Gluten Free Pineapple Upside Down Cake

Ever have to bring a dessert to a function and have no time to make something from scratch. There are lots of really great packaged gluten free product in the stores these days that can make your life a little easier.

I usually have a few things in my pantry for occasions that I need a little extra help. One of these products is Betty Crocker Gluten Free Cake Mixes. I have previously made wonderfully decadent chocolate cupcakes with the Gluten Free Devils Food Cake Mix. This time I was looking for something a little more festive. I saw pineapples on sale in a grocery flyer and decided for family Christmas function that I would make a Pineapple Upside Down Cake. Since I had a Gluten Free Yellow Cake Mix, all I need to purchase was a pineapple. I picked up a pre-cored pineapple from the grocery store instead of a can so I could cut the slices myself, a little thicker than the canned versions. But the canned ones would work perfectly as well.

I changed up the recipe slightly, as that is what I usually do. I did not have corn syrup in the house so I used maple syrup instead and I used the pineapple juice that came with the pineapple instead of the water. I also minced a little pineapple and added it to the cake mix. It took longer than the time stated to bake, close to 50 minutes. Watch the cake carefully in the oven and starting at the 30 minute mark check the cake every 5 minutes with a toothpick to see if it is done. When toothpick comes out clean remove from the oven. Do not over bake as the cake will be come dry. After trying the cake at dinner I would make a few changes the next time I try it. The topping is a little gooey, probably what caused the cooking time to change. So I would cut back on the butter and brown sugar a little. But the taste was amazing.

Betty Crocker's Pineapple Upside Down Cake (Gluten Free)

1/4

cup butter

2/3

cup packed brown sugar

2

tablespoons light corn syrup

9

slices pineapple in juice (from 16-oz can), drained

9

maraschino cherries, drained

1

box (15 oz) Betty Crocker® Gluten Free yellow cake mix

1/2

cup butter, softened

2/3

cup water

2

teaspoons gluten-free vanilla

3

eggs

1. Heat oven to 350°F. In 9-inch square pan, melt 1/4 cup butter in oven. Stir in brown sugar and corn syrup; spread evenly in pan. Arrange pineapple slices on brown sugar mixture. Place cherry in center of each pineapple slice.
2. In large bowl, beat cake mix, 1/2 cup butter, water, vanilla and eggs with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, then on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Pour batter over pineapple and cherries.
3. Bake 38 to 43 minutes or until surface is golden brown and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Immediately run knife around side of pan to loose cake. Place heatproof serving plate upside down onto pan; turn plate and pan over. Leave pan over cake 5 minutes so brown sugar topping can drizzle over cake. Remove pan; cool 30 minutes. Serve warm or cool. Store covered in refrigerator.

Makes 9 servings