Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

wizkid's Note:

This delicious and easy recipie was taken from Linda McCartney's 'Home Cooking'. It looks impressive and tastes delicious. I thoroughly recommend it.

• Total Time: 55 mins
• Prep Time: 25 mins
• Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 8

• 4 ounces butter or 4 ounces margarine
• 4 ounces brown sugar
• 1 (14 ounce) can pineapple rings
• 2 ounces broken pecan nuts
• 2 ounces glace cherries, halved
• 4 eggs, separated
• 4 ounces caster sugar
• 4 ounces self-raising flour

Directions:

1. Pre-heat the oven to 350 deg F/ 180 deg Celsius Melt the butter in a saucepan.
2. Pour it into a heavy 9 in/23cm shallow tin (1 1/2 inch/3 cm deep).
3. Sprinkle the brown sugar over the butter.
4. Place one pineapple slice in the centre of the cake tin.
5. Arrange the other pineapple rings around it.
6. Add the glace cherries and the pecan nuts.
7. Beat the egg yolks and sugar together to a light and creamy consistency.
8. Fold the flour into this mixture.
9. Beat the egg whites to the stiff peak stage.
10. Fold them gently into the cake batter.
11. Pour the batter over the pineapple base.
12. Bake for 30 minutes.
13. Turn the cake upside-down on to a serving dish immediately it is removed from the oven, so that the caramel pineapple mixture is on top.
14. Let the cake cool before serving.