Upside-Down Cake with Pineapple and Cherry

Ingredients

• ½ cup butter
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 (14 ounce) can pineapple slices, drained and juice reserved
• 15 maraschino cherries, or more to taste
• 1 (14 ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained and juice reserved, divided
• 1 (15.25 ounce) package cherry chip cake mix
• 1 cup juice from canned pineapple
• 3 eggs, lightly beaten
• ½ cup melted butter
• 1 ½ fluid ounces rum

Step 1

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Put half a cup of butter into a 9x13-inch cake pan and pop it in the oven until the butter melts. Once melted, take the pan out and use a brush or a spoon to spread the butter up the sides.

Step 2

Sprinkle brown sugar evenly over the melted butter. Arrange pineapple rings on top of the sugar, then place maraschino cherries in the center of each ring and in the spaces between them. You’ll want to fill in any gaps with the remaining crushed pineapple—just be sure to drain it really well first.

Step 3

In a large bowl, mix together the cake mix, a cup of pineapple juice, eggs, and half a cup of the melted butter. Beat on low until everything’s moistened, then crank it up to medium and beat for about two minutes. Stir in the rum and the reserved crushed pineapple, mixing it all together.

Step 4

Pour the batter over the pineapple and sugar layer, smoothing it out with a spatula. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean (be careful not to poke all the way through to the bottom).

Step 5

Once the cake is out of the oven, run a knife around the edges to loosen it from the pan. Let it cool for a few minutes, then place a serving plate upside down over the pan. While the cake is still warm, flip the plate and pan together, let it sit for a couple of minutes, and then gently lift the pan off to reveal your beautiful upside-down cake.