Pineapple Upside-Down Coffee Cake - Vegan

The mild sweetness of the cake is offset by the tangy pineapple and mellowed by tones of vanilla and molasses. I used cornmeal to create a more texturally interesting cake, but one can certainly replace it with white flour or corn flour for a fluffier crumb.

The "Topping"

1t non-hydrogenated margarine + more for preparing pan
.25 C brown sugar
about 1/4 of a pineapple, sliced into 1/8-1/4-inch thick pieces lengthwise

In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar and 1 t of the margarine with fingers until homogenous and set aside.

Coat a 8 x 8 or 9 x 9-inch square baking pan with margarine, line with parchment (leaving an overhang on two opposing sides) and coat the parchment with margarine as well. Sprinkle or spread the browns ugar mixture ovenly over the bottom of the pan. Cut pineapple slices into pieces about 4-inches long, ang arrange as picture above. Set pan aside while preparing the cake batter.


The Cake

.75 C fine-ground cornmeal
.75 C unbleached all-purpose flour
1.5 t double-acting baking powder
1/8 t ground cardamom or 1.4 t ground cinnamon

.25 C canola oil
.5 C light brown sugar, lightly packed
1/3 C granulated sugar
.5 t kosher salt

1/8 t vinegar
1 C coconut milk*
1 T vanila extract

Sift together the dry ingredients and set aside. In a separate container, stir together the wet ingredients and set aside.

Cream together the oil, sugar and salt until lighter in color and texture. With the mixer running on low speed, add the flour mixture and mix until even. Scrape the bowl well before adding the wet mixture at low speed.

Pour into prepared pan and even the top with a spatula. Gently, run the spatula across the top of the cake in an X pattern, from corner to corner. Bake 20-30 minutes, until golden brown, springy and cake-tester comes out clean.

Remove from oven and let cool on wire rack 20 minutes before unmolding. Remove parchment paper and serve warm or at room temp.