Pineapple Upside Down Mini Cakes

My beautiful niece, Nichole, had a birthday last week and she loves pineapple upside down cake.  I wanted to surprise her with a birthday treat and I found this fun recipe for individual cakes on Big Momma's Home Kitchen.  To make the cakes using pineapple rings, you need a large cupcake pan, if you don't have one, just use a regular cupcake pan and pineapple tidbits or trim the rings to fit the smaller pans.  I had the large pan, and I love the look of the pineapple ring on the top of the cake.  I made them in the morning, right before work, so they were still warm when I delivered them.  I think we should eat cake for breakfast more often than just our birthdays.

Cake Ingredients:
makes 6  large cupcakes or 8 regular cupcakes

2 eggs
2/3 C white sugar
4 Tbsp pineapple juice
2/3 C all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt

Topping:

1/4 cup butter (1/2 stick or 4 Tbsp)
2/3 C brown sugar
1-can pineapple rings
6-maraschino cherries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray your muffin tins with non-stick cooking spray. 

In a mixing bowl, add eggs, white sugar, and pineapple juice.  Beat for 2 minutes.  In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt.  Add to the wet ingredients and turn mixer back on for 2 minutes. 

In a small sauce pan, melt the butter and add the brown sugar.  Stir on low heat for one minute.

Spoon a layer of the warm brown sugar mixture into the bottom of each muffin tin, then place a pineapple ring on top.  Add a cherry in the middle of each pineapple.    Pour cake mixture over to fill muffin tin 3/4 of the way full.  If you are using regular muffin tins, you will need to cut down the rings to fit or just use pineapple tidbits.

Bake jumbo cakes for 25 minutes.  Bake regular cakes for 20 minutes.  If you choose to make a large cake, bake for 22-25 minutes in a 10 inch cast iron skillet or a 10" spring form pan.  The cake is done with a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

  Remove from the oven.  Let cool in pan for 3 minutes.  Run a knife around the edge of each cake to help loosen in case it sticks a little.  Place a wire cooling rack on top, and quickly flip over on top of sheet tray to catch extra drippings.

Tips:
For me too bake first thing in the morning takes a little organization.  I usually mix the dry ingredients together the night before, set out the eggs and butter and put a pan on the stove if I need to cook anything (and measure anything non-perishable into the pan).  That way I can make my coffee and preheat the oven, then finish the mixing process and enjoy a cup while something bakes.  I might get to work on time that day.

May 30, 2012     Daylight  20 hours,  24 minutes,  22 seconds     Current Temp. 58ºF