35th Birthday / Pineapple Upside Down Cake

Hubby turns 35!
05-12-12

 I wanted to originally get hubby a few tools for his wood working hobby. He needs a new circular saw & some more router bits. But since we are moving & the tools would just end up in storage, I decided to purchase Playstation 3 games. I know I will end up regretting this since I am not a fan of all the time that is spent in front of the video game systems. However, I knew it would make him happy & it was also things that could easily go with us. He also got two new controllers which he says are "xbox" style & easier to use with his broken hand.

And of course I made him his most favorite cake ever! Pineapple Upside Down Cake! I will never understand why people use a box cake to make this. It is so easy to make it from scratch & it taste SO MUCH better!

Pineapple Upside Down Cake
1/4 cup butter
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 can(20 oz) sliced pineapples, drained
Maraschino cherries without stems
1 1/3 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup shortening
3/4 cup milk
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 large egg
Whipped cream to garnish

Heat oven to 350 degrees.
Melt butter in 8x8 baking dish in oven.
Sprinkle brown sugar over the butter.
Arrange pineapples on brown sugar, cutting one or more slices into pieces if necessary. Place cherry in center of each pineapple.
Beat remaining ingredients except whipped cream, with electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds, scraping bowl constantly. Beat on high speed 3 minutes, scrapping bowl constantly. Pour over pineapple.
Bake 50-55 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
Immediately turn upside down onto heat proof plate. Let pan remain over cake a few minutes so brown sugar topping can drizzle over cake.
Cool 15 minutes.
Serve with whipped cream on top!