I saw this on Simply Ming and had to try it the same day. It's really, really good and very easy to make!

Sake Pineapple Upside Down Cake with Black Pepper Ice Cream Serves 6

Ice cream:

16 oz high-quality vanilla ice cream (1 Haagen Dazs container)

2 tsps ground black pepper (toast the peppercorns if you prefer a milder flavor)

For the Cake:

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp sake

2 extra large eggs

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

For the syrup:

2 cups diced pineapple

2 TBS sugar

1/2 vanilla bean

1/4 cup pineapple juice (or orange juice)

1/2 cup sweet sake

Ice cream: Soften ice cream by setting container out at room temperature for about 10 minutes (or microwaving on high for 5-10 seconds). Remove ice cream to a medium bowl and fold in black pepper until thoroughly combined. Return ice cream to original container or freezer-safe dish, and place in freezer to harden, about 1 hour.

Cake:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease an 8-inch round cake. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter and sugar. Add vanilla and sake and mix well.

2. Add eggs one at a time, beating until each is fully incorporated.

3. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. With mixer on low, sprinkle in dry ingredients until just combined. Fold in 1/2 cup pineapple.

4. Meanwhile, in a medium saute pan over medium-low heat, combine 1 1/2 cups pineapple with sugar, vanilla and pineapple juice. Stir to dissolve sugar and cook until pineapple is al dente, then add sake.

5. Remove pineapple from syrup with a slotted spoon, draining well; reserve syrup. Cover bottom of cake pan evenly with cooked pineapple.

6. Pour cake batter over. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean with a few crumbs attached. Let cake cool in pan on rack for about 5 minutes, then invert onto a plate. Warm reserved pineapple-sake glaze and pour over cake. Let syrup soak in and serve slices with a scoop of black pepper ice cream.