Hawaiian Upside-Down Cake

This tropical take on the upside-down cake layers crushed pineapple, shredded coconut, and maraschino cherries over melted butter and brown sugar in a cast iron skillet. When you flip it after baking, you get a glistening caramel top studded with fruit and toasted coconut.

The cake itself is made from scratch rather than a box mix. Eggs beaten until light and thick for 3 to 5 minutes give the batter an airy lift, and pineapple juice from the can replaces milk for extra tropical flavor baked right into the crumb.

That 5-minute cooling time before inverting is important. Too soon and the hot caramel runs everywhere. Too long and the sugar hardens and the cake sticks. Five minutes is the sweet spot.

Kitchen Tips

• Use an oven-safe skillet, cast iron being ideal. It holds heat evenly and gives the topping a deep caramel
• Drain the crushed pineapple well. Excess juice in the topping makes the cake soggy on top (which is the bottom while baking)
• Beat the eggs until they’re pale and doubled in volume. That air is the only leavening besides the baking powder
• Run a knife around the edge before flipping to make sure nothing is stuck

Variations

• Use pineapple rings instead of crushed pineapple for a more classic presentation
• Add macadamia nuts to the topping layer for a crunchier Hawaiian flair
• Swap the cherries for sliced mango for a fresh tropical look