Pineapple Upside-Down Cake
The origins of the Pineapple Upside Down Cake cannot be definitively traced. But a myth surrounds the cake that states that James Dole (of Dole Pineapple) opened up a contest in 1925 for the best use of his canned pineapples. The top 100 recipes would be published in a cookbook.
According to the tale, 60,000 recipes were submitted and although a staggering 2,500 of them were for “upside-down cake,” only one was chosen. Regardless of its origins, by 1936 the pineapple upside-down cake it had made its way to the Sears Roebuck cookbook, effectively entering the mainstream, and the bellies of Americans.
The pineapple has taken on many symbolic meanings, such as friendship to the Carib peoples. This notion also migrated to Europe, where it was considered a decadent treat because it was expensive to obtain and difficult to grow.
It is common to hear people lament about being inundated with upside-down cakes after the holidays are over! But there appears to be no other particular reason for holiday popularity of the cake.
Adapted from: American Century Cookbook: The Most Popular Recipes of the 20th Century by Jean Anderson
Adapted from: Nectar and Ambrosia: An Encyclopedia of Food in World Mythology, by Tamra Andrews
