This Pineapple Upside Down Cake is the stuff memories are made of.
If I was to say “dinner on the ground,” what is the thing that comes to mind for you? For me, it is Mt. Olivet Baptist Church (where my Daddy led the singing) and hot muggy East Texas Sundays. We would all gather at the picnic tables in an open field by the church to eat tons of food. At least they looked like picnic tables to me, but thinking back, they were made of plywood placed on top of saw horses. My momma tells me that eventually, the church built a reception hall so people could socialize without all the sweat. But all I remember are the “dinner on the grounds” we had outside. Playing tag, chasing boys, and generally getting into mischief until we were called over for the prayer and the food.
Man-O-Man, the food that showed up was so good, and there was always enough for seconds and thirds. Covered dishes are what we called them, and every member of the church brought one. There was always enough fresh fruit, like watermelons and cantaloupes. Hams, chicken and dumplings, black-eyed peas, and the ever-popular fried chicken made up the main courses. Green pea salad, fruit salads, and jello salads were there to grace the side of your plate, but you always had to grab a second plate just for the desserts. Cakes (like this Pineapple Upside Down Cake), cobblers, and pies most of the time, unless it was an ice cream social, which is when the ice cream churns were lined up on a table all their own. The churns were packed in ice with dish towels on top to keep them from melting too fast. A smile is on my face right now, as I remember sitting on the top of the churns as my big brother turned the crank to make them freeze faster. Heck, I can remember the first electric ice cream churn I’ve ever seen. We were getting high falutin when my family bought that one. Anyway, I digress, when I start thinking about all the desserts that were there, one of my favorites to help my mom make was the pineapple upside-down cake.
My mom passed this easy recipe to me, and I want to pass it on. I use to eat the cherries off the top of the cake before she got it to the church sometimes. I probably blamed it on my brother, but I can admit it now… it was me.
Enjoy!
Maurie Kay
| PREP: 20 minutes | COOK: 30-35 Minutes | Yield: One Round Cake |
Ingredients:
- 1 Stick of salted butter
- One Yellow Cake Mix
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup of water
- ½ cup of vegetable oil
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 can pineapple rings
- 6-10 maraschino cherries
- 10-15 pecan halves
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Using a large Iron Skillet (you can substitute a glass baking dish), place the stick of butter in the bottom of the skillet and then place in the oven until the butter is melted.
- While the butter is melting, in a mixing bowl, whisk together the cake mix, eggs, water, and oil.
- Remove the skillet and put the brown sugar in the butter, lightly stir.
- Arrange the pineapple slices, cherries, and pecans on the brown sugar.
- Pour the cake mix on top.
- Bake in the oven for 30 – 35 minutes or until the cake is golden brown and firm to the touch.
- Remove and place a cake plate on top of the skillet.
- Invert so that the cake comes out of the skillet onto the cake plate.
- Serve warm.
Enjoy!
Maurie Kay
