Moist caramel-soaked tropical Pineapple Upside Down Cake scented with rose water and licorice-like Star Anise.
Get something sweet and succulent in your gob. And, dissolve.
This dish will overcome any belief that vegan food can’t be super yummy.
Make this:
- When your favourite Aunty Jill is coming over for tea and you’d like a special dessert that will have her thrilled
- When you’ve got your kiddies’ School Fete organised and need a cake as your contribution
- When you’ve a dinner party organised and a sweet treat for guests will polish off your event
Pineapple Upside Down Cake was inspired by nostalgia for common school café food and creating a gluten-free version to satiate.
Blanched almonds, I purchase from a nifty Asian outlet in Hayes. It has an online presence too which can be found here – I love it because it is reasonably priced and tends to be good quality stuff which I use.
Pineapple Upside Down Cake is vegan and gluten-free.
What to do next
Tag me on @ethiveganquantum on Instagram to show me what you’ve made and let me know you’re happy for me to share.
My recipes are featured in vegan speciality publications: Nourished, Vegan Life, Plant Based and Vegan, Food and Living.
Order my first self-published book, “Essence: The Beginner’s Guide to Veganism” part of the three-part Circle of Food series. My second book “Presence: The Ascending Vegan” – which explores how to maintain a vegan practice is out in 2027 – I have compiled all the chapters including recipes.
Going strong since 2013.
Love.
Edward x
Ingredients
- ½ pineapple for base
- 150g millet
- 100g polenta
- 50g almonds, blanched
- 2 Star Anise
- 1tsp baking soda
- Pinch of salt
- 125ml olive oil
- 150g flesh of pineapple
- 2tsp rose water
- 100g brown sugar
- 25ml olive oil
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to gas mark 180 degrees Celsius or if you have a fan oven 160 degrees Celsius.
- Line a cake tin with olive oil and parchment paper at the base set to one side.
- In a food processor, grind the polenta, sugar, Star Anise. Place in a large mixing bowl with the baking soda and salt. Set to one side.
- In a non-stick pan, caramelise the brown sugar and as it softens and melts, add the olive oil. The sugar should crystalise. Transfer to and line the base of the cake tin.
- Cut the pineapple into rings removing the core and cutting into pieces. Lay on top of the sugar.
- Any excess pineapple flesh, weigh to 150g and blend in a blender with the olive oil and rose water.
- Fold the wet ingredients in to the dry ingredients with a spatula and lay on top of the pineapple pieces.
- Cover with foil. Bake in the oven for about 1 hour. The crust will turn into a light golden colour and a skewer should be able to run through.
- Remove from heat and set to one side until cool.
- Serve on its own or with ice-cream.
