice, to the dry ingredients. Whisk until blended and smooth.
4. Pour batter over the pineapple layer in the cast iron. Place pan in the oven and bake for about 35 minutes, until the top is amber brown and a toothpick comes out clean from the center.
5. Let the cake cool in the pan for about 10 minutes. Loosen the cake around the sides with a knife or scraper. Place a large plate over the top of the skillet (use a glove to touch the skillet and the handle which could still be hot!) and swiftly in one motion invert the skillet onto the plate. Carefully pull the skillet up to remove from the cake. Allow the cake to rest for another 20-30 minutes.
6. Enjoy with a dollop of vanilla yogurt or fresh whipped cream!