skillet pineapple upside-down cake

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup butter
• 2/3 cup firmly packed light or dark brown sugar
• 1, 20-ounce can pineapple slices, undrained
• 9 maraschino cherries
• 2 large eggs, separated
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• Whipped cream or vanilla ice cream

Preparation

Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
Melt butter in a 9-inch cast-iron skillet.
Spread brown sugar evenly over bottom of skillet.
Drain pineapple, reserving 1/4 cup juice. Set juice aside.
Arrange pineapple slices in a single layer over brown sugar mixture, and place a cherry in center of each pineapple ring. Then set the skillet aside.
Beat egg yolks at medium speed with an electric mixer until thick and lemon-colored; gradually add granulated sugar, beating well.
Heat reserved pineapple juice in a small saucepan over low heat. Gradually add juice mixture to the yolk mixture, beating until blended.
Combine flour, salt and baking powder. Add dry ingredients to the yolk mixture, beating at low speed with electric mixer until blended.
Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form.
Fold egg whites into batter. Spoon batter evenly over pineapple slices.
Bake at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for 45 to 50 minutes.
Cool cake in skillet 30 minutes and then invert cake onto a serving plate.
Serve warm or cold with whipped cream or ice cream, if desired.