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1
Heat the Oven and Line the Tin
5 Mins
180°C (350°F)
Heat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Butter a 23 cm (9 inch) round cake tin and line the base with baking paper.
Use a tin with a solid base, not a springform — liquid caramel leaks through the seam.
Done when: Oven at 180°C (350°F); tin buttered and lined.
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2
Make the Caramel and Lay Out the Fruit
10 Mins
Medium heat, about 160°C (320°F)
Melt 60 g of the butter in a small pan over medium heat, stir in the brown sugar and 2 tablespoons of the reserved pineapple juice, and cook 2–3 minutes until the sugar dissolves and the mixture turns a light golden caramel. Pour it into the tin and tilt to coat the base, then lay the 8 pineapple rings in a single layer and set a cherry in the centre of each ring.
Do not let the caramel darken past amber — dark caramel turns bitter once baked.
Done when: Golden caramel coating the base; rings flat in one layer, cherries centred.
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3
Cream the Butter and Sugar, Add the Eggs
10 Mins
Room temperature, about 20°C (68°F)
Beat the remaining 115 g butter with the granulated sugar until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla.
Room-temperature butter and eggs cream properly; cold eggs can curdle the mixture — warm them briefly in warm water if needed.
Done when: Pale, fluffy mixture with the eggs fully beaten in.
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4
Fold in the Flour and Liquids
5 Mins
Room temperature, about 20°C (68°F)
Sift the flour, baking powder and salt together. Fold half into the butter mixture, then the milk and 60 ml pineapple juice, then the rest of the flour — mix only until the batter is smooth.
Stop as soon as the flour disappears; over-mixing makes a tough sponge.
Done when: Smooth, thick batter with no dry flour visible.
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5
Bake Until Golden
45 Mins
180°C (350°F)
Pour the batter gently over the fruit, spread it level without disturbing the rings, and bake at 180°C (350°F) for 40–45 minutes, until the top is golden and a skewer pushed into the centre comes out clean.
If the top browns too fast, lay a sheet of foil loosely over the tin for the last 10 minutes.
Done when: Golden top, sponge springing back when pressed, skewer clean.
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6
Rest, Flip and Serve
10 Mins
Room temperature, about 20°C (68°F)
Rest the cake in the tin for 10 minutes so the caramel sets, then run a knife around the edge, set a plate over the tin and flip it in one confident motion. Lift the tin away and serve warm or at room temperature.
Flip while the caramel is still warm — once it cools it sticks to the tin.
Done when: Cake released cleanly, glossy pineapple rings and cherries on top.
auto_awesome Finishing Touches & Plating
Serve this torta de pina warm or at room temperature, in generous slices, with the caramel glistening over the pineapple rings. A spoonful of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream alongside is the classic finish.
Venezuela
3h
