Pineapple upside down cake

My husband kept promising he was going to make me a pineapple upside down cake that he had made for our friends.   Its been 7 years and I still have not seen it so I decided to make it myself.   He does not like the maraschino cherries so I omitted them from the recipe, but feel free to add them as decoration with the pineapple slices.


Ingredients
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 can sliced pineapple drained

Cake batter:
1 and 1/4 cup white flour
3/4 cup milk
1/3 cup shortening
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a 10 inch cast iron pan (or cake pan) melt butter over low heat.  Once butter is melted spread brown sugar evenly over butter.  Place pineapple slice is center of pan.  Cut remaining pineapples in half and arrange around the central pineapple slice.

In a large mixing bowl combine ingredients for the cake batter.  Blend on low for 1 minute scraping bowl constantly.  Turn speed up to high and beat for an additional 3 minutes.  Pour batter over arranged pineapple.  Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.

Cool for 5 minutes and then invert pan onto a plate or cake stand.  Be careful because the melted brown sugar and butter mixture is extremely hot.