Fresh Pineapple Upside-down Cake – Country Living

CAKE
2 c Unsifted all-purpose flour 3/4 c (1 1/2 sticks) butter,
3/4 ts Salt -softened
3/4 ts Baking powder 1 1/3 c Sugar
1/2 ts Baking soda 1 1/2 ts Vanilla extract
3 Large eggs 1/2 c Buttermilk

1. Prepare Topping: In small bowl, combine boiling water and dried
cher- ries; set aside. Cut off leafy top of pineapple and slice off
bottom stem end. On cutting board with well, using sharp knife, peel
pineapple and remove eyes. Core pineapple and slice into 1/2-inch
thick rings, reserving 1/4 C fresh pineapple juice that collects in
cutting-board well. Set juice aside.

2. Grease a 9-inch springform pan and line bottom with waxed paper. In
heavy 12-inch skillet, combine butter and brown sugar; cook over
medium-high heat until bubbly. Add pineapple rings; cook until golden
brown, turning once.

3. Remove pineapple rings from skillet with a slotted spoon and
arrange to cover bottom of prepared pan, cutting some rings into
wedges to fill in spaces. Drain water from cherries; sprinkle
cherries over pineapple rings, pressing to fill in holes or spaces.
Stir cream and rum into skillet; cook, stirring constantly, over low
heat until thickened-about 8 minutes. Remove from heat; pour over
pineapple and cherries.

4. Prepare Cake: In medium-size bowl, sift together flour, salt,
baking powder, and baking soda; set aside. Heat oven to 375’F.
Separate eggs, placing whites in medium-size bowl. With electric
mixer, beat egg whites until soft peaks form. In large bowl, with
same beaters, beat together butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
And egg yolks to butter mixture, one at a time, beating well after
each addition. Add vanilla.

5. In small bowl, combine reserved pineapple juice and buttermilk.
Add dry ingredients to butter mixture alternately with buttermilk
mixture, beating until well combined to make batter. Fold egg whites
into batter.

6. Spoon batter evenly over pineapple and cherries. Bake 50 to 60
minutes or until cake tester inserted in center comes out clean. Cool
cake in pan on wire rack 15 minutes. Invert cake onto serving plate
and remove waxed paper. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate.

Note: Dried cherries are available by mail order from American Spoon
Foods, 411 E. Lake St., Petoskey, Mich. 49770, or by calling (800)
222-5886.