Pineapple Upside Cake

This recipe has that retro feeling that takes you back to childhood. My mother's pineapple upside cake was just the best, with a scrumptious caramelized brown sugar glaze that oozed over the top. Just perfect. This cake is lovely too, but not quite like my mum's!

Butter for greasing the pan

1/4 C brown sugar

7 slices of canned pineapple (in juice)

1/3 to 1/2 C glacé cherries 

2/3 C flour

1 stick (4oz) butter

1/2 C sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda 

2 Tbsp Malibu rum (optional)

1/2 C pineapple juice (divided)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. 

Lightly butter a Pyrex baking dish, and then sprinkle with the brown sugar. 

Layer the pineapple rings in the dish and place half a cherry in the middle of each pineapple slice and in between. 

Pulse the flour, butter, sugar, eggs, baking powder and baking soda in a food processor until the mixture is smooth. Then add 1/4 C of the pineapple juice and Malibu rum, and pulse briefly until the liquids are incorporated. 

Gently spoon the mixture over the pineapple rings, and then tap the baking dish on the counter a couple of times, to help the mixture fill the nooks and crannies. 

Bake for 30 minutes, then run a spatula around the outside to loosen the cake. Invert a serving dish or a larger dinner plate over the top, and flip the cake out. 

Carefully pour the remaining pineapple juice over the top to help make the cake nice and moist. 

This cake is particularly tasty served with a generous portion of whipped cream.