National Pineapple Upside Down Cake Day - April 20

Yes it really is National Pineapple Upside Down Cake Day. And I make a very good pineapple upside down cake. It's a family favorite. For years that was our Easter dessert. And I always made it for the block party cake walk - the church lady in the picture won my cake in the cakewalk in 2003.

And yes, I start with a cake mix. I rarely make cakes from scratch. Cake mix cakes are fine. But of course I gussy it up.



Ingredients 1 Yellow Cake mix (or sometimes you can find pineapple cake mix but it's not necessary because you are going to add pineapple juice)
1 small can crushed pineapple in juice 1 16 oz can pineapple rings - in syrup is better
6 maraschino cherries
1 stick butter
1 Cup brown sugar

Spray your 13 x 9 pan with butter flavored PAM or a cheap equivalent. Melt your butter and add the brown sugar and spread that on the bottom of your pan. Lay the pineapple rings in the pan in the pan and put a maraschino cherry in the middle of each one. When you mix up the cake mix, use the crushed pineapples and juice instead of water.

You want to really have some fun, drain off the juice and mix the crushed pineapple with some rum. MMmmm...now you are talking. You could soak your pineapple rings in rum for an hour before to. But I never did that when I made the cake for my kids or for church.

Pour the batter over the butter and sugar and pineapple rings in the pan. Bake for however long the package says. Wait till the cake cools, run a spatula around the sides of the pan and carefully turn it over.