The unique and exotic-looking cake comprises juicy, tangy pineapple rings with a moist sponge topping.

Complete with brown sugar to achieve a caramelised flavour, the cake pairs perfectly with cream to cut through the sweetness.

While there is no shortage of recipes for this tea-time classic, pineapple experts at Del Monte have shared the fruitiest version to celebrate Pineapple Upside-Down Cake Day.

Saturday, April 20 celebrates this sweet cake that traditionally contains pineapples and cherries, and has been enjoyed since the 1900s.

The traditional cooking method for this cake is to use a cast iron skillet, but the Del Monte chefs prefer an oven and a simple five-step recipe.

Method

Start by preheating the oven to 180C then brush a nine-inch square baking pan with oil, and line with a strip of parchment paper.

Leave a slight overhang on both sides to make the cake easy to left out of the tin once cooked.

Brush the paper with oil and sprinkle the bottom of the pan with one-quarter of a cup of sugar, then arrange the pineapple rings in the pan.

Now make a start on the cake batter by taking a medium bowl and whisking together both kinds of flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; then set aside.

Whisk together buttermilk, eggs, vanilla extract, oil, and remaining 3/4 cup of sugar in a separate, larger bowl. Then add the flour mixture to it and fold until everything is well combined.

Pour batter over the neatly arranged pineapple base then tap the pan firmly on the counter to settle the batter, then smooth the top.

Bake in the preheated oven for 50 minutes to one hour, or until a toothpick inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean.

Carefully remove the pan from the oven and leave to cool on the side for 20 minutes before inverting onto a serving platter. At this point it should be safe to peel off and discard the paper, unveiling a perfectly cooked pineapple upside-down cake.