Carrot Pineapple Upside Down Cake

This was crazy delicious!  Adapted from Cuisine Magazine, it’s moist, like a carrot cake, gooey like a traditional pineapple upside down cake and it develops a wonderful crunchy-caramel-y edge in the iron skillet in the oven.  The toasted pecans in the batter are a must and it got me thinking this would work great with some switch outs like coconut-oatmeal-chocolate chips-apples-zucchini-macadamia nuts-hazelnuts–stop me now.  You need to try this one!

Carrot Pineapple Upside Down Cake

serves 12

8 tablespoons butter

1 cup brown sugar

8 rings of pineapple, 1/2″ thick

8 maraschino cherries

2 cups flour

3 teaspoons Baker’s Sprinkles or your favorite baking spices such as cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg and ginger

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

 1 1/2 cups sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

4 eggs

1 cup canola, vegetable oil or a good quality olive oil

3 cups shredded carrots

1 cup pecans, toasted and chopped

Preheat oven to 350º.  Melt butter in a 12″ cast iron skillet over medium heat.  Stir in brown sugar; simmer 2 minutes.  Place one pineapple ring in the center of the skillet and remaining rings around the edges.  Place a cherry in each hole.  (or however many will fit)

 Whisk together the flour, spices, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl.

 Beat sugars and eggs in a mixer until thick and creamy.  With the mixer running slowly, drizzle in the oil, beating until combined.  Stir in carrots and pecans, and then stir in flour mixture until combined.  Pour batter into skillet and bake until tester inserted in center comes out clean, about 50-60 minutes.  Let cake cool in skillet for about 10 minutes and then invert onto serving platter.