Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

When I was growing up, this was my father's favorite cake.  So mother made it often.
I haven't had it lately, so maybe it's time to make it again.  How about you?   ~Shelly

Ingredients

1/4 cup butter

2/3 cup packed brown sugar

9 slices pineapple in juice (from 20-oz can), drained

9 maraschino cherries without stems, if desired

1 1/3 cups Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour

1 cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup shortening

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup milk

1 egg

Steps

Heat oven to 350°F. In 9-inch square pan, melt butter in oven. Sprinkle brown sugar evenly over melted butter. Arrange pineapple slices over brown sugar. Place cherry in center of each pineapple slice.

In medium bowl, beat remaining ingredients with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, scraping bowl constantly. Beat on high speed 3 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Pour batter over pineapple and cherries.

Bake 50 to 55 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Immediately place heatproof serving plate upside down over pan; turn plate and pan over. Leave pan over cake a few minutes so brown sugar mixture can drizzle over cake; remove pan. Serve warm. Store cake loosely covered.

************************

Considered a classic American cake, pineapple-upside down cake first appeared when canned pineapple become available. But the method of creating a lusciously caramel-like topping for a cake, pastries (like caramel rolls), or bread has a long baking history.

Update this cake by using sliced fresh pineapple, peaches, apples or pear with fresh chopped herbs or dried spices added to the brown sugar and butter mixture.

Keep the ratio of butter and brown sugar fairly low, enough to create the rich syrup in the pan, but not so much that the flavor of the fruit is lost.

Skip the brightly colored cherries and replace them with candied or crystallized ginger pieces or a cluster of blueberries or cranberries.

The cake needs to be turned out of the pan shortly after it’s removed from the oven or the fruit will stick. Be armed with hot pads and a cake plate or board. Allow the fruit to stop bubbling, then place the plate on top of the pan. Carefully lift up the pan, holding the plate firmly in place, and invert the pan. Let it stand for a few minutes before lifting the pan off.

Dinner at Mom's

It didn't matter if you were a relative, a neighbor or a friend. When you came to our house, my mother, Barbara, would ask, "Did you eat? Sit down and have a bite!"

If you didn't eat at our house, she'd send you home with a container of food. Mom liked to take care of everyone.


When my three brothers, my sister, and I were growing up, the house was always filled with delicious foods, from soups to desserts. We enjoyed Mom's great home-cooked meals as well as her delicious cookies and cakes.


A favorite still is a chocolate banana cake with a yellow cake mix , chocolate icing and 4 layers with banana and icing in each layer. A must for every birthday cake still!

One of our family's favorite Christmas meals featured a ham with pineapple and maraschino cherries on top with a brown sugar glaze. Served with candied carrots, sweet potatoes, green bean casserole and Pineapple Upside Down cake for dessert, which was another favorite dessert my dad always requested.

I'd call my mother a "natural" cook. She'd follow a recipe at first, but then substitute different ingredients. She memorized much of what she did. I loved her flaky pie shells, for instance.
At our house, Mom cooked and we ate. I loved to help in the kitchen. I helped cook and my sister cleaned up. I always thought I had it best!!! My brothers didn’t help in the kitchen much. They just devoured the food.

That’s probably why my parents decided to opened a grocery store, Harter House Supermarket, to feed this passel of kids.

The one thing I did pick up from my mom is improvising. I love to experiment with recipes. And my husband, Craig, is always a willing recipient.
I still have my mom's and my grandmother’s worn cookbooks. The envelopes inside are stuffed with recipes gathered during a lifetime. I'm sure that's true of a lot of us!

I hope this holiday Season is filled with lots of love, family, friends, and lots of great food!
And come see me at Harter House on Republic Road.
~Shelly