I love this recipe not only because I love pineapple upside down cake, but because they provide one individual serving. The perfect anytime treat without tainting the entire gorgeous cake. This is also a time to play with your food. This recipe is for a muffin-like cupcake and are amazing. However, I like to pretty them up right before serving by placing them in cupcake papers, adding a swirl of butter cream frosting or whipped cream in the center and yes, another cherry on top 🙂

Ingredients:

Topping:

4 tablespoons butter

1⁄2 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 (8 ounce) can pineapple slices, preferably in heavy syrup

12 maraschino cherries

Cake:

1 1⁄2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

6 tablespoons butter, softened

1 cup sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla

pinch of nutmeg

2 large eggs

1⁄2 cup pineapple juice (reserved from can)

1⁄2 cup milk

Directions:

In a small pan melt 4 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Add brown sugar and cinnamon, stir until sugar has melted. Remove from heat. Grease muffin tin (do not use liners).

Break pineapple slices in half and arrange in muffin tin. The broken halves should over-lap each other within one muffin round. Place cherries in the center hole and sprinkle about a tablespoon of brown sugar mix over each pineapple and cherry.

Preheat oven to 350°

Cake:

In a large bowl, sift flour and baking powder; set aside. In a medium bowl beat softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Stir vanilla and nutmeg into butter/sugar mix add eggs and beat well. In a small bowl, combine pineapple juice and milk. Fold wet mixes into the dry in alternating fashion (between the butter/sugar mix and juice/milk mix).

Stir until it’s just combined — don’t over mix. Pour batter into muffin tin over topping.

Bake for 20 minute or until cupcake is spongy to the touch. Let cool for 5 minute and run the edges of cupcakes with butter knife and carefully lift out and transfer to plate. Or carefully cover top of cupcakes with a large cookie/baking sheet and flip/invert.

Makes 12