Tag Archives: Pineapple

Fresh Pineapple Cake

Posted on by Laurie

PinappleCakeUncut

Fresh Pineapple Cake

This is a very light, moist cake with a coarse crumb that is not overly sweet. Serve for breakfast with fresh fruit and yogurt or for afternoon tea.

1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour or white rice flour (for gluten-free)

1 t. baking powder

1/4 t. salt

1 stick unsalted butter, softened

3/4 c. granulated white sugar

2 lg. eggs

1 c. buttermilk or whole milk

3/4 c. fresh pineapple cubes (between the size of raspberries and blueberries)*

confectioner’s sugar for garnish

edible flowers**, herbs, fresh pineapple for garnish, optional

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Prepare an 8″ round cake pan or decorative cake pan with baking spray or with butter and flour. (For gluten-free, use rice flour.)

2. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

3. In a medium bowl, beat butter until it is light and fluffy. Add granulated sugar and continue to beat for about 5 minutes or until the mixture is light and fluffy. Scrape sides of bowl. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape sides of bowl.

4. Lightly beat in 1/3 of flour mixture, then 1/2 c. of buttermilk or milk. Scrape sides of bowl. Repeat, and then beat in the remaining flour mixture.

5. Fold pineapple into batter. Spoon batter into the prepared cake pan, using the back of the spoon to smooth and level top of batter.

6. Bake for about 40 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the center tests clean.

7. Cool cake in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Invert cake onto cake plate to serve right away or onto wire rack to continue cooling. Dust the cake with confectioner’s sugar before serving. Garnish as desired.

* Canned pineapple tidbits can be substituted in the recipe for fresh pineapple, if well-drained first.

** Daisies and lemon balm leaves are shown here. Daisies are edible and taste similar to parsley. So they are not very dessert-like in flavor, but they are a pretty garnish.

Enjoy!

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Father’s Day Shrimp & Pineapple Cocktail

Posted on by Laurie

On my father’s side of the family, no holiday celebration is complete without a shrimp cocktail. I love to serve fresh pineapple in my shrimp cocktails, and of course, a sauce made with hot horseradish. If my father were here today, this is what I would make for him. Happy Father’s Day!
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Shrimp & Pineapple Cocktail 

for 4 people

2 lbs. boiled shrimp, chilled

1 ripe, fresh pineapple cut into chunks

1 recipe Cocktail Sauce, chilled (below)

crushed ice

Fill serving glasses with crushed ice, leaving room for Cocktail Sauce. Arrange shrimp and pineapple. Top glasses off with Cocktail Sauce. Serve right away. Enjoy!

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Boiled Shrimp

a handful of baby carrots or 1 carrot cut in quarters

1 rib of celery, cut in half

1 clove garlic

1 bay leaf

1 t. ground paprika

1/2 t. salt

2 lbs large shrimp, peeled and cleaned (thaw first if frozen)

ice

Place first 6 ingredients in a large pot of cold water. Cover and bring to a boil. Boil for about 10 minutes before adding shrimp. Add shrimp taking care not to splash the boiling water. Stir. Return pot to a boil. Cook until shrimp turn pink and rise to the surface. Shrimp will be opaque in the middle when cooked through. Drain shrimp. Immediately rinse with cold water. Cover shrimp with ice to stop cooking.  Discard carrots, celery, garlic and bay leaf. Transfer shrimp and ice to a plastic bag. Seal and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.

Prepared Horseradish

Homemade prepared horseradish doesn’t contain all of fillers found in the store-bought kinds and so  is generally much hotter.

1 1/4 c. fresh horseradish cut into 1/2″ cubes*

1/2 c. distilled white vinegar

1/2 t. sugar

1/2 t. salt

Process ingredients in the bowl of a large food processor until horseradish is desired consistency. Transfer to a sterile jar, cover, and store in the refrigerator.

* Wash and peel horseradish before cutting into chunks. Be warned, it is rather stinky to work with.

Cocktail Sauce

1 1/2 bottles of Heinz Chili Sauce

2 – 3 T. fresh squeezed lemon juice, or to taste

2 – 3 t. prepared horseradish, or to taste

Pour chili sauce into a medium bowl. Stir in lemon juice and horseradish to taste. Cover and chill until serving.