Skillet Pineapple Upside Down Cake

Hubby's birthday was a few days ago and Valentine's Day was yesterday.  We've been so busy and thus postponed his birthday and our Valentine's day dinner until this evening!  One of his favorites is pineapple upside down cake.  Since I've become smitten with cast iron skillet cooking, I decided to try it with the cake.  The result?  Perfection!  

INGREDIENTS:

½ cup unsalted butter

1 ½ cups brown sugar

Few sprinkles of cinnamon

1 (20-ounce) can sliced pineapple (my skillet took 7 slices)

1 jar of maraschino cherries (one for each pineapple slice and extra for decor)

1 package yellow cake mix (I used Duncan Hines)

1 teaspoon almond extract

DIRECTIONS:

• Melt the butter over medium heat in iron skillet (I used a 10” skillet). 
• Remove from heat and sprinkle brown sugar evenly to cover the butter. 
• Sprinkle with cinnamon. 
• Place pineapple rings over this sugar/butter mixture; only one layer.
•  Place a maraschino cherry in the center of each pineapple ring. 
• Place maraschino cherries between the pineapple slices for more color. 
• Prepare the cake mix as directed by the manufacturer, substituting pineapple juice for the water (add water if necessary to make up the difference). 
• Add 1 teaspoon almond extract to the cake mix batter. 
• Pour the batter over the pineapple layer. 
• Bake as directed in the cake mix directions, until browned and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. 
• Cool for about 10 minutes and carefully turn out onto a plate.  
• Tip:  Don't let the cake cool for too long or it will stick to the skillet/pan! 
• Smile!