Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

When it comes to pineapple-upside down cake, I'm sure there are easier recipes, but I've never tasted one quite this delicious. Maybe it's the cast-iron pan, or maybe it's the beaten egg whites. Whenever I serve this cake, there are never any leftovers.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Meanwhile, over a low flame, melt 1/2 cup unsalted butter in a (pre-seasoned) cast-iron skillet. Spoon in 1 cup (packed) brown sugar. Mix and turn off the heat.

Gather:
one 20-ounce can pineapple slices (drain, reserving 1/4 c juice)
Maraschino cheerries
pecan halves
Arrange the pineapple slices over the brown sugar mixture. Cut left-over slices in half, and use them to line the sides of the skillet, cut sides facing in. Stick a cherry in the center of every pineapple circle. Press the pecan halves between the pineapple slices.

Prepare
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 egg yolks (reserve whites in separate bowl)
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla (real vanilla)

In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt, then run your hands through it. Or, if you are the finicky sort, use a sifter. Plug in an electric mixer and beat the egg yolks until they are thick. Very slowly, add the sugar. Spoon in the flour, baking powder, and salt mixture. Add the vanilla.

Pour the mixture of egg whites into a deep bowl. Beat them with a mixer on high. When stiff peaks form, stop beating. Using a rubber spatula, fold the whites into the batter. Gently spoon the batter over the pineapple.

Bake 50 minutes.
Remove from the oven and invert, without cooling, onto a serving platter.
Yield: 12 servings

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