Sunday was Mark’s 65th birthday so I invited a few of his close friends over for a casual lunch and chat and cake. One of the attendees had a birthday two days prior, so we sang the song to both and they both blew out a candle.
Someone asked how this cake is made. “Easy. Make a coffee cake batter. Liberally melt some butter in the bottom of your cake pan. Liberally sprinkle brown sugar over the butter. Sprinkle drained pineapple over that. Some people use pineapple rings, but I don’t. Dot it with halved maraschino cherries. Pour coffee cake batter over all. Bake 35 minutes. Cool 10 minutes. Flip it over over platter. Serve it warm.”
From his surprise that the goodies were in the bottom of the cake pan before the batter, I gathered that he thought the cake was actually upside down underneath the caramelized pineapple and cherry topping! There’s the logical mind of a former U.S. Navy Seal at work. There’s pineapple, and there’s upside-down cake beneath it.
And a photo of the first-of-the-it’s-not-spring cerise and cotton-candy pink daphne from the master gardeners’ garden, brought as a fragrant gift for the birthday guy:
Ms Chef in Seattle 