Pineapple Rum Upside Down Cake

Ingredients

• 6 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 (20 ounce) can pineapple slices
• Pecan halves
• Maraschino cherries
• 1 (18.25 ounce) box yellow cake mix*
• 3/4 cup pineapple juice
• 1/2 cup rum
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 3 eggs
• 1 teaspoon pineapple or lemon extract

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In two 8 or 9-inch cake pans, melt 3 tablespoons of butter in each pan. Sprinkle half of brown sugar in each pan. Decoratively arrange pineapple slices in the bottom of the pans. Place a maraschino cherry in the center of each pineapple slice. In between the rings, place the pecan halves in a decorative pattern.
3. Combine cake mix, juice, rum, oil, eggs, and extract. Beat with mixer for 2 minutes.
4. Divide batter between the two pans.
5. Bake for 30 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean.
6. Immediately invert cakes onto serving platters.

Notes

* 18.25 ounce boxes of cake mix have been replaced by 16.5 ounce and 15.25 ounce boxes. To compensate for the volume loss in a 16 ounce box, whisk 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour into the dry cake mix before proceeding with the recipe. To compensate for the volume loss in a 15.25 ounce box, add 1/2 cup + 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour and 1/4 teaspoon baking powder.

The second cake may be frozen for later use. Freeze cake on a cookie sheet or flat plate. Once frozen, wrap tightly with freezer wrap. Completely unwrap frozen cake and then defrost in cake container.