An Easy, Old-Fashioned Favorite

This is one of my wife's favorite sweets, and for many recalls a wonderful end to the meals of childhood.

Canned pineapple is just fine, though I advise going for the one in its own juice rather than in syrup, and I add some of the juice to the sponge, too. This seems to make it light and fluffy

INGREDIENTS

Serves: 8

• butter (for greasing)
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 6 - 7 slices canned pineapple in juice (plus 3 tablespoons of the juice)
• 11 candied cherries
• ⅔ cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 stick soft butter
• ½ cup superfine sugar
• 2 large eggs

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 400º. Butter a cake pan (but not loose-bottomed nor springform).
2. Sprinkle the 2 tablespoons of sugar on top of the buttered base, and then arrange the pineapple slices to make a circular pattern as in the picture.
3. Fill each pineapple ring with a glace cherry, and then dot one in each of the spaces in between.
4. Put the flour, baking powder, baking soda, butter, superfine sugar and eggs into a food processor and run the motor until the batter is smooth. Then pour in the 3 tablespoons of pineapple juice to thin it a little.
5. Pour this mixture carefully over the cherry-studded pineapple rings; it will only just cover it, so spread it out gently.
6. Bake for 30 minutes, then ease a spatula around the edge of the tin, place a plate on top and, with one deft - ha! - move, turn it upside-down.