Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

Source: Bette Hagman and Carol Fenster, as presented at a cooking class at the national conference of the Gluten Intolerance Group in Winston-Salem, North Carolina in 2002

3/4 cup brown sugar or maple sugar
2 tablespoons water or pineapple juice
1 small can pineapple slices, drained
1 cup garbanzo/fava bean flour or sorghum flour
1/2 cup potato starch or cornstarch
1 cup tapioca flour
1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup dairy-free margarine or 1/2 cup cooking oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup soft silken tofu
Grated peel of 1 lemon
1/2 cup boiling water
Cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In 10-inch cast iron skillet sprayed with cooking spray, combine sugar and water. Bring to simmer over low heat, swirling pan occasionally, until sugar dissolves. Cook for another minutes, gently swirling pan if sugar is coloring unevenly. Remove from heat. Let cool 10 minutes. Mixture will firm slightly as it cools.

Arrange pineapple evenly in caramel. Set aside.

Sift together flours, xanthan gum, ,baking powder and salt. Set aside.

In food processor or with electric mixer, cream together sugar, butter (at room temperature), vanilla extract, tofu and lemon peel. Process or beat on high until completely smooth and glossy. Add boiling water and process until completely mixed. Add flour mixture and process until smooth. Scrape down sides of bowl with spatula, if necessary. Spoon batter gently over pineapple in skillet. Bake about 30 to 35 minutes or until cake tester inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool for 5 minutes.

Loosen edges with a knife. To invert cake onto a serving plate, place plate top down over skillet. Wearing oven mitts on both hands, hold plate and skillet together and flip so plate is on bottom and skillet is on top. Remove skillet. Cool to room temperature.

Makes 12 servings.