Coconut-Pineapple Upside-Down Cake
I was nervous when I made this Pineapple-Coconut Upside-Down Cake. Why? Admittedly, I’m not the best baker although I’m getting a lot better. Also, I was cooking this as a birthday cake for my mom so no pressure or anything.
Turns out my worrying was unwarranted. This cake is moist, delicious and full of tropical flavor. I made it while I was on vacation so I didn’t have access to my iron skillet, but I’m sure using it would have taken it to another level. That said, the level this cake is on is already pretty high.
Ingredients:
For the topping:
For the cake:
- 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup sugar
- 3 eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 2 tsp cardamom
- 1/2 cup unsweetened pineapple juice
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup coconut flakes, plus another 1/4 cup toasted coconut flakes
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- For the Topping: Melt the butter in a well seasoned 9” cast-iron skillet or pot (if using cake pan), over medium-high heat. Melt the brown sugar with salt, stirring constantly, until bubbling, about 6 minutes. Remove from heat, add pineapple rings in one even layer in skillet or round cake pan, and set aside.
The topping for Coconut-Pineapple Upside-Down Cake
- Mix the butter in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Add the sugar and beat until creamy.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Add 1/4 cup coconut flakes and stir in. Beat in vanilla and Malibu coconut rum.
- In a separate bowl, combine the flour, cardamom, baking powder, and salt. Add half of the flour mixture to the egg mixture and beat on low speed just until blended.
- Add the pineapple juice and mix to incorporate, add remaining flour mixture, beating until just incorporated.
- Spoon the batter over the pineapple/brown sugar topping, smoothing the top evenly.
- Bake on the center rack of the oven until golden brown and a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Remove from the oven and let stand for 5 minutes.
- To remove from the skillet, run a sharp knife around the edge to release the sides. Invert a cake plate or service platter over the skillet and invert the cake onto the plate, keeping pan and plate firmly pressed together. The cake should drop from the skillet onto the plate.
- Drizzle the cake with additional Malibu coconut rum, top with toasted coconut flakes, and serve.
I made this Pineapple-Coconut Upside-Down Cake while I was on vacation at the beach and it really fit the bill for a beach birthday.
If you’re a fan of coconut and/or pineapple this is the cake for you. I also envision this recipe making some great cupcakes if you place a single pineapple ring in each cupcake slot.
Tags: Baking, Cake, Caramel, Coconut, Dessert, Dessert Recipe, Pineapple, Pineapple Upside Down Cake, Upside-Down Cake
Coconut Shrimp Curry
I’m pretty sure is the third curry recipe I’m posting, but the stuff is just so damn good. This one is a sort of a hybrid of coconut shrimp and Thai curry, hence the name Coconut Shrimp Curry.
Curry is so full of flavor, it’s quickly become one of my favorite dishes. And it’s not that hard to make — especially with the assistance of a food processor.
Coconut Shrimp Curry blends shrimp, vegetables, pineapple and toasted coconut in a Thai curry.
For the curry:
- 1 lb. peeled and deveined shrimp
- 2 cups fresh pineapple chunks
- 1/2 cup red bell pepper, diced
- 1/2 cup green bell pepper, diced
- 1/2 cup sugar snap peas
- 1/3 cup dry toasted coconut
Directions:
- Place all curry sauce ingredients in a food processor and process well. Alternatively, whisk the ingredients together and stir well to combine.
- Pour sauce into a deep pot and heat over medium-high heat until boiling, stirring occasionally.
- Once boiling, reduce heat to medium. Add the vegetables, pineapple and shrimp, stirring to mix. Simmer until shrimp look plump and turn pink.
- Remove from heat and cover to keep warm while you toast the coconut.
Toasted Coconut in Curry
- Place dry shredded coconut (sweetened or unsweetened) in a dry frying pan over medium-high heat. “Fry” the coconut, stirring continually until it turns golden-brown and is fragrant. Then turn off heat.
- Add half of the toasted coconut to the curry and stir to combine.
- Taste for salt and sweetness, adding more fish sauce if not salty enough, and more brown sugar if you want it sweeter. Also, you can also add chili sauce if you’d like it spicier.
- To serve, transfer curry into a serving bowl. Sprinkle the rest of the toasted coconut on top of each dish and serve (over rice if desired).
As I live in New Orleans, I’m lucky enough to have access to fresh Gulf shrimp. They really make this dish stand out from using frozen shrimp, but you gotta use what you have access to. I recommend fresh over frozen any day.
As this is a curry, it goes great over rice, but it’s good enough to eat it without. The choice is yours. Enjoy this Coconut Shrimp Curry!
Tags: Asian Food, Asian Recipe, Coconut, Coconut Milk, Coconut Shrimp, Curry, Curry Recipe, Louisiana Seafood, One Pot Meal, Pineapple, Recipe, Seafood, Seafood Recipe, Shrimp, Thai, Thai Curry, Thai Food, Thai Recipe
Tofu Coconut Curry
In one year I’ve gone from never having tofu to eating it at least once a week. It’s so versatile and goes well with just about everything, but especially curry.
The tofu really takes on the flavors of the curry well. Pair the tofu with coconut curry and vegetables and you’ve got a quick meal of Tofu Coconut Curry that’s loaded with nutrients and low in fat and calories.
Ingredients:
- 1 can reduced-fat coconut milk
The Veggies
- Juice of one lime
- 3 TBSP soy sauce
- 1 tsp brown sugar
- 1 1/2 TBSP curry powder
- 1 TBSP minced ginger
- 2 tsp chili paste
- 1 block extra firm tofu, cut into bite-sized cubes
- 1 tomato, diced
- 1/2 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
- 1/2 green bell pepper, cut into thin strips
- 1/2 red onion, diced
- 1/2 cup mushrooms, sliced
- 1/4 cup basil, chopped
- salt to taste
Directions:
- In a large pot over medium heat, mix coconut milk, curry powder, soy sauce, brown sugar, chili paste and ginger.
Adding the basil
- Bring to a boil and let simmer for 3 to 5 minutes.
- Add tofu, bell peppers, onion, mushrooms and tomato. Combine all ingredients, cover and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Mix in basil. Season with salt or more soy sauce to taste.
- Continue cooking for an additional 5 to 7 minutes or until vegetables are tender, but crisp.
- Garnish with additional basil and serve over rice, if desired.
Make sure to thoroughly coat the tofu in the curry sauce. This recipe is quite spicy. My nose was running after eating it and my palate and body are quite accustomed to spicy food.
Also, the vegetables I used are just a guide. Feel free to experiment with a variety of veggies.
Tags: Asian Food, Coconut, Curry, One Pot Meal, Recipe, Thai Food, Tofu, Vegan, Vegan Recipe, Vegetarian, Vegetarian Recipe
Loaded Carrot Cupcakes
Let’s be honest, carrot cake is some pretty damn good stuff. These cupcakes don’t come from the most traditional carrot cake batter mix, but they’re loaded with goodness. That’s why I’m calling them Loaded Carrot Cupcakes.
I added shredded carrots, crushed pineapple, pecans, walnuts and coconut to the batter to really load them up with a variety of ingredients. The batter is pretty minimal so it’s these ingredients that form the majority of these cupcakes.
Ingredients
- 1 cup white flour
- 1 cup wheat flour
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 TBSP ground cinnamon
- 1 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 3 eggs
Carrot Cupcake Batter
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups shredded carrots
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
- 1 cup shredded coconut
- 1 can (8 oz.) crushed pineapple, drained
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350F. Line a muffin or cupcake pan with cupcake liners.
- Mix flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and center. Form a hollow center then add oil, sugar, eggs and vanilla.
- Mix with a wooden spoon until smooth. Stir in carrots, pecans, walnuts, pineapple and shredded coconut.
Carrot Cupcakes in the Oven
- Pour batter into cupcake liners until each is about 1/2 full (optimist!). Bake for 20-25 minutes or until inserted toothpick comes out clean. Cupcakes will rise while baking then settle some once removed.
This recipe should yield roughly two dozen cupcakes. I whipped up a cream cheese frosting for mine and garnished with some of the remaining shredded coconut.
The pineapple ensures the cupcakes remain moist and the nuts give the cupcakes a nice crunch. I wasn’t sure how these would turn out given my lack of success with baking, but they turned out delicious and (dare I say it) I was proud of the effort.
Tags: Carrot, Carrot Cake, Coconut, Cupcakes, Dessert, Dessert Recipe, Pineapple, Recipe
Red Velvet Pancakes with Coconut-Cream Cheese Icing
Maybe I don’t remember it, but I don’t think red velvet was a big deal back when I was growing up. Now, it’s all the rage — cupcakes, cakes, vodka. This pancake recipe can be added to that list.
The Red Velvet Pancake batter is simple to make from scratch, as is the coconut-cream cheese icing.
Ingredients
Directions:
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt and sugar.
Red Velvet Pancake on the Griddle
- Add egg, milk, heavy cream, melted butter, vanilla and red food coloring and whisk until batter is smooth. A few lumps are okay.
- Cook in batches in a greased skillet the normal way you would cook pancakes.
- For the icing, beat cream cheese and butter until creamy. Then, add in coconut milk and vanilla. Finally, add in powdered sugar (and shredded coconut if you choose) in batches and whisk all until smooth.
- Once pancakes are cooked, top with icing and serve.
While it’s probably a stretch to say these pancakes are part of a complete breakfast, they are part of a delicious breakfast.
They shouldn’t take too long and will be a hit with diners of all ages. Enjoy!
Tags: Breakfast, Brunch, Coconut, Pancake, Recipe, Red Velvet
Po' Boy Livin' Rich 