Amanda Laird: Upside-down pineapple palm sugar cake

Upside-down pineapple palm sugar cake. Photo / Babiche Martens

Makes one 25cm round cake

30g butter, softened
150g palm sugar, or 3 rounds
3 Tbs water
1 pineapple
180g butter, extra
150g caster sugar
170g self-raising flour
2 Tbs desiccated coconut
3 eggs, lightly beaten

1. Preheat oven to 180C. Grease a 25cm loose-bottomed cake tin with the first measure of butter. Dissolve the palm sugar in the water over a medium heat and cook until deep golden, stirring for about 7 minutes. Pour this caramel evenly over the base of the cake tin.

2. Peel and halve the pineapple. Remove the core and slice into pieces; arrange on top of the caramel.

3. Cream the butter and caster sugar until pale. Fold in the dry ingredients, alternating with the eggs, until combined. Spoon over the pineapple and bake for 50 minutes. Allow to cool for a few minutes, then run a knife around the edges before inverting. Serve with yoghurt or cream.