Pineapple Upside-Down Doughnuts

By KDHarmon

A cute twist on a classic, these doughnuts are an easy treat to make and share. Their rich buttery caramelized pineapple tops sit nicely on light, single-serving cakes.

Ingredients

• One 20-ounce can pineapple slices, 1 teaspoon juice reserved and the rest drained
• 1 1/2 sticks (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter
• 1 cup dark brown sugar
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (see Cook's Note)
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 large egg
• 18 maraschino cherries, stems removed

Details

Servings 18
Adapted from foodnetwork.com

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Carefully slice the pineapple rings in half horizontally to make them into thin rings. Set aside.

Melt the butter in a small saucepan, then turn off the heat and whisk in the brown sugar until completely blended. Spoon a tablespoon of the sugar mixture into each well of a nonstick metal doughnut pan, then add a pineapple slice to each, pressing down firmly.

Whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, salt and baking soda in a medium bowl. Whisk together the buttermilk, oil, vanilla, egg, reserved pineapple juice and 1/4 cup water in a separate medium bowl. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry until fully blended. Pour into a large piping bag or gallon resealable plastic bag, snip the corner to make a 3/4-inch opening and pipe some batter into the doughnut pan, filling each well just shy of the top.

Put the doughnut pan on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until a toothpick inserted in the doughnuts comes out clean, about 10 minutes. Cool the doughnuts in the pan 5 minutes, then loosen from the pan with an offset spatula and invert onto a cooling rack. Top each doughnut with a cherry and repeat with the remaining batter two more times.

Makes 18 doughnuts.