Mabel “Maw Maw” Hebert Rousseau was famous for [her pineapple upside down cake]. For church bake sales, people in the community (from Grand Bayou to Paincourtville) would call her to see if she was making it and they would reserve it for themselves so it wouldn’t ever make it to church! It was a race to see who could call her first. —Granddaughter Nicki Lirette Boudreaux
a grand bayou recipe
PINEAPPLE UPSIDE DOWN CAKE
Mabel (Maw Maw) Hebert Rousseau’s famous cake recipe from Grand Bayou.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 cup flour, sifted
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 5 tbsp pineapple juice
- 1 cups white sugar
- 3 egg yolks
- 3 egg whites, whipped stiff
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1 block butter, melted
- pineapple and cherries, sliced
Batter
1
- Mix flour, baking powder, pineapple juice, 1 cup of white sugar, egg yolks and whipped stiff 3 eggs whites in bowl.
- Reserve batter
Topping (in pan)
2
- Brown 1 cup sugar and put in bottom of pan
- Put melted butter on top of browned sugar
- Arrange pineapple and cherry slices next
- Pour reserved batter in pan
Bake
3
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- Bake for 30-35 minutes until cake is brown, or, as the old recipe says, use a broom straw to test the cake in the middle and the cake is done when the straw comes out clean