Fabulous Recipe. "Just the right sweetness". Light, fluffy cake.  If you like, add chopped pecans and shredded coconut to the pineapple topping or place maraschino cherries in the center of the pineapple rings.


TOPPING:

• 1/2 medium pineapple, peeled, sliced 1/2" thick, and cored 3/4 stick unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar

BATTER:

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoons salt
• 3/4 stick unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoons vanilla
• 1-2 tablespoons Rum
• 1/2 cup pineapple juice

Preheat oven to 350 F.  Use a 10 inch well seasoned cast iron skillet or a 10-inch sauté pan or a 10-inch cake pan.

For the Topping, melt the butter in the skillet.  Add the brown sugar and simmer, stirring over medium heat, for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat.  Arrange pineapple slices on top of sugar mixture in concentric circles.

To make the batter, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt.  Using an electric mixer beat the butter until light and fluffy, then gradually beat in sugar.  Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Mix in the vanilla and rum.  Add half of the flour mixture and beat on low speed just until blended.  Add the pineapple juice and mix to combine.

Add the remaining flour mixture and beat just until blended.

(Batter may appear slightly curdled.)

Spoon the batter over the pineapple topping and spread evenly.  Bake the cake in the middle of the oven until golden and a tester comes out clean, about 40 to 45 minutes.  Let the cake stand in the skillet for 5 minutes, then invert a plate over the skillet and turn the cake over onto the plate.  Be sure to keep the plate and
skillet firmly pressed together.  Replace any pineapple or sugar stuck to the bottom of skillet.


Serve warm or at room temperature.


Serves 6 to 8.