Pineapple Upside Down Cake

This is my husband's favorite recipe for totally from scratch cake. I found it in my Betty Crocker’s Cookbook (1970) page 181. I did alter the recipe a bit. My alterations are in red.

¼ cup butter
½ cup brown sugar (packed)
1 can (8½ oz) sliced pineapple, drained
7 maraschino cherries
6 pecan halves
Dinette Cake batter (see below)

Heat oven to 350*. Melt butter over low heat in round layer pan, 9x1½ inches. I just put the pan with the butter in the oven while it preheated. Sprinkle brown sugar evenly over butter. Place pineapple slice in center of pan. Cut remaining slices in half; arrange halves cut sides out around pineapple ring in pan. I use pineapple tidbits instead of rings. Not as pretty, but much easier to cut and eat. Place cherries in pineapple slices; arrange pecans around center ring. I’ve never used the pecans, the cherries are also optional.
Prepare Dinette Cake batter. Pour evenly over fruit in pan.

Bake 35 to 45 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Invert onto plate. Leave pan over cake a few minutes. Serve warm and, if desired with whipped cream.

Serves 9

Dinette Cake
This is a moist yellow cake. I’ve only ever used it in the pineapple upside-down cake. I found it in my Betty Crocker’s Cookbook (1970) pg 97. My alterations are in red.

1¼ cup flour
1 cup sugar
1½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
¾ cup milk
1/3 cup shortening I use softened butter
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla

Heat oven to 350*. Grease and flour square pan, 8x8x2 or 9x9x2 inches. Measure all ingredients into large mixer bowl. Blend ½ minute on low speed, scraping bowl constantly. Beat 3 minutes high speed, scraping bowl occasionally. Pour into pan.

Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool.