Gingerbread Pineapple Upside Down Cake

It's been a sucky day. This heavy feeling of moroseness and downness? is inexplicable, my classes went smoothly today, with the students eager and curious. So I bake. I love the constant rhythm of motion in the kitchen, the precise measurements of ingredients, greasing my elbows and the warm sugary scent of baked goods wafting from the oven. Other than running, it's one of the few times when my mind is emptied of other neurotic thoughts, and focused solely on the essence of dessert. 

In this case - sticky gingerbread upside down pineapple cake! The flavours are spicy but not overwhelming and I under baked them slightly for a gooey, moist interior.The sweet creaminess of white chocolate pairs surprisingly well with the autumn spices. All in all, not a bad way to drown my troubles, no? 

Baker's Notes

• It's important to let the cake rest before serving, this allows the brown sugar to form a caramel topping!
• I added extra nutmeg and cloves to give the cake an extra oomph! 

Gingerbread Pineapple Upside Down Cake

(Serves 5) Recipe adapted from The Seasonal Baker

·        3/4 cup all-purpose flour

·        1/2 teaspoon baking soda

·        3/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon

·        1/2 teaspoons ground ginger

·        Pinch of nutmeg

·        Pinch of cloves

·        1/2 teaspoon salt

·        3/8 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

·        1/4 cup molasses

·        1/4 cup (packed) light brown sugar

·        1/4 cup white sugar

·        1/4 cup buttermilk / sour cream

·        1 large eggs

·        1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

·        100g chopped white chocolate

·Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Melt ¼ cup of the butter and put in the muffin moulds

·  Sprinkle brown sugar evenly over the moulds and level with a fork. Arrange pineapple slices in the pan on top of the butter sugar mixture. Fill in the open spaces of the pan.

· In a medium bowl, sift dry ingredients and set aside. In another bowl, mix molasses and sour cream.

· With a mixer, beat remaining 1/2 cup of butter and all the white sugar on medium speed till light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes. Add eggs in one at a time, beating well after each addition. Turn mixer to low, add flour mixture in 3 batches, alternating with the molasses. You should begin and end with the flour mixture.

· Spread the batter over the pineapple. Bake, rotating the pans 2/3s of the way through baking time, until a skewer comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let stand for 5 minutes. Allow the cake to cool to room temperature.