There have been times when some have accused me of having an all or nothing mentality.  I’ll concede to not being a lover of compromise but if this was actually the case, I’d either be living in a box with only the clothes on my back or typing this from a charming cottage in the South of France with Johnny Depp rubbing my shoulders and nibbling on my ear.  Neither being the case, I would say that this statement is false.  I certainly didn’t go to the 4th grade in my underwear when my mom told me that she wasn’t going to buy me a pair of Gloria Vanderbilt jeans, the kind with the white swan stitched on the front pocket that my friend, Cortne Blaisdell, had.  And I certainly didn’t walk away from the whiffle ball plate during 9th grade gym class when Mr. McNitt announced that I, “sure didn’t have my brother’s athletic ability.” 

Things haven’t ever come easy for me but I can’t say that I’ve ever given up because of it.  It’s all about the attitude.  I’m a firm beliver in the “fake it ’til you make it” philosophy, the common catchphrase that means to imitate confidence so that as the confidence produces success, it will generate real confidence.  This belief has gotten me through some tough times…indeed.  In order to accomplish this, one must have both courage and an element of deep psychological resilience.  This attitude involves a level of risk taking that only those whose competencies have been questioned are able to bring.  I would say that I’ve proven at least a few people wrong as a result of this driving philosophy.

I’ve never baked a cake from scratch but it wasn’t because someone told me that I couldn’t.  That would have only made me attempt it sooner.  It may have been the same thing that kept me from making my own pie crust until I was 33 years old, the belief that I, myself, wouldn’t be able to do it.  There’s only one thing more satisfying than proving someone wrong…proving yourself wrong.

The Pineapple Upside Down Cake dates back to 1925 with the early recipes being made in a cast iron skillet and cooked on top of the stove since settlers did not have ovens.  It’s been a long-time favorite in my family and my step-dad used a cast iron skillet when he baked his, only he did use his oven.  Duncan Hines has never let me down when I’ve had a craving for this deliciously sweet cake, however it was time for me to prove myself wrong and make it from scratch.  Seriously, how impressed would you be if I baked a cake from a box?

Always bring butter and eggs to room temperature when baking. Photograph by Andrea Karapas

When looking for a recipe, I immediately turned to Paula Deen.  If you’re privy to her success story, you know that she’s queen of the “fake it ’til you make it” philosophy.  With a pound of butter and 5 eggs, this cake is the inspiration for the title of this post.  My first cake couldn’t be just any cake, it had to be a spectacular cake, and that it is.  It is superbly moist with two layers, lending extra sweetness and more pineapple in every bite.  The frosting and chopped pecans take this cake to the next level of decadence.  I actually closed my eyes as I savoured the first bite. 

I guess it all depends on your definition of “having it all” but I would have to say that I don’t have to compromise for much these days.  I’ve been blessed in many ways and have also put forth great effort toward many of my achievements.  I’ve proven many people, myself included, wrong and keep faking it until I make it BIG.  What you’ll never see is me walking away from a challenge.  Didn’t think I could bake a cake?  Well, as you can see I can bake a cake and eat it too!

Pineapple Upside Down Cake Photograph by Andrea Karapas

 Recipe courtesy of Paula Deen.