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Baking: Room Temp vs Chilled Ingredients with Mandy Tanner

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When it comes to baking, the temperature of your ingredients is actually very important. Mandy Tanner explains why it matters and offers some tips on when to use chilled ingredients and when to use room temperature ingredients.

Cast Iron Pineapple Upside Down Cake

by Traeger Kitchen

Prep Time

15 Min

Cook Time

40 Min

Serves

6

Pellets

Apple

We’ve given Grandma’s favorite pineapple upside down cake recipe an update by baking it on the Traeger for a subtle kiss of wood-fired flavor. Using canned pineapple slices and boxed cake mix makes creating this gorgeous cake super easy. Sweet and fruity, it's the perfect dessert for barbecue.

Ingredients
main
1 20-ounce can pineapple slices in pineapple juice
As Neededbourbon (optional)
4 Tablespoonbutter, melted
1 Cupbrown sugar, packed
8 jarred maraschino cherries, stemmed if desired
1 box yellow cake mix
As Neededvegetable oil
As Neededeggs
    Steps
  • 1

    Preheat the Traeger with the lid closed to 350°F; this will take about 15 minutes.

  • 2

    Pour off the juice from the can of pineapple slices to measure the amount of liquid the boxed cake mix calls for, usually 1 cup of water. If the juice is a bit shy, make up the difference with bourbon (or milk or water). That said, if you want that hit of bourbon but have enough juice, go ahead and pour a little of the juice off and add a bit of the booze. Set the pineapple juice aside.

  • 3

    Pour the melted butter into a 12-inch cast iron skillet. Sprinkle the brown sugar on top of the butter. Arrange the pineapple slices on the brown sugar, squeezing in as many slices as possible. Place a cherry, good side down, in the center of each pineapple slice, press it gently into the brown sugar.

  • 4

    Mix the cake batter as directed on the box, substituting the reserved pineapple juice for the water and adding the required oil and eggs. Pour the batter into the skillet to cover the pineapple and cherries.

  • 5

    Place the skillet on the grill grate and bake until light golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 40 minutes.

  • 6

    Immediately run a knife around side of skillet to loosen the sides of the cake. Place a cutting board or heatproof serving plate over the skillet. Carefully, as the skillet is hot, turn the plate and pan over. Leave the pan on the cake for 5 minutes so the brown sugar topping can drizzle onto the top of the cake. Remove the skillet. Let cool briefly before slicing. Enjoy!