PINEAPPLE UPSIDE DOWN CARROT CAKE

RECIPE AND PHOTO SUBMITTED BY Catherine Butcher Collins

Pineapple Upside Down Carrot Cake

¼ cup butter
2/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 (20 oz.) can pineapples slices in juice, drained
7 maraschino cherries (without stems)
1 cup sugar
½ cup vegetable oil 
2 large eggs
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
¾ tsp baking soda
½ tsp. salt 
1 ½ cups grated carrots 
½ cup finely chopped pecans 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt butter in a lightly greased 10-in cast-iron skillet or 9-in round cake pan over low heat. Remove from heat. Sprinkle with brown sugar. Arrange 7 pineapple slices in a single layer over brown sugar. Place 1 cherry in center of each pineapple slice. 
Beat sugar, oil and eggs at medium speed with electric mixer until blended. Combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda and salt, gradually add to sugar mixture, beating at low speed just until blended. Stir in carrots and pecans. 
Spoon batter over pineapple slices. 
Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes or until wooden pick comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully run knife around edge of cake to loosen. Invert cake onto serving plate, spooning any topping in pan over cake. Enjoy!