Pinapple Upside-Down Bundt and Sunflowers

A quick comment and then a discussion of sunflowers and cake:

I'm a total slug and I know it. I am just having a hard time sitting at the computer because I'd rather be out and about town. I've also realized that I've been avoiding the computer because I've been getting major headaches while writing. I've finally made an appointment with the eye doctor. Frankly, I'm getting old and will probably need the dreaded reading glasses.

OK, so now onto the more important topic: pineapple upside-down cake. Pineapples, to me, are the sun. We can reach out and touch the sun, enjoy it's sweetness. I make my cake in a bundt pan because I love that it looks like the sun and therefore reminds me of sunflowers. (I also use the small diced pineapple and leave off the horrible unnatural marciano cherries for it is all about the pineapple and the cherries only serve to distract.)

I love sunflowers. They have surrounded me my whole life. The wallpaper in my childhood bedroom was floor to ceiling length sunflowers, which were very 1960's in style.

Ever since I could plant a seed I've grown sunflowers.

And, of course, Vincent Van Gogh's Sunflowers (Fritillaries) are possibly my favorite paintings ever, blue or yellow background, doesn't matter which, I love them all. I even had my boys paint them as part of their "art" lessons when I home schooled. My boys were ages 7 and 9. I framed their paintings and hung them up, still the first thing I see when I leave my bedroom. And, despite their lack of complexity, because they are my children's art and they are sunflowers, the two paintings bring me great joy.

I think about Van Gogh's mental health from time to time and I have to pause at the miracle of his art. I marvel at his ability to walk out of that dark place in which he often found himself and create such bright and joyous works of art. As we all know, his mental illness ultimately claimed his life, but what he left was nothing short of a brilliance that brings, to others, the very happiness that was missing from his life.

If you have the opportunity, go out, plant some sunflowers and enjoy the spectacular blooms. Then, when the seeds are ripe, enjoy watching all the birds that will visit the garden to enjoy the bounty.
And, when it is raining, bake a pineapple upside-down cake and bring a little sunshine into your home.


Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

Topping:
1 cup of firmly packed dark brown sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter
2 8oz cans crushed pineapple

Cake:
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
6 Tbsp cake flour
6 Tbsp of almond flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 cups of sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature
4 large eggs
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup sour cream


Combine and melt brown sugar and butter in a saucepan on medium heat until sugar dissolves and the mixture is bubbly. Pour mixture into a buttered bundt pan. Drain the pineapples and spread evenly over the sugar mixture.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Whisk the flours, almonds, baking powder, and salt in a large mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the sugar and butter together until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Beat in the vanilla. Add dry ingredients alternately with sour cream beating well after each addition. Pour batter in pan.

Bake cake until tester inserted into the center comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Cool cake completely before turning cake onto dish.