- TOPPING:
- 3 cups pineapple (rings or chunks)
- 6 strips of bacon
- 3 tablespoons of bacon drippings
- 1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
- BATTER:
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoons salt
- Or use: 1 1/2 cups of Pamela's Pancake & Baking Mix instead of the top three ingredients
- 1/2 cup softened butter
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup sour cream OR yogart
THE BACON: Cook the bacon in a skillet or oven until caramelized, set aside 1/4 cups of the drippings.
TOPPING: In a small bowl stir together 3 tablespoons bacon fat and brown sugar. Spread evenly over the bottom of a 9x12" round cake pan. Pat the pineapple dry with clean towels and arrange evenly, along with the bacon strips, on top of sugar mixture.
BATTER: Ina bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. In another bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Then add eggs one at a time beating well after each addition. With last egg, add in vanilla. Add the flour mixture alternately in batches with the sour cream, beginning and ending with the flour mixture and beating well after each addition. Pour the batter into a pan, spreading it out evenly, and bake in the middle of a preheated 350 degree oven for 45-55 minutes or until a tester comes out clean.
Let cake cool for 15 minutues before running a thin knife around the edges of the pan and inverting onto a plate for serving.
Yes, again with the pineapple! But this time... it's with bacon as well. Bacon... We ALL LOVE the bacon!
This also seems to go along with the whole comfort food theme that seems to have emerged this week. I'm okay with that and plan to continue the theme as long as I can. This transition from winter into spring and it's seemingly prolonged effects this year will lead anyone to a little comfort while waiting as patiently as possibly for the sun to reappear. *sigh*
I found this recipe while shopping this past weekend, grabbed it and thrust the small piece of paper in front of Jean Paul's nose. His initial response was the typical lift of the french nose in disgust. And this is a man who LOVES bacon, "ze most wonderful thing American... besides you, mon chere!" once declared.
I decided to go ahead with my bacon and pineapple preparations, confident that he would come around eventually... which he did upon his first bite. "Zis is AH Mazzzzz Zinc! Parh fect c ion! Viola!" followed by a kiss and his exit, plate filled high and fork in mid-bite.
I have to agree with Jean Paul... It was that good.
The recipe itself was a little more than expected. When I had initially read it, along with the ingredients, I felt it would be easy-peasy... but somewhere in the middle of my pineapple sitting, and the bacon sizzling while beating my eggs... I had that slight panic of "wow this is a little more complicated than I thought." But I was also in the midst of trying to cook dinner as well. No, I haven't perfected the timing of all events in the kitchen and still get a little overwhelmed from time to time... this was one of those moments. It didn't last for very long; Jean Paul eventually emerged from his study ready to help.
We cooked the recipe according to the directions and baked the cake for 45 of the minutes suggested. Jean Paul took the cake out of the over and tested it. Although it did come out clean, it was a little wet in the center when we cut into it and at that point, I had wished that I would have cooked it for another 5 or 10 minutes. Please be sure to check this completely when you try this for yourself. I am certain that with a few extra minutes, it will make all the difference.
I would possibly like to try this again using a normal sponge cake recipe for the cake itself, but I will admit that the "pancake cake" is probably the best option when adding the bacon. We had it again for breakfast this morning. Yes, I am completely okay with that!
Try it and let us know what you thought of the recipe on our
facebook page! We'd love to hear form you. And what would you add to improve on the flavor?