We need our friends. Friends represent trust, love and fun – the positive perspectives. I like to lavish my friends with unique dining experiences. My heart soars when the first bite of a special dish brings that satisfying smile of indulgence. I am known for creative cuisine; but, I am best known for making others feel special. If I can find out about a dish that my friends have not had since their Mom or Aunt made it, it becomes my personal goal to go beyond just recreating it. There can never be enough friendship appreciation and this can be done when serving sweets. Desserts should always be impacting. Tell your friends how much they mean to you by creating my Pineapple Delight. © Kelly McBride Loft
Kelly’s Pineapple Delight
Purchase whole fresh pineapple (one pineapple for every two people). Split the pineapple lengthwise in half and hull out the fruit leaving the shell and the keeping the stalk intact. Cover the stalks with foil and place the pineapple halves on a baking pan. Set this aside until the cake is baked. PINEAPPLE CAKE: By hand, thoroughly mix: 2 cups of flour; 1 ½ cups of sugar; 1 teaspoon of salt; 1 teaspoon of baking soda; 2 teaspoons of cinnamon; 2 eggs and 1 – 20 oz. can of crushed pineapple. Pour the batter into a greased rectangle Pyrex® dish. Sprinkle the batter with a ½ cup of dark brown sugar and 1 cup of chopped walnuts. Bake at 350°F for about 40 minutes. After baking, pour the following sauce directly onto the cake. Bring this mixture to a boil on the stove. Cake Infuser: 1 – 6 oz. can of evaporated milk; 1 teaspoon of vanilla flavoring; 1 teaspoon of butter favoring and 1 stick of butter. Pour the hot sauce over the cake and let the cake sit for at least 2 hours. Then, fill the fresh pineapple halves with the baked pineapple cake. Top that with a generous amount of meringue. Toast the meringue topped pineapple halves in the oven. Remove the foil from the pineapple stalks before serving. (The foil covering will keep the stalks from burning as the meringue is toasted.) Your friends will love you for serving Kelly’s Pineapple Delight! © Kelly McBride Loft