U is for: Upside Down Cake Jello Shots

You know what else U stands for? 

I decided to resurrect upside down cake in jello shot form.
Because, when in doubt, just make a jello shot.

Let’s start with the garnish. I wanted to use fresh pineapple so I just cut large slices and then carved them into little disks. To help guide me, I used the inside of one of the lids from my plastic jello shots. I was really wishing I had a small round cookie cutter, but I didn’t so I just made do freestyle.

Also…AND THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT, SO LISTEN UP. If using fresh pineapple (versus canned), you MUST cook the pineapple. Fresh pineapple contains something called bromelain, which is an enzyme. It does not play nice with gelatin. But if you cook the pineapple, it will kill those enzymes. I simply stuck mine in a bowl with a tiny bit of water and zapped it in the microwave for like 3-4 minutes. (If you are using canned pineapple, this shouldn’t be a problem). Allow to cool before adding to the shots.

And if you don’t believe me? Well, just as a little science experiment, I stuck a piece of fresh, uncooked pineapple in a cup of the jello, and this is what it looked like after about 20 minutes. Gross.

Now, of course you can just take the easy way out and use pineapple flavored jello. But that’s not how I roll. And I also had a few cans of pineapple juice in my cupboard left over from the Key Lime Pie Martinis last fall. So I used some of that, with a little sugar (though I think the sugar is optional) and vodka. I think Pinnacle’s Cake-flavored vodka would be awesome here, but I was making these at midnight and only had regular vodka, so I added a dash of vanilla. Either way will work. (Vanilla Vodka or Whipped Cream vodka would also be yummy).

Now, had I really been feeling ambitious, I would’ve put the fruit at the bottom of a mini muffin tin and then popped them out of the cups onto a platter to make a true “upside down cake” effect. But I was making them for kickball, so portable was key (my kickball team gets to be my guinea pigs for many of my jello shot creations).

Pour into cups, filing about 3/4 of the way full. Once the jello has been setting for 45 minutes or so, (slightly firm to the touch), add the (cooked!) pineapple slice and cherry and pour a little more of the reserved jello mixture in to help keep everything in place and fuse together. Refrigerate overnight or for at least four hours. And then get ready to make some pineapple upside down dreams come true!