Day 134 - Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

On my way home from my run/walk with the dog, we (the dog and I) spotted a momma and daddy Quail with some wee little babies.  As we approached, the babies ran under some flowers while mom and dad went in the other direction to divert us.  I made Brady sit because I wanted to see if by remaining still they would come out from their hiding spot.  I had no idea how many there were, so we just patiently waited.  Dad was off doing what, I don't know, but mom came back, peered into the bushes to make sure her babes were ok, and stood very nearby watching us and making noises to the little ones to stay under cover.  After waiting awhile and thinking that we were causing mom some undue anxiety, we walked a little further out of mom's site, but just enough so I could see what she would do.  She immediately went into the bushes, rounded up her young and with three little itty bitty babies behind her waddled off to find dad.
The whole process just amazed me.  I know it happens, but it was just wonderful to witness it first-hand and see how innate it is for a mother to care for her young even in another species.  And I am aware that it isn't innate for every mother, but there's that instinct there in most of us to protect our young from any type of danger.

Sales on pineapple at the store, so I bought one wanting to make today's recipe.
Besides, there's just something I love about fresh pineapple!

This one comes from The Fannie Farmer Cookbook Thirteenth Edition, p. 586; author, Marion Cunningham; publisher, Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., a division of Random House, Inc.; ISBN 0-394-56788-9.

Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

12 tablespoons butter
1 cup dark brown sugar
¼ cup pineapple juice
5 whole pineapple rings
5 Maraschino cherries
½ cup milk
1 egg
1½ cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup granulated sugar
Whipped cream (optional)

Preheat the oven to 400ºF.
Melt 4 tablespoons of the butter in an ovenproof skillet or 8- or 9-inch cake pan.
Stir in the brown sugar and continue to stir over low heat until it dissolves.  Remove from heat and add the pineapple juice.

Arrange the pineapple rings in one layer in the pan and place a cherry in the center of each; set aside.
Melt the remaining 8 tablespoons butter in a small pan.  Remove from the heat and stir in the milk and egg, beating well.

Mix the flour, baking powder, salt and granulated sugar in a bowl, then add the milk-egg mixture and beat until smooth.

Pour over pineapple slices.

Bake for about 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.  Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a plate, fruit side up.  Serve with whipped cream.

In the two pictures with the cut pineapple, that white contraption with the black handle is the next best thing to sliced bread when it comes to cutting one up, believe me.
It is so easy and quick and it produced a little more than the ¼ cup of juice I needed, too.
I love it.  I spent about $10 on it a few years ago at our supermarket and it was definitely worth the investment.  I don't use it that often, but when I do it's such a time saver and the cleanup is much less than using just a knife.
I highly recommend it.

I have to say that this is the best pineapple upside-down cake I have ever made.
Ok, it's the only one I've ever made, but it was absolutely delicious!
The cake was moist, the brown sugar topping with the pineapple was so sweet and yummy! 
Man, I could have another piece right now...
The whipped cream was a perfect accompaniment, too.
I'm adding it to my list of keepers!
I rate everything I make on a scale of 1-4 with 4 being the best.  This pineapple upside-down cake earned 3½ rolling pins.
I LOVED it!
Just for the record, I'm the only one who's had any yet, but I know the family will like it, too.
Happy baking!