Spring demands Pineapple Upside Down Cake.  The thought of a Pineapple Upside Down Cake screams Aunt Mary. If you follow this recipe to a “T” you will have a perfect cake every time and you will also have a piece of my Auntie in your heart!

PINEAPPLE UPSIDE DOWN CAKE

1 ½   cups sifted cake flour, 6  tablespoons ground almonds, 3/4 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt,  1 (8 oz.) can pineapple, slices, 10 maraschino cherries, stems removed, 1 stick salted butter, softened, 4 eggs, separated, 1 cup brown sugar, packed, 1 cup white sugar, 3/4 teaspoons vanilla extract, 2 teaspoons pineapple juice (from can of pineapple slices),  1/4 cup sour cream, 1/2 cup milk, 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, 3 tablespoons dark rum.

Heat oven to 325 degrees.  Melt butter and brown sugar in a saucepan until the sugar caramelizes.  Pour the sugar mixture into a non-stick 9-inch deep cake pan.  Make sure the sugar mixture is evenly distributed on the bottom of the pan.  Arrange the pineapple slices on top of the sugar mixture put a cherry in the middle of each pineapple ring.  Set aside.  Sift dry ingredients together in a large bowl.  In another bowl beat egg yolks until light.  In a bowl, combine sour cream, rum, and pineapple juice, mix well and set aside.  Add white sugar and pineapple juice mixture alternately starting and ending with sugar.  Add all the bowls together.  In a bowl add the egg whites and beat until stiff. Fold in the egg whites.  Pour this mixture over pineapple slices.  Bake at 325 degrees for 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Remove from the oven, turn upside down on a heatproof plate. Leave in the pan allow the cake to drop from the pan itself.