Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 40 min
Servings: 12
Yield: 12 servings

Description

This classic pineapple upside-down cake is made in a cast iron skillet to create a delicious caramelized brown sugar, pineapple, and cherry topping.

Ingredients

1 (20 ounce) can pineapple rings
1/4 cup water, or as needed
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 (16 1/4 ounce) package white cake mix (such as Betty Crocker Super Moist)
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 large egg whites
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
7 maraschino cherries

Directions

1 Gather all ingredients. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2 Drain canned pineapple into a 1-cup measure. Add water if needed to measure 1 cup. Set aside juice and 9 pineapple rings for the cake. Set any remaining juice and pineapple rings aside for another use.
3 Melt butter in a 12-inch cast iron skillet over medium-high heat.
4 While butter is melting, combine cake mix, reserved 1 cup pineapple juice, vegetable oil, and egg whites in a mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed for 2 minutes.
5 Remove melted butter from the heat and sprinkle brown sugar evenly over top until all the butter is covered. Arrange 8 pineapple rings around the outer edge of the skillet and place the remaining pineapple ring in the center without overlapping. Place a maraschino cherry into the center of each pineapple ring; pour cake batter on top.
6 Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean, about 40 minutes.
7 Remove from the oven and let cool in the skillet for 10 minutes; don't let the cake cool too much or it will stick to the pan.
8 Run an offset spatula around the edges to gently loosen cake. Place a plate over the skillet, then flip and carefully turn the warm cake out onto a plate. Transfer any fruit or glaze that sticks in the skillet back to the cake.