Pineapple Upside Down Cake

Another sweet memory from my youth! This recipe is pretty easy, as it uses a boxed yellow cake mix and canned pineapple. Of course you can substitute your favorite yellow cake from scratch recipe if you wish and fresh pineapple.  I make this recipe in a 10" cast iron skillet and it works great.

• 1 stick butter
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 can pineapple rings
• 1 small jar maraschino cherries
• 1 box yellow cake mix

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Put the cast iron skillet on medium heat, and place butter and brown sugar in it. When both have melted, place pineapple rings on the bottom of the skillet, and cut the rings in half and line the sides of the skillet standing up on edge. Put a maraschino cherry in the center of each pineapple ring.

Prepare the yellow cake mix per the instructions on the box, but substitute all or part of the water called for with pineapple juice from the can of pineapple rings. Pour the cake batter over the pineapple rings in the skillet and place in oven.  Cook for length of time suggested on the cake mix box, and use the toothpick test to make sure it is done. Insert a wooden toothpick into the center of the cake and when it comes out clean the cake is done.

When done, remove the cake and run a butter knife around the edges to loosen the cake from the skillet. Let cool for at least 10 minutes, then comes the trickiest part of the whole recipe; turn it upside down on a serving platter.