Pineapple Upside-Down Cake with Dried Cherries - pineapple

Method

• Preheat oven to 350F.
• Drain pineapple, reserving 5 tablespoons juice.
• Set aside 1 whole pineapple slice; cut 4 slices in half (reserve remainder for another use).
• Melt butter in 9-inch-diameter cake pan with 2-inch-high sides over low heat.
• Transfer 1 1/2 tablespoons butter to small bowl and reserve; leave remaining butter in pan.
• Add brown sugar and 3 tablespoons pineapple juice to pan.
• Stir over medium heat until mixture boils and thickens slightly, about 45 seconds.
• Remove from heat.
• Place whole pineapple slice in center of pan atop sugar mixture.
• Surround with halved pineapple slices, rounded side toward pan edge.
• Sprinkle cherries in hollows of pineapple slices.
• Mix flour and baking powder in small bowl.
• Using electric mixer, beat egg whites and salt in large bowl until soft peaks form.
• Gradually add 1/4 cup sugar; beat until stiff peaks form.
• Using same beaters, beat yolks and 1/4 cup sugar in another large bowl until well blended.
• Mix in milk, vanilla and reserved 1 1/2 tablespoons butter.
• Beat in flour mixture just until blended.
• Fold whites into batter in 3 additions.
• Spread batter over pineapple slices in pan.
• Bake cake until golden and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 30 minutes.
• Cool in pan 5 minutes.
• Place platter over cake; then invert cake onto platter.
• Remove pan; rearrange any fruit that may have become dislodged.
• Cool cake on platter 30 minutes.
• Brush 2 tablespoons pineapple juice over pineapple.
• Cool completely.