Out of the four new flavors recently released by Front Porch, perhaps the most interesting was the one revolving around pineapple upside down cake. Aptly named Happily Pineapply Upside Down Cake, the mere thought of this moist cake dripping with sugary baked fruit puts a smile on my face. I’m not aware of any other flavors using this particular concept, so it seems Front Porch will be setting the standard with their combination of cake ice cream, brown sugar pineapple swirl and cake pieces with red cherries.
For those who aren’t aware of what exactly goes into making one of these; the pineapple rings and maraschino cherries are arranged on the bottom of a skillet that’s been filled with a considerable amount of melted butter and brown sugar. The cake batter is then poured directly into the hot skillet with the other ingredients and popped back in the oven to bake. Once the cake is ready to be taken out of the oven, the whole skillet is flipped over; allowing all the fruit, sugar and butter to effectively create a flavorful glaze.
Once the top is removed to the ice cream rendition, it’s apparent that Front Porch has taken the yellow cake approach with their base. The first layer glows a pale shade of yellow and parts of the brown sugar pineapple swirl and cake pieces poke through the surface. After letting the pint thaw out for a few minutes, my spoon easily scooped up some of the fluffy, yet substantial base. Happily Pineapply Upside Down Cake contains 170 calories per serving, which is right in line with most other flavors from Front Porch. As far as taste is concerned, the cake ice cream comes off far less sugary than your typical cake base from the competition; remaining rather mellow throughout.
Even though it’s not as thick as some super-premium swirls, the thin stripes of sauce bring about a burst of genuine pineapple upside down cake taste. The pieces of actual cake aren’t included at quite the quantity at which I had hoped, but still add some much needed texture when they do come into play. The last and final component comes in the form of the few big fleshy pieces of maraschino cherries that seem to add yet another level of authenticity. Although I would have loved some more robust flavoring in Happily Pineapply Upside Down Cake, this pint of Front Porch was still worth the purchase price.
Where I Found It: Ingles Markets
Grade: B
