Pineapple-Cherry Upside-Down Sponge Cake

Preheat oven to 180°C conventional (160°C fan) and prepare a 20 cm round cake tin and a large serving plate.

Blend 50 g softened butter with 50 g brown sugar, spreading over the base and lower sides of the tin. Arrange seven drained pineapple rings and place one cherry inside each ring. Reserve 30 ml pineapple syrup.

In a separate bowl, beat 100 g softened butter, 100 g caster sugar, 100 g self-raising flour, 4 g baking powder, 5 ml vanilla, two eggs and 30 ml reserved syrup until evenly combined and smooth.

Spread the batter gently over the pineapple and level it. Bake for roughly 35–40 minutes, checking that a skewer inserted centrally has no wet batter attached and the sponge is cooked through.

Rest the cake in the tin for five minutes. Carefully cover it with a large plate and invert, keeping hands clear of hot syrup. Cut into six portions.