LIHU‘E — April 20 is National Pineapple Upside Down Cake Day. It’s a day to enjoy a topsy-turvy dessert where the topping is on the bottom, and the whole thing is flipped over after it’s cooked. The topping usually consists
LIHU‘E — April 20 is National Pineapple Upside Down Cake Day.
It’s a day to enjoy a topsy-turvy dessert where the topping is on the bottom, and the whole thing is flipped over after it’s cooked.
The topping usually consists of canned or fresh pineapple rings, while some chefs place maraschino cherries in the center of the rings, according to the National Food Holidays website.
The Regency at Puakea took advantage of this national observance of a cake, which was popularized in the 1940s by the Dole Co.. The company’s pineapple cannery was located in Honolulu.
The public was offered free slices of Pineapple Upside Down Cake Friday just for stopping by to learn more about the dessert created by its culinary department.
A flier posted near a sitting area states the first Pineapple Upside Down Cake recipe was likely one found in a 1924 fundraising cookbook published in Seattle.
Food History’s website states the Pineapple Upside Down Cake was invented because the development of convenient ingredients, which gave a housewife time to make a cake pretty as well as delicious.
The idea of cooking a cake upside down is an old technique, which started centuries ago when cakes were cooked in cast iron skillets, the website states.
It was easy for the cook to add fruit and sugar in the bottom of the pan and a simple cake batter on top before placing it over the fire to cook.
Flipping the cake over onto a plate was a natural way to show the pretty fruit and let it run into the cake as well.
National Pineapple Upside Down Cake Day is just one of the fun observances the Regency at Puakea, a retired and assisted living facility, said Sharon Lasker, marketing director.
“We recently had National Golf Day where we created a Putting Contest where we don’t know who had more fun, the golfers or the spectators,” Lasker said. “We’re definitely putting this one on our calendar for next year.”
Coming up on their activity calendar is National Kindergarten Day on April 22, when Lasker plans to invite a kindergarten class to enjoy an activity and reading with the residents.
Following that, April 25 is celebrated as National Zucchini Bread Day.
According to the National Food Holiday website, April 21 is National Chocolate-covered Cashew Truffle Day followed by National Jelly Bean Day on April 22 and National Cherry Cheesecake Day on April 23.
Visit www.regencypuakea.com for more information on the Regency at Puakea.
• Dennis Fujimoto, photographer and staff writer, can be reached at 245-0453 or dfujimoto@ thegardenisland.com.
