Pineapple Upside Down Cake

By MyraD

Ingredients

• 1 large can sliced pineapple
• 1/4 cp butter or margarine
• 2/3 cp light brown sugar, firmly packed
• 8 maraschino cherries, drained
• 1/4 cp pecan or walnut halves
• 1 cp sifted all purpose flour
• 3/4 cp granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 cp shortening
• 1/2 cp milk
• 1 egg

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Drain pineapple, reserving 2 tbsp of syrup. Melt butter in a 10" iron skillet over low heat. Add brown sugar stirring until melted. Remove from heat. Arrange drained pineapple on sugar mixture in skillet. Fill centers of pineapple with the drained cherries and the spaces with pecans or walnuts, if desired. Set aside. Into medium mixing bowl, sift flour with granulated sugar, baking powder and salt. Add shortening and milk. Beat at medium speed for 2 minutes. Add egg and 2 tbsp pineapple syrup. Beat 2 minutes longer. Pour batter over pineapple spreading evenly. Bake 40 - 45 minutes until cake springs back when pressed with fingertip. Let stand on wire rack just 5 minutes. Loosen the cake around the sides with a spatula. Cover with a plate; invert; shake gently; then lift off the skillet. Serve warm topped with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, if desired.