Cast Iron Skillet Pineapple Upside Down Cake

for this recipe, you will need an 11 or 12-inch well seasoned, cast iron skillet

• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 3/4 (1/2) cup chopped pecans
• 1 (15 & 1/2 ounce) can sliced pineapple rings, undrained
• 1 box pineapple-flavored cake mix (I recommend Duncan Hines Pineapple Supreme Cake Mix)
• 1 cup water
• 1/3 cup reserved pineapple juice (from canned pineapple rings)
• 3 eggs, separated
• 1/3 cup canola (or vegetable oil)
• 6-8 maraschino cherries

Melt butter in an 11 or 12-inch cast iron skillet. Add brown sugar and1/2 pecans; stir well. Reserving 1/3 cup juice, drain canned pineapple rings and set juice aside. Arrange pineapple rings in a single layer over the brown sugar pecan mixture. Set skillet aside.

Empty 1 package of pineapple-flavored cake mix into a large bowl. Add 1 cup water, 1/3 cup (reserved) pineapple juice, 1/3 cup canola oil and 3 eggs yolks into the cake mix and beat according to directions on package. Add other 1/2 of pecans to cake mix. In a separate bowl, beat remaining 3 egg whites until stiff peaks form; gently fold into batter. Pour (or spoon) batter evenly over pineapple base already in skillet. Bake at 350 degrees F for approximately 40-45 minutes, or until cake is lightly browned and set in the center. Remove cake from oven and let rest in skillet for about 30 minutes. When time has elapsed, run a knife around the outer edge of the cake to loosen from skillet, then invert cake onto a serving plate. Place drained maraschino cherries in centers of pineapple rings.

Note - If any of the brown sugar pecan mixture should remain in the bottom of the cast iron skillet after inverting, simply spoon it back onto the cake and spread gently.

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