Upside-Down Brunch Cake
Submitted by RicanMami
Microwave upside-down brunch cake with ham, crushed pineapple, and brown sugar under a cornmeal batter. Sweet and savory in under 30 minutes.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
10 minCOOK
20 minREADY
30 minThis brunch cake flips the script on sweet-only morning baking. A layer of brown sugar, crushed pineapple, and cubed ham bubbles together at the bottom while a cornmeal batter cooks on top. Flip it out onto a platter and you’ve got a sticky, caramelized base with savory ham peeking through.
The whole thing cooks in the microwave, which sounds unusual for cake but actually works well here. The cornmeal gives the batter enough structure to hold up without the browning you’d get from an oven. Starting on medium power lets the center cook through without rubbering out the edges.
Don’t skip the 10-minute rest before inverting. The sugar layer is molten lava straight out of the microwave, and the cake needs time to pull away from the dish so it releases cleanly.
Chef Tips
- Drain the pineapple thoroughly. Squeeze it in a paper towel. Excess juice makes the sugar layer watery instead of sticky and caramelized.
- Don’t overbeat the batter. Stir just until smooth. Overworking it makes the cake dense and tough.
- Check doneness by scratching the surface. The top looks wet in a microwave, but scratch near the center with a toothpick. If the texture underneath looks set, it’s done.
- Serve with warm maple syrup drizzled over the top for an extra layer of sweetness.
Variations
- Bacon and apple: Swap the ham for crumbled bacon and the pineapple for thinly sliced apples.
- Oven method: Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 20-25 minutes in a greased cast iron skillet if you prefer a browned crust.
- Tropical twist: Add shredded coconut to the brown sugar layer along with the pineapple for a Hawaiian-inspired brunch.
Ingredients
Directions
Stir together flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder and salt.
In a 2-cup measuring pitcher, beat together egg, milk, and oil.
Set aside.
In the cover (a 1-qt m/w safe casserole would work) cook margarine, uncovered, on 100% power (high) for 30 to 45 seconds or until melted.
Stir in brown sugar until combined.
Stir in pineapple. Cook uncovered, on high for 2 to 3 minutes or until bubbly, stirring once.
Stir in ham. Add milk mixture to flour mixture and stir just until batter is smooth (do not overbeat).
Spoon batter over hot sugar mixture. Cook, uncovered on 50% power (medium) for 6 minutes, rotating dish a half-turn once.
Cook uncovered, on high for 2 minutes.
Test for doneness by scratching the wet surface near the center with a wooden toothpick.
A cooked texture should appear underneath.
If not done, cook, uncovered, on 100% power (high) for 30 seconds to 2 minutes more.
Let stand, uncovered, for 10 munutes.
Invert onto a serving platter.
Cut until wedges. Serve warm with syrup.
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