Ricotta Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

Ingredients

• 0.25 cups unsalted butter , melted
• 0.5 cups firmly packed dark brown sugar
• 0.5 large fresh pineapple - peeled , cored, and cut into 1/4-inch thick half circles
• 1.5 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 0.5 teaspoons salt
• 0.5 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 0.25 teaspoons ground nutmeg
• 3 large egg whites , at room temperature
• 0.75 cups sugar
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 0.25 cups unsalted butter , softened
• 3 large egg yolks , at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese , at room temperature

Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9-inch round cake pan with at least 2-inch high sides.

2. 2

   Pour melted butter into the greased pan and swirl to coat. Sprinkle brown sugar evenly over butter. Place pineapple slices in an even layer over the brown sugar, slightly overlapping and trimming pieces to fit as necessary, covering the whole bottom of the pan. Set aside.

3. 3

   Whisk together flour, baking powder, cornstarch, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a small bowl until combined.

4. 4

   Beat egg whites in a glass, metal, or ceramic bowl until stiff peaks form.

5. 5

   Cream together 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons white sugar, softened butter, egg yolks, and vanilla in a large bowl until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add in half of the flour mixture and mix until just combined. Add ricotta cheese and mix until just combined. Add remaining flour mixture, stirring until just combined.

6. 6

   Add 1/3 of the whipped egg whites to the batter, and fold until no streaks of egg whites remain. Gently fold in remaining egg whites until no streaks of egg whites remain. Pour batter evenly over pineapple slices, and gently smooth into an even layer.

7. 7

   Place cake pan into the preheated oven and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out with a few moist crumbs, 50 to 55 minutes.

8. 8

   Allow cake to cool in the pan 10 minutes before running a knife around the sides to loosen. Invert cake onto a serving platter and let pan sit for a few minutes on top of the cake before removing. Allow cake to cool before serving.