Pineapple Angel Food Cake… So Yummy!

So, recently on Facebook my friends have been sharing recipes that go around on Pinterest as well.  I wont give my opinion on that, but I do respond to a few of the recipes that have failed in the past for me.  This one has popped up a lot.  It is for pineapple angel food cake.  It is super easy.  And so yummy!  If I make a cake here, it only lasts a few days (and there are only 2 of us living here)!

This cake was a go to for my grandma, who was diabetic.  The sugars are all natural, so she could have it in moderation.  We made it a lot growing up.

The recipe shows a picture similar to this (there are a couple variations going around on Facebook and Pinterest.

 

The most important omission on the recipes flying around is the fact that you MUST USE A ONE STEP angel food cake mix.  If you use a 2 step mix, it will not rise and is rubbery.  Here is a good recipe for this super yummy cake:

 

1 box (1-step) angel food cake mix

1 large can crushed pineapple

Directions

Put dry cake mix in bowl (do not add the water as directed on the box). Add entire can of pineapple with juice. Mix carefully until all dry mix in incorporated. Pour into either a tube pan, 9×13 pan, or cupcake pan with liners. Bake at 350 degrees for time on box for size pan (around 30-40 minutes). When sides pull away from pan and toothpick, cake is done.

Can also use low calorie cherry, blueberry, or lemon canned pie filling instead of pineapple.

Pineapple Upside Down Muffins-YUM!

Growing up, my mom worked at my aunt and uncle’s bakery, Schmiemeier’s in Des Peres.  She still works there today, event though it is no longer owned by my family.  When I was 14 (ok so not legally, but still, “old enough”), I was allowed to start working on holidays during the craziness.  Then when I turned 15, I was able to start working the Sunday shift (6:30-12:30).  I really liked this shift because I was able to go in at 6 to help my uncle ice the rolls and put them on the plastic pans for the store.  We would talk as we were icing the rolls about anything from school to life to tattoos.  Those Sunday mornings still mean so much to me.  I am thankful for those times.

Now, that all being said.  I spent a lot of time in bakeries and around bakery items.  The smell of icing still turns my stomach thinking about eating it.  I really dislike cake.  The number of sweet items from the bakery that I enjoy eating, I can count on one hand.  My uncle would make pineapple upside down muffins.  They were SO good!  In the past few weeks, I have been craving them so much, I had a dream about them.  Yes, I know I could have asked my mom to bring some home from the bakery, but I figured I would just make them myself instead. Betty Crocker had a decent recipe, so I added the recipe to my Pinterest arsenal and baked them yesterday.

Here is Betty’s picture:

 

Here is her recipe: http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/pineapple-upside-down-cupcakes/c30fa990-ecf3-4664-a8e1-0a50c8c5c0a8

 

 

1 can (20 oz) sliced pineapple, drained, juice reserved

1 box Betty Crocker® SuperMoist® yellow cake mix

1/2 cup vegetable oil

3 eggs

1/3 cup butter, melted

2/3 cup packed brown sugar

12 maraschino cherries, cut in half

• Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 24 regular-size muffin cups with cooking spray.
• Cut each pineapple slice into 4 pieces; set aside. In large bowl, beat cake mix, oil, eggs and reserved pineapple juice with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds. Beat on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally.
• In small bowl, stir together melted butter and brown sugar. Spoon 1 1/2 teaspoons butter mixture into each muffin cup. Top each with 2 pineapple pieces. Place cherry half, cut side up, in center of pineapple pieces. Spoon 1/4 cup batter into each cup.
• Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes. Run knife around edge of cupcakes to loosen; invert onto cookie sheet. Serve warm

 I did not add the cherries (I would have just thrown them out anyways).  I also will used crushed pineapple next time instead of the slices.  There were not enough slices, cut into fours, to add 2 to each cup.  So I had to re-cut a few.  It was a pain.  Otherwise, they are so yummy!  I have to stop myself from eating more than one a day!