The Best Pineapple Upside Down Cake

This recipe has about a million ingredients, but it is truly the best one I have ever had. It is moist and very flavorful, and served warm it is melt-in-your-mouth great. I use a 9-inch round cake pan, but you could use an 8x8-inch pan instead.

• Ready In: 1 hr 10 mins
• Serves: 8

Ingredients

• For Topping

• 2⁄3 cup brown sugar
• 1⁄3 cup butter
• 1  teaspoon vanilla
• 1⁄2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 9  canned pineapple rings
• 9  maraschino cherries

• For Cake

• 2  egg yolks
• 1⁄2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 1⁄2 cups flour
• 2  teaspoons baking powder
• 3⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄4 cup shortening
• 1⁄4 cup butter
• 1⁄4 cup  pineapple juice
• 1⁄4 cup half-and-half
• 1⁄4 cup buttermilk
• 1  teaspoon vanilla
• 2  egg whites

Directions

1. In ungreased cake pan, mix brown sugar, and 1/3 cup butter. Add 1 teaspoons vanilla and cinnamon. Sit on stove over low heat till brown sugar melts. Remove from heat and arrange pineapple rings and cherries in a decorative design. Set aside.
2. In mixer bowl, Beat yolks till thickened. Add granulated sugar and mix till lemony. Move to a small bowl and set aside. In same mixer bowl, mix 1/4 cup butter, pineapple juice, half and half, buttermilk, and 1 teaspoons vanilla. Add flour, baking powder and salt. Blend thoroughly and add yolk mixture.
3. In CLEAN mixer bowl, whip egg whites till stiff. Fold into main mixture and spoon into pan over fruit. Don't pour it, it will disturb your design!
4. Bake 350° for 35-40 minutes. Invert onto serving plate and allow pan to rest over top of cake for several minutes before removing.