EASY PINEAPPLE UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE

Add a handful of desiccated coconut and some lime zest to the dry ingredients for an extra kick of tropical flavour

Canned and frozen fruit is a bit of a lifesaver at this time of year. In terms of fresh, I’ve been on a rotation of apples, bananas, oranges and pears since Christmas and it’s starting to feel terribly monotonous. So it’s great to be able to bring in a bit of variety and enjoy some of our cherished summer stars in the middle of winter at very little cost.

Contrary to popular belief, the canning or freezing process doesn’t necessarily reduce the nutrient levels. Freezing, in fact, does a great job of preserving them as the ripe produce is

Canning or freezing doesn’t reduce the nutrient levels

usually blast-frozen just after picking. Some vitamins may be lost during the canning process as the fruits are heated, but many are not and they are still a healthy option as long as you choose fruit that is canned in juice rather than syrup.

In both cases, what you do tend to lose is the texture of fresh fruit, but that is not always a bad thing. Canned stone fruits, such as peaches and apricots, have a slightly softer and silkier texture, which makes them great on porridge and delicious baked into almondy streusel cakes. Frozen berries can be thrown straight into smoothies or simmered to a compote to go with yogurt or french toast. Canned pineapple, meanwhile, makes a fabulous upside-down cake (see recipe), bringing a bright burst of sunshine to the dark depths of January.

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Lightly grease a 20cm round cake tin and line the base with a disc of baking parchment. Use a little butter to grease over the parchment, then scatter with 1 tbsp of the sugar.

Melt the butter and set aside to cool slightly.

Drain the can of pineapple, reserving the juice. Scatter the fruit over the greased parchment. Put the cake tin on a baking tray.

Combine the remaining sugar, flour and half a tsp of fine salt in a large mixing bowl.

Using a balloon whisk, in a separate mixing bowl whisk 2 medium eggs together, followed by the melted butter and then the reserved pineapple juice.

Whisk the wet ingredients into the dry until combined. Pour over the pineapple in the cake tin and bake for about 45-50 minutes or until a skewer inserted at the centre comes out clean. Best served warm with ice cream.