Pineapple Goguma Upside Down Cake
Not your traditional pineapple upside-down cake.
Pineapple Goguma Upside-Down Cake
Makes 1 - 9 in cake
I’ve made pineapple upside-down cake only a few times for customers when I was younger. I hadn’t made one in more than 15 years before the idea for this cake implanted itself in my head. It uses goguma or Korean sweet potato as the cake base. Goguma has a purple-ish peel and white or yellowish flesh with a mild sweet and nutty flavor. The resulting cake is dense, silky, moist and earthy. Think pound cake in texture. The cake is perfectly countered by tender caramelized pineapple in a soy-spiced caramel. The combination is unexpected but delicious with the sweet and salty balance paired with juicy fruit.
“Recipe Tips:
1. I used a dark-colored cake pan and lined the bottom with parchment to prevent burning and sticking.
2. When choosing a cake plate, choose something with a lip. When the cake is turned out, there will be extra caramel that you don’t want to run off the edge.
*3. I like to use fresh pineapple for the right amount you need about 1/2 of a pineapple. To prepare it, after peeling and quartering the fruit, remove the core and slice across the fruit to make the appropriately shaped slices.
**4. I used 2 - 3 medium potatoes, pricked and microwaved for 5 mins flipping halfway through.”
Ingredients
Pineapple Topping
*500g fresh pineapple, cut into 0.25 in slices
120g (0.50 c) dark brown sugar
42g (3 T) butter
4 t soy sauce
2 T pineapple juice
0.25 t ground cinnamon
0.25 t ground allspice
Goguma Puree
**240g (1 c) goguma, steamed and mashed
75g (5 T) granulated sugar
70g (5 T) butter, melted and cooled
2 T vegetable oil
100ml (0.50 c) milk
Cake batter
147g (1.25 c + 2 T) all purpose flour
6g (1.5 t) baking powder
3g (0.75 t) kosher salt
0.50 t ground cardamom
2 large eggs, room temperature
0.75 t almond extract
Recipe Know-how
1. Preheat an oven to 190 C / 375 F.
Line the bottom of a round cake pan with parchment.
2. Tightly arrange the pineapple in concentric circles that barely overlap on the bottom of the cake pan. Set aside.
3. In a small heavy-bottomed saucepan place the brown sugar and butter for the pineapple topping.
Over medium heat, melt the butter and sugar until gently bubbling.
Carefully add the soy sauce.
Be careful as the mixture will bubble and sputter when the liquid is added.
Stir frequently for 30 seconds.
Add the pineapple juice and spices.
Cook for 1 minute longer or until the caramel begins to thicken slightly.
Pour the topping over the pineapple and set aside.
4. Add the goguma puree ingredients to a food processor.
Puree until very smooth. Set aside.
5. In a medium mixing bowl, add the flour, baking powder, salt and cardamom.
Whisk together to combine well.
In a small bowl, combine the goguma puree with the eggs and almond extract.
Add the puree mixture to the dry ingredients.
Using a rubber spatula, stir the puree into the flour until the flour has all been moistened.
This is a very thick batter, only stir the mixture until there is no dry flour left.
Place dollops of the batter over the pineapple topping.
Using a rubber spatula, carefully spread the batter to the edges of the pan.
Tap on the counter a few times to settle.
Bake for 25 – 30 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.
Remove from the oven to a cooling rack and let stand for 2 minutes.
Run a thin knife around the edge of the pan to release the cake.
Using a kitchen towel, carefully turn out onto a plate and allow to cool to room temperature.
I suggest turning the cake over the sink to prevent any caramel from spilling.
6. Cool for 30 minutes, slice and serve.
