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Desserts

Cheater’s Pineapple Upside Down Cake.

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When you’re in the mood (as was I) for a delicious slice of Pineapple Upside Down Cake but you dislike baking (too precise for my liking) nor do you have the time to make one from scratch, you reach for a boxed cake mix and get busy in the kitchen. Do you enjoy your Pineapple Upside Down Cake warm as I do?

You’ll Need…

1 boxed cake mix
Ingredients mentioned on the package
2 tablespoon golden brown sugar
15-20 maraschino cherries
2 can pineapple slices
pineapple juice from the can
2-3 tablespoon melted butter

Notes! The cake mix I opted for said to use 1 cup of water, however I replaced that with the pineapple juice/syrup from the can the slices came in (1 cup). In the video below I explained a few things to help get the perfect cake. Including how to adjust the bake time, why I used the cherry flakes cake mix and how using an orange cake mix may enhance the flavor of your finished cake even more.

Place all the mentioned ingredients (from the packaged cake), except replace the liquid with the pineapple juice and create the batter. Try to not over-mix.

I used a bundt baking pan, however you may use any baking pan you have on hand. As you pre-heat the oven according to the cake’s instructions, brush the pan with the melted butter, then sprinkle on the brown sugar evenly.

You may watch the video below to watch how I did this step, along with adding the pineapple slices and cherries.

Pour in the batter evenly, then tap the pan to have the batter settle evenly. If you’re using the same style pan I used, may I recommend putting it on a baking tray before placing it in the oven. Explained in the video below.

Bake according to the package instructions. BUT!… you will need to adjust the cook time to compensate for the pineapple slices we added. After the recommended bake time, I did the toothpick test. Basically you stick a toothpick into the thickest part of the cake and if it comes out wet or with batter stuck to it, it means you need to place the cake back into the oven.

In my case it took a further 10 minutes of baking to get to the beautiful golden color and for the toothpick to come back out dry.

Let it cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then flip it onto the dish you’ll be serving it on. You may need to use a knife to loosen the sides before removing the cake from the pan.

There’s nothing wrong with using a boxed cake mix (all the stupid comments on IG), as the results are spectacular… especially for a novice baker as I am who just wanted a warm slice of Pineapple Upside Down Cake.

christmas cake sliced
Desserts Holiday Recipes

A Non Traditional Caribbean Christmas Rum/Fruit Cake.

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Let’s be CLEAR, this is NOT a traditional Caribbean Christmas cake. However, this is for people who want cake but are a bit afraid of baking. For those of us who want something close to a traditional holiday cake, but didn’t soak their fruits for months leading up to Christmas as we normally do in the Caribbean. And finally, for those of us who just want a simple, quick and tasty cake.. with a hint rum and dried fruits.

You’ll Need…

2 boxed cake mix
1 cup rum (dark)
1 1/2 cup Port (or sherry – any fortified wine)
1 teaspoon nutmeg (fresh grated)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 orange (zest)
1 cup raisins
1 cup prunes (rough chop)
1 cup citrus peel
1 cup mixed fruit
1-2 tablespoon Caribbean Browning
1 1/2 tablespoon Vanilla

  • more Port or Rum for soaking the finished cake
  • whatever ingredients is mentioned on the box of the cake

Tip: Orange Zest – most oranges in north America tend to be coated with wax to enhance their shelf life, so try to get an organic orange for better zest. Wash and pat dry before zesting.

In a food processor or blender place the citrus peel, raisins, mixed fruit, prunes, cinnamon, ginger, vanilla, nutmeg, rum, orange zest and Port. I like to give the prunes a rough chop as a means of verifying that there are no seeds. There are times when the package say seedless, but the odd seed still sticks around.

Puree to the consistency you like – I like tasting the ‘fruit’ in the cake so I go a bit chunky. Scrape down the sides.

Now for the packaged white cake (if you can find Orange flavored cake, that will rock).. pour the contents into a large bowl and add whatever the package says (eggs, butter etc). Whisk until smooth.

Add the “Browning” (check you local Caribbean grocers for Caribbean style browning) and whisk in for a bit of color and flavor. Then fold in the pureed fruits into the batter.

Now all you have to do is divide into two baking dishes and bake according to the cake’s package directions. I used a Bundt pan which I sprayed with cooking spray as I find I get a more evenly cooked cake, due to the hole in the center. You’ll notice that I didn’t divide the batter evenly – your choice.

45 Minutes later at 350 F the cake were fully cooked. But do pay attention to the package cooking time and use a toothpick to test doneness (stick a toothpick into the thickest part of the cake and if comes out dry, it’s fully cooked). You may need to adjust the cooking time to compensate for the density of the fruits we added.

Remove from the pan and place on a wire rack to cool (I used the same pan to cook the second cake). Once cool I brushed on some more Port – a Caribbean thing! Feel free to brush with rum instead if you wish.

Remember to NOT drive after eating this Port soaked cake. Simple, light and packed with fruity goodness. A treat when you don’t want all the work associated with a traditional Caribbean Rum / Black / Fruit cake.

Drop me your comments below, tag me on Instagram and don’t forget you can now get my cookbook – The Vibrant Caribbean Pot, 100 Traditional And Fusion Recipes @ CaribbeanPot.com/CookBook/

Recipe Card

christmas cake sliced
Print Recipe

No-Soak Caribbean Christmas Rum (Fruit Cake)

Recipe Keys: Freezer Meals Sweets Wheat
Prep Time 20 mins Cook Time 45 mins Marinate Time 45 mins Total Time 1 hr 50 mins

Description

This simplified version of the traditional Caribbean Christmas cake is perfect for those who didn’t soak fruits months in advance. Using boxed cake mix and a blend of dried fruits soaked in rum and port, it delivers festive flavors with less effort.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. In a food processor or blender, combine citrus peel, raisins, mixed dried fruit, prunes, cinnamon, ginger, vanilla extract, nutmeg, dark rum, orange zest, and port. Blend to desired consistency, scraping down the sides as needed.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, prepare the boxed cake mixes according to package instructions. Add Caribbean browning and whisk until well incorporated.
  3. Fold the fruit mixture into the cake batter until evenly distributed.
  4. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
  5. Grease and flour Bundt or cake pans. Divide the batter between the pans. Bake according to package directions, typically 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
  6. Allow cakes to cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack. Once completely cooled, brush the tops with additional port or rum.
  7. Slice and enjoy. Store any leftovers in an airtight container.
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