No Pinapple? What?

I thought I was going to make Pineapple Upside-down Muffins this morning because we had some fresh pineapple left-over from Daddy's Mother's Day Brunch he created on the weekend...

Side note:  Kevin makes the BEST pancakes ever, I don't even attempt making pancakes or waffles!  It's Daddy's job, usually performed every weekend.  The entire crew can't wait until the weekend, since they know they will be eating pancakes/waffles with tons of butter and syrup (or Cheez Whiz --yuck but Daddy introduced them to it and they can't get enough).

...  Anyways, I made up some buttermilk substitute (1Tbsp. vinegar to 1 cup milk) and let it sit for 15 minutes.  I was preheating the oven and getting out the remaining ingredients when I couldn't find the pineapple in the fridge.  Kevin must have brought it to work for lunch, which is not a shock since he LOVES pineapple.  One of the reasons for making the pineapple muffins was because there was some in the fridge, but the main reason was that Kevin loves muffins and pineapple...  Bonus points for me.


What's the problem?  Well, now I had buttermilk that I needed to use up.  I've been eyeing pound cake recipes for a while and was wondering how they puff up with no baking powder, baking soda, etc.  It must be all the eggs.  The below recipe, Chocolate Chip Cinnamon Buttermilk Pound Cake was just what I needed to use up the prematurely made buttermilk.  The crew loved it...  could it be the chocolate chips?


Chocolate Chip Cinnamon Buttermilk Pound Cake

1 1/3 C. butter, softened
2 1/2 C. sugar
6 large eggs
3 C. all-purpose flour
1/2 C. buttermilk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1Tbsp. cinnamon
1 cup chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 325. Beat butter at medium speed until creamy. Gradually add sugar, beating at medium speed until light and fluffy.  Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition.

Add flour to butter mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed just until blended after each addition. Stir in vanilla and cinnamon. Fold in chocolate chips.  Pour batter into a greased and floured 10-inch (12 cup) tube pan.

Bake at 325 for 1 hour and 5 minutes to 1 hour and 10 minutes or until a long wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack 10-15 minutes; remove from pan to wire rack, and cool completely (about 1 hour).

Serves 12.