Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

From Martha White's Southern Sampler, Ninety years of baking tradition. Old-fashioned goodness!

• Ready In: 50 mins
• Serves: 6-8
• Yields: 1 cake

Ingredients

• 1⁄4 cup butter
• 1⁄2 cup  firmly packed brown sugar
• 6  slices  canned  pineapple slices in syrup, drained,syrup reserved
• 6  maraschino cherries
• 35  pecan halves (I like mine chopped)
• 1 1⁄2 cups self-rising flour
• 1  cup granulated sugar
• 1⁄2 cup  vegetable oil
• 1  egg
• 1  teaspoon vanilla
•  whipped cream (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Melt butter in oven in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet.
3. Stir brown sugar and 1 tablespoon reserved pineapple syrup into melted butter; spread evenly in pan.
4. Arrange pineapple slices in bottom of pan.
5. Place a cherry in center of each pineapple ring.
6. Arrange pecans, rounded sides down, in and around pineapple; set aside.
7. Pour remaining reserved pineapple syrup into measuring cup; add enought water to make 1/2 cup; pour into large mixing bowl.
8. Add flour, sugar, oil, egg and vanilla.
9. Beat with electric mixer on low speed for 2 minutes, or until well blended.
10. Spoon batter over pineapple and pecans.
11. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
12. Cool in pan for 5 minutes.
13. Turn out onto large serving plate.
14. Serve warm topped with whipped cream, if desired.
15. ***If you need more servings, you can double the recipe and bake in a 9 X 13 baking pan for 12 servings.
16. Just adjust the baking time accordingly.