Welcome back to our series featuring Food Holidays: April 20th National Pineapple Upside-Down Cake Day. My mom and I loved this Cake and so does David.
I remember as a child my grandmother making National Pineapple Upside-down Cake Day for Sunday dessert. I just wish I had a Bundt Cake Pan like my grandmother had to make a Pineapple Upside Down Cake for David and I. Before you ask no, Charlie wouldn’t want a slice. At the moment he isn’t eating desserts which could change at any time.
National Pineapple Upside Down Cake Day celebrates a sweet cake that contains pineapples and cherries. Americans have been enjoying this Springtime cake since the early 1900s. When many cakes were made in cast iron skillets.
Five things to know about Pineapple Upside-Down Cake
- The term ‘upside down cake’ wasn’t used very much before the middle of the 19th century, but the style of baking probably dates back much further, probably to the Middle Ages.
- The early recipes for Fruit Upside Down Cakes were made in cast iron skillets on top of the stove. Sounds like its time to clean my dads Cast Iron Pans out for Charlie to try cooking in.
- The classic American ‘Pineapple Upside Down Cake’ dates to sometime after 1903, when Jim Dole invented canned Pineapple. #HomeschoolTeachingMoment have your child do a report on Jim Dole.
- The Hawaiian Pineapple Co. (now Dole Pineapple) held a pineapple recipe contest in 1925, with judges from Fannie Farmer’s School, Good Housekeeping and McCall’s magazine on the judging panel. The 100 winning recipes would be published in a cookbook the following year.
- The Hawaiin Pineapple Company ran an ad campaign in 1926 based on the fact that so many recipes for the cake had been submitted, naturally making the Pineapple Upside Down Cake even more popular.
Fun Fact:
Caribbean Indians placed Pineapples or Pineapple crowns outside the entrances of their homes to symbolize friendship and hospitality. You could have your children do this today and see if anyone knows what it means.
The Spanish explorers thought Pineapples looked like pinecones, so they called them “Pina.” The English added “Apple” to associate it with juicy delectable fruits.
Pineapple, “halakahiki” in Hawaiian, meaning foreign fruit, has been grown in Hawaii since the early 1800’s. #HomeschoolLanguageLesson
HOW TO OBSERVE #PineappleUpsideDownCakeDay
In our Homeschool Cooking Class this morning Charlie is going to bake up a Pineapple Upside-Down Cake. Using fresh or Pineapple. Although we could have used canned Pineapple.
Don’t forget we will be serving Tropical cake warm for the best impact which your whole family will be glad. Would you like to join us for a slice?
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
