The Ultimate Pineapple Upside-Down Cake .
I come from a family of cooks. All of my Dad's sisters and brothers were great cooks. My favorite cook is my Aunt. She gave me her awesome made from scratch Pineapple Upside-Down Cake recipe, and I tweeked it to make it "fast and Easy" without losing her cake's flavor. Try my take for fast and easy, and for flavor. This is very traditional. But very good and rich! Do NOT use a different kind of pineapple, and do not add other stuff like coconut, or more pineapple to the batter. This will not make it better, it will be overkill. Use this recipe ONLY if you want to impress somebody. The stemmed cherries give it a gourmet look on top. Great dish for a bring-a-dish to work, or a family get together. Put it on the table then, stand back and listen to the compliments. Don't worry if someone else brings another to the table...as YOURS will look better!
DIRECTIONS
- Slice the butter into a 10" cast iron skillet. Turn to med. heat.
- Add the sugar, and mix together til butter is melted. Remove pan from burner.
- Place the 9 slices slightly overlapping all around the edge of the pan.
- Put the 10th slice in the center of the pan.
- Put one of the cherries in the center of each of the slices, tucking the stem UNDER the pineapple slices.
- Mix the batter according to the instructions on the box, EXCEPT sub the water on the box for the HEAVY SYRUP in the can. DO NOT add more water to this syrup. (If you add more water, you will dilute the flavor).
- Add the nuts to the batter and mix.
- Pour the batter on top of the slices.
- Use the same baking time as a bundt cake.
- Do Not use or sub anything else to this moist, rich cake.
- My Cast iron skillet is the traditional southern way to make this cake, and it usually is done in about 43 minutes, no longer.It distributes the heat evenly, and therefore makes the best cake.
- Using about 1 tablespoons of nuts, put them all around the center slice for looks.