Pineapples may be the international symbol for hospitality, but a cake baked in one is more than gracious – it’s delicious. In this tasty take on dessert, the batter absorbs a bit of the pineapple juice as it cooks, creating a moist, airy confection.
Light the hardwood briquettes.
Remove and discard the leafy crowns of the pineapples. Cut off and reserve the pineapple tops. Using a pineapple slicer, remove the fruit, core and juice from the husk. Reserve pineapple slices in the juice; discard core. Blot inside of the husks with a paper towel to remove excess juice. Set aside.
Mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
In a separate bowl, combine the melted butter, sour cream, eggs and vanilla.
Slowly add the wet mixture to the dry, mixing as you go until there are no lumps.
Spoon 1 cup of batter into each husk. Cover with pineapple tops.
Wrap the husks in two layers of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Dump coals into a pile and nestle pineapples among the coals. Cook, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Use tongs to rotate the pineapples occasionally to prevent the husks from burning.
Remove the pineapples from the grill and let stand in the aluminum foil for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, using an electric mixer, beat the whipping cream and brown sugar until soft peaks form.
Remove the pineapple tops and serve cake in the husks, with whipped cream and pineapple slices as garnish.
3¼ cups, plus 2 Tbsp., all-purpose flour
2¼ cups sugar
3 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
3 pinches salt
3 sticks unsalted butter, melted
1½ cups sour cream
6 eggs
2 Tbsp. pure vanilla extract
3 cups heavy whipping cream
3 Tbsp. golden brown sugar, packed
This article appears in Sep 1-30, 2011.