Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9-inch round cake pan that is at least 2 inches tall with nonstick cooking spray.Nonstick cooking spray
- Make the topping: In a small bowl, whisk together the dark brown sugar and melted butter until smooth. Spread this mixture evenly over the bottom of the prepared cake pan.1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar, 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Arrange a single layer of the drained pineapple slices on top of the brown sugar mixture, cutting smaller pieces if necessary to fill any gaps. Place one maraschino cherry in the center of each pineapple ring.1 can pineapple slices in juice, 7 maraschino cherries
- Make the cake batter: In a large mixing bowl, combine the yellow cake mix, eggs, oil, water, and the reserved 1/2 cup of pineapple juice. Beat with an electric mixer or by hand until the batter is smooth and well-combined.1 package yellow cake mix, 2 large eggs, 1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil, 1/2 cup water
- Carefully pour the cake batter over the pineapple slices and cherries in the pan, spreading it into an even layer.
- Bake the cake for 45 to 55 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack for exactly 10 minutes. Then, run a butter knife or offset spatula around the edges of the pan to loosen the cake.
- Place a serving plate upside-down over the cake pan and, using oven mitts, quickly and confidently flip the pan and plate over. Gently lift the pan away. Let the cake cool completely on the plate before slicing and serving.
Notes
The secret to a clean flip is the 10-minute cooling window. Letting it cool too long will cause the topping to stick. For a nutty crunch, sprinkle 1/2 cup of chopped pecans over the pineapple layer before adding the batter.