Some recipes come from cookbooks. This one comes from a mother's handwriting on a piece of paper, dated September 15, 1998. Thelma Marie Heiselman's Pineapple Upside-Down Cake is built the old-fashioned way — in a cast iron skillet, with a brown sugar and pecan base, separated egg whites folded into the batter for lift, and the whole thing flipped onto a plate while it's still warm. The kind of cake that made a kitchen smell like home.
A family recipe shared by Thelma Marie Heiselman — September 15, 1998
Serves: 8–10 | Bake Time: 40–45 minutes | Level: Intermediate
Ingredients
The Topping (goes in the skillet first):
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
- 1 can (15.25 oz) pineapple slices, undrained — reserve 1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon of juice
- 6–8 maraschino cherries
The Cake Batter:
- 3 eggs, separated
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F.
- Melt the butter in a 9-inch cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add the brown sugar and chopped pecans and stir well until combined. Remove from heat.
- Drain the pineapple slices, reserving 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon of the juice — set the juice aside. Arrange the pineapple slices over the brown sugar mixture in a single layer. Place a maraschino cherry in the center of each pineapple ring. Set the skillet aside.
- In a large bowl, beat the egg yolks until thick and lemon-colored. Gradually add the sugar, beating well after each addition.
- In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the flour mixture to the egg yolk mixture alternately with the reserved pineapple juice, stirring just until combined.
- In a clean bowl, beat the egg whites at room temperature until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the beaten egg whites into the batter — do not overmix; you want to keep the air in.
- Spoon the batter evenly over the pineapple slices in the skillet, spreading gently to the edges.
- Bake at 350°F for 40–45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the top is golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and let cool in the skillet for 30 minutes — this step is important; do not rush it.
- Run a knife around the edge of the skillet. Place a large serving plate face down over the skillet, then carefully invert the skillet so the cake releases onto the plate with the pineapple and cherries on top.
- Place the maraschino cherries in any gaps as desired and serve warm or at room temperature.
A note from the kitchen: This recipe was originally written for a cast iron skillet — and that is the right tool for the job. The cast iron holds heat evenly and gives the caramelized topping its deep, rich color. A 9-inch round cake pan works in a pinch, but nothing beats the original.
Shop This Recipe: A 9-inch cast iron skillet is the heart of this recipe. Browse our cast iron cookware collection at thekitchenwins.com and find the pan that belongs in your kitchen.
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