Pineapple Upside-Down Cake for Two

With both of my kids in college, I started searching for recipes for two and found this one in my "Small-Batch Baking" cookbook by Debby Maugans Nakos. I made these one day and they turned out perfect!! I hate to admit it, but I ate them both that same day!!! You will need jumbo size muffin tin for these cakes. I changed the original recipe slightly, by adding two tablespoons of the pineapple juice and two of buttermilk in order to add more pineapple flavor to the cake.

• Ready In: 30 mins
• Serves: 2
• Yields: 2 cakes

Ingredients

• 3  tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature (divided)
• 1⁄3 cup pineapple tidbits, well drained (canned)
• 1  tablespoon light brown sugar, packed
• 2  tablespoons buttermilk
• 2  tablespoons  pineapple juice
•  yolk of 1 large egg
• 1⁄2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1⁄3 cup flour
• 1⁄3 cup sugar
• 1⁄8 teaspoon baking soda
• 1⁄8 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Place rack in the center of the oven and preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Place 1 1/2 tsps butter in two muffin cups. Bake until butter is bubbly and beginning to turn golden, 1 minute. Remove them from the oven and add 1/2 tbsp of brown sugar into the butter in each muffin and then sprinkle half of the pineapple tidbits into each one.
3. In a small bowl, combine buttermilk, pineapple juice, egg yoke and vanilla and whisk to blend.
4. In a separte bowl combine flour, sugar, baking soda and salt. Add remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and half of the buttermilk mixture. Beat with a handheld mixer on low speed until the dry ingredients are moistened. Increase speed to medium and beat until the batter is lightened and has slightly increased in volume, 45 seconds. Scrape down bowl. Pour in remaining buttermilk mixture and beat mixture on medium speed until well blended, 20 seconds.
5. Divide batter evenly between the two cups and then fill remaining cup 1/2 with water to prevent warping. Bake the cakes until a toothpick comes out clean, 20 to 24 minutes.
6. Remove the muffin pan from the oven and place it on a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes. Carefully pour the water out of the pan and keep it away from the cakes. Using a large plate and pot holders, invert cakes onto plate and enjoy warm with ice cream if desired.