Pineapple upside-down cakes recipe

My introduction to proper cooking came when I opted for domestic science in the fifth year at school instead of technology. I loved woodwork, but found metalwork painfully dull. Filing away at a piece of metal for four weeks seemed a dreary way to get a key ring. That was when, for the first time in history, boys could do domestic science instead of another subject. Only four of us joined Miss Bell, a young Delia lookalike, for cookery lessons, but we had a bit of a laugh. Our first achievement was pineapple upside-down cake.

Prep time: 15 minutes | Cooking time: 40-50 minutes

MAKES

Six

INGREDIENTS

• 330g butter, softened

• 330g caster sugar

• 1 small pineapple, peeled, cored and cut into 6 x 2cm rings

• 4 large eggs

• 200g self-raising flour

• 2 tsp baking powder

• 50g ground hazelnuts

METHOD

1. Take six individual round tart tins about 3-4cm deep. Melt 80g of the butter and mix together with 80g of the caster sugar in a small bowl. Brush half this mixture over the sides and base of the tin.

2. Heat the remaining melted butter mixture in a frying-pan until it begins to bubble.

3. Add the pineapple slices and cook over a medium to high heat, turning every so often, until they begin to colour. Remove from the heat.

4. Place a pineapple ring and a tablespoon of the cooking liquid in each mould, reserving any excess.

5. Preheat the oven to 175C/155C fan/gas mark 4. Put the remaining butter and sugar, the eggs, self-raising flour, baking powder and hazelnuts in a food processor and mix together for a minute or so until smooth. Pour the mixture evenly into the tins and cook for 30-40 minutes, until golden. Leave to cool a little, run a knife around the edge of each tin and turn out on to warmed serving plates. Spoon over any excess cooking liquid and serve either hot or warm with thick cream or crème fraîche.