Hi Everyone!  I am so excited because this weekend I am flying to Hilton Head Island for a vacation and to visit my little sister!  Soooo excited to lay on the beach and soak up some sun and warm weather!!!  Since it is still winter here and the snow does not want to leave I thought of a way to share some of the island paradise with you all.  Today I am sharing my recipe for pineapple upside down cake.  What screams tropical more than pineapple!?!?!  Anyways, I hope this recipe brings you all some warmth, and that you enjoy!!!

Inspired by this recipe.

Recipe

Ingredients:

Topping

• 4 Tbsp butter
• 1/2 cup unpacked brown sugar
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
• 1 can of canned pineapple packed in juice, with the juice drained (about 11 slices)
• 14 maraschino cherries

Cake

• 6 Tbsp butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 item eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 3 Tbsp whole wheat flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp table salt
• 1/2 cup plain unsweetened almond milk (regular milk will work if you want as well)

Instructions:

Preheat your oven to 350F.  Lightly grease a your cake pan with butter.  I used a coffee cake pan, but I am sure a bunt pan, or regular 9″ cake pan would work as well.  First we will work on the topping.  Combine the brown sugar, butter, and spices in a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium high heat.  Be sure to stir until the butter is melted so that it does not burn.  Simmer this mixture for 30 seconds and remove from the heat.  Carefully pour this mixture into your prepared cake pan.  Carefully place the pineapple slices and cherries along the top and sides of your pan as is shown in the picture below.  Add the maraschino cherries in the holes in the pineapple rings and anywhere else you think would look pretty.

Okay, now the topping is ready to go and we can work on the cake.  In a large bowl cream the butter, sugar and vanilla together.   The butter should be room temperature, but if you are in a hurry you can just heat the butter in the microwave until it is soft.  Add the eggs to this mixture and beat until the mixture is very smooth. Add the rest of the ingredients except the milk and beat until just combined.  This is important if you want a fluffy cake.  I have made many cakes and over-beating will make your cake more dense and tough.  Stir in the milk, again just until combined.  Pour your batter into the pan, on top of the prepared topping.  Bake for about 50 minutes, or until you can stick a knife in the cake and it comes out clean.  Let the cake sit for a couple of minutes, and then place a plate over the top of your cake pan and flip it over to get the cake out so that the pineapple is on top.  It helps to run a knife around the edges of the cake pan to loosen the cake before doing this.  Let the cake cool and it is ready to eat!  Yum!! :-)

Serves 10, WWPP: 9 per serving