Pineapple Upside Down Cake

When I was a kid, my Mom would make us Pineapple Upside Down Cake. I really liked it with the syrupy top. I forgot the cake is really sweet. The kids thought it was neat how the cake is made. It is a really simple cake to make. I tried very hard to it all the items blended but the butter still had pieced in it. When I cooked it, the cake had came together so I shouldn't have worried. My son helped me flip the cake and ta-da! The cake stayed whole. The kids loved it. My husband loved it. I thought it was a great way to bring me back to my childhood.

Pineapple Upside Down Cake
1/4 & 1/3 cup unsalted butter, softened and divided
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
9 slices of pineapples, drained
9 maraschino cherries, drained
1 1/3 cup all prupose flour
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup milk
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Spray a 9x9 baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.
3. Evenly coat the bottom of the pan with 1/4 cup of melted butter.
4. Sprinkle the brown sugar evenly over the melted butter.
5. Arrange the pineapple pieces in an even row over the brown sugar.
6. Place a cherry in the center of each pineapple slice. Set aside.
7. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, sugar, 1/3 cup softened butter, baking powder, salt, milk, egg, and vanilla. 
8. Beat on low with an electric mixer for 30 seconds.
9. Turn the mixer to high speed and allow to mix for 3 minutes. 
10. Pour the batter over the pineapples and cherries in the baking dish.
11. Bake the cake for 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
12. Immediately, take a heatproof plate and place it upside down over the pan.
13. Turn the plate and pan over quickly.
14. Allow the cake to sit for a minute so the brown sugar mixture can drizzle over the cake.
15. Remove the pan and serve warm.

Recipe adapted from Betty Crocker.

Two years ago.................................I made Roasted Apple Bread. 
Three years ago...............................I made Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies.

Did you already know............................
-In 1901, James Dole formed the Hawaiian Pineapple Company.
-By 1923, the Hawaiian Pineapple Company was the largest pineapple packer in the world.
-In 1925, Dole sponsored a recipe contest  with many entries for Pineapple Upside Down Cake.