Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

ingredients

Two 8-ounce cans sliced pineapple in heavy syrup
8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter
3/4 cup plus 1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
8 maraschino cherries
1 cup cake flour (not self-rising flour)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup butter-flavored or plain vegetable shortening
1/2 cup half-and-half
1 large egg, at room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Grated zest of 1/2 lemon

directions

1
Preheat the oven to 350F. Drain the pineapple well, reserving 3 tablespoons of the syrup. Pat the pineapple slices dry with paper towels.
2
In a 10-inch skillet, preferably cast-iron, melt the butter over medium heat. Stir in 1/3 cup of the granulated sugar and the brown sugar. Cook, stirring often, until well blended, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat. Arrange 8 pineapple rings in the hot sugar mixture—7 slices around the edges, and 1 in the center (you may have to squeeze them in, but they’ll fit). Place 1 maraschino cherry in the center of each ring.
3
Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together. Set aside. In a medium bowl, using an electric mixer at high speed, beat the vegetable shortening and remaining 3/4 cup of the granulated sugar until well combined and crumbly, about 1 minute. Beat in the reserved 3 tablespoons of the pineapple juice, the half-and-half, egg, vanilla, and
4
lemon zest. With the mixer on low speed, beat in the flour mixture to make a smooth batter. Pour evenly over the pineapple.
5
Bake until the cake pulls away from the sides of the pan and the top is golden brown, about 35 minutes. Cool on a wire cake rack for 5 minutes. Carefully invert onto a serving plate (the syrup is hot!), fruit side up. Serve warm or cool to room temperature.

notes

* It's best to make this cake in a cast-iron skillet, but other 10-inch skillets work, too. If your skillet has a plastic handle, wrap the handle in a double thickness of aluminum foil to protect it from melting in the oven.

Source: mom