Mind Over Batter

Do you like piña colada?

How about getting caught in the rain?

Are you like seriously into yoga?

I assume you have half a brain.

Would you, would you relish making love at midnight, in the dunes of some random cape?

Yea, no…I dunno…

I don’t know how I feel about piña colada. It’s just too creamy and frothy for my taste, plus I can never strike the perfect colada to liquor ratio.

As for getting caught in the rain… Well, I will just look like a damn scarecrow once my hair dries.

I’m not much into yoga; mainly because my body just refuses to bend that way.

And let’s be real, no one uses half their brain.

As for making love in the dunes of a cape? Do I really want sand up my crack?

No…

So where does that leave us?

It leaves us with cake. A cake inspired by this piña colada song; as a means of escape.

This cake, for me, conjures up images of an island cabana boy named Pablo on some tropical island.

Is the sand powder white?

Hell yea…

Is Pablo wearing a Speedo?

Sometimes… He’s European, you know…

Is he tanned?

His skin is the color of cinnamon…

Does Pablo have cheese grater abs?

Puh-shaw… Of course he does…

With a flourish, Pablo and his mega-watt smile presents me with, not a piña colada, but with a cake ever so slightly reminiscent of the frothy drink; sweet and moist coconut rum cake with a caramel pineapple topping. The topping has a bit of rum in it. Not enough to overpower the topping, enough to show you what’s what…

And this is happening…

Not because I like piña colada…

Or getting caught in the rain…

Or because I’m really into yoga (I’m not)…

Or because I use a good portion of my brain…

We’ve already spoken about sand up my crack… Let’s not revisit that.

I love this cake because it gives me good reason to escape.

Escape work demands…

Escape numerous deadlines…

Escape the everyday “I want” or “I need”…

Escape unclogging my toilet at least twice a day because I keep forgetting to stop my the Home Depot to pick up one of those snake thinga-ma-joogies…

Escape the monotony…

Just… Escape…

With Pablo…

Today…

Love,

Me…

: Pineapple Coconut Upside Down Cake

For the topping:

• 7-8 pineapple rounds from 1 can of pineapple slices
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar
• Splash of vanilla extract
• 1 ½ tsp. of dark rum

For the cake:

• 1 cup cake flour
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon coconut rum
• 2 teaspoons dark rum
• 1/2 heaping cup sweetened flaked coconut

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Spray the sides (just the sides) of a 10-inch cast iron skillet with pam, vegetable spray, or cake release.
3. Melt 1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) of butter in the skillet over medium heat. Add the brown sugar and stir to combine.
4. Increase the heat to medium /high and cook until the sugar mixture is bubbly, about 2 minutes. Arrange pineapple slices in the skillet and continue to cook for 2 more minutes, or until the sugar mixture turns a nice amber color. Turn the pineapple slices over and remove the pan from the heat. (The mixture will continue to cook even though the heat is off.) Set aside to cool slightly.
5. Stir together the flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium mixing bowl and set aside.
6. In the bowl of an electric mixer, on medium speed, cream together 3/4 cup butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Add the eggs 1 at a time incorporating well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla and rum. With the mixer running at low speed, add the flour mixture and coconut milk alternately in 3 batches, starting and ending with the flour until just combined. Stir in the coconut flakes.
7. Spoon the batter evenly over the pineapple slices in the cast iron skillet. Spread with an offset spatula, if needed. Bake in the middle of the oven until golden brown and a tester comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes.
8. Cool the cake in the skillet on a wire rack for a few minutes, 5 tops. Run a thin knife around the edge of the cake.
9. For the next portion you can either wear oven mitts or use a heavy duty dish towel.
10. Working quickly, invert the cake onto a large round plate, keeping plate and skillet firmly pressed together. Carefully lift the skillet off cake and replace any fruit stuck to the bottom of the skillet, if necessary. Allow the cake to cool completely, then slice and munch on that bad boy… Escape…

Preparation time: 10 minute(s)

Cooking time: 40 minute(s)

Number of servings (yield): 8-10