Pineapple Upside-Down Cake...The Healthier Way!

Greetings Divas! And welcome to the end of another productive work week. I thought it would be a great idea to end the week with a delicious recipe that is perfect for Sunday dinner. Over the past few years, I have developed somewhat of a sweet tooth. Every few days or so, I crave something sweet...cake, cookies, candy, anything with sugar in it! Obviously, partaking in this habit is never beneficial to my waistline...or my hips...or my thighs...you know where I'm going with this!

I am a big fan of Cooking Light Magazine. Their recipes always taste great, and they're healthier for you than their traditional counterparts. So when I started getting a craving for Pineapple Upside-Down Cake, I immediately went to Cooking Light's website in search of a recipe...and I found one! The recipe looked easy and simple, and I already had many of the ingredients in my cabinets. I made a trip to the supermarket to retrieve the rest of the ingredients, and I was ready to make my cake.

Check out these nutritional stats and make it happen!

Classic Recipe

367 Calories Per Serving

367 Milligrams of Sodium

14 Grams of Fat

Cooking Light Recipe

264 Calories Per Serving

280 Milligrams of Sodium

7.9 Grams of Fat

Ingredients

- 1 (20-ounce) can pineapple slices in juice, drained

- Cooking spray

- 1/3 cup fat-free caramel topping

- 9 maraschino cherries, drained

- 5 tablespoons butter

- 2/3 cup sugar

- 2 large eggs

- 1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk

- 1 teaspoon baking powder

- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

- 1/4 teaspoon salt

- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda

- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

Recipe

1. Preheat oven to 350°.

2. Press 9 pineapple slices between paper towels until barely moist; set aside. Reserve the remaining pineapple for another use.

3. Coat a 9-inch square baking pan with cooking spray; drizzle caramel topping over bottom of pan. 

4. Arrange prepared pineapple slices in a single layer over caramel; place 1 cherry in the center of each slice.

5. Place the butter in a large microwave-safe bowl. Cover and microwave at high 1 minute or until the butter melts. Add sugar, stirring with a whisk. Add eggs, and stir well. Stir in low-fat buttermilk and next 4 ingredients (buttermilk through baking soda). Lightly spoon 1 1/4 cups flour into dry measuring cups, and level with a knife. Add flour, stirring just until blended (do not overstir). Pour the batter into prepared pan.

6. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool for 1 minute in pan on a wire rack. Place a plate upside down on top of the cake, and invert onto plate. Cool completely. Cut cake into squares.

My next suggestion is to get a few of your friends to help you partake in the deliciousness that is the Pineapple Upside-Down Cake. And make sure you enjoy it with the satisfaction of knowing you are eating a lower calorie, lower fat version of cake...and it tastes good!

To view the Cooking Light recipe, Click Here!
 

For other delicious recipes courtesy of Cooking Light, check out its website at www.CookingLight.com.  

LEX