Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

This cake has been a HUGE hit with my family. I made it for Mother's Day, mostly for my Granny who was up visiting us for the month. She told me that HER mother, who wasn't much of a baker, used to make this cake all the time in a cast iron pan. I was glad I could make a cake that brought back such fond memories for her. The cake was such a hit that it was requested again for Father's Day. Please note that you need melted margarine (nonhydrogenated) as well as unsweetened pineapple juice TWICE in this recipe. I have broken up the measurements for your convenience. I find that there is exactly 3/4 cup pineapple juice that comes in the can of unsweetened pineapple rings that I get at Whole Foods. The first time I made this cake, I bought extra juice, but found I didn't even need it! And... I must add that this cake smells completely and utterly DIVINE while it's baking. It's all I can do to keep from eating it right out of the oven :) p.s. I don't use the cherries, becasue I think they're gross, BUT I hear it's traditional so I listed them ;)

• Ready In: 45 mins
• Serves: 12

Ingredients

• For the topping

• 5  tablespoons margarine (I use Earth Balance)
• 3⁄4 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed
• 1⁄4 cup  pineapple juice, unsweetened
• 1 (20 ounce) can pineapple rings
• 1⁄4 cup maraschino cherry (optional)

• For the cake

• 1 1⁄2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2  teaspoons baking powder, aluminum free
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄2 cup sugar
• 1⁄2 cup  pineapple juice
• 1⁄4 cup  almond milk or 1⁄4 cup soymilk
• 4  tablespoons margarine, melted (Earth Balance)
• 6  ounces  soy yogurt (plain or vanilla)
• 1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Lightly spray a 9x13" cake pan with non stick cooking spray.
3. Mix the 5 tbsp of melted margarine, brown sugar and 1/4 cup pineapple juice and stir until sugar is disolved.
4. Place this into bottom of cake pan and arrange pineapple rings on top. You can be fancy and cute, but I always end up having to cut at leat two of the rings in half to fit them all.
5. (Add cherries in middle of rings, if using).
6. In a bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, then add the sugar and salt and lightly mix to combine.
7. In a large measuring cup, lightly wisk together the remaining 1/2 cup pineapple juice, milk, yogurt, vanilla, and 4 tbsp of melted margarine.
8. Create a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the liquid.
9. Stir to combine, but do not overmix.
10. Pour cake batter overtop the brown sugar and pineapple. It will seem very wet, but will fill in nicely when baked.
11. I usually take a rubber spatula and gently smoothe the batter to reach towards the corners of the pan. The batter won't completely fill the pan, but when it bakes, it fills inches.
12. Bake for 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
13. Cool cake in pan for at least 10 minutes, then cover pan tightly with serving dish and invert cake to show off the pretty pineapple topping!