PINEAPPLE UPSIDE DOWN CAKE

As Lia Wilson in her Quick Fixes with Mixes cookbook says about this Pineapple Upside Down Cake, "This classic couldn't be easier - it ices itself!" I have to admit I was a little bothered because there were no cherries, but when I took it in to Hillcrest Thrift Shop on Tuesday, Dale immediately asked me if it was a pineapple upside down cake.  No one mentioned the lack of cherries, so I guess it was just a "me" thing.

The cake was all gone when my shift was over and I went to get the leftovers. Guess it is good that I ate a piece and cut a piece for my husband before I left home.

I did change from using a white cake mix to a yellow one so I could use a sugar free one.  I wish they made other cake mixes sugar free besides yellow and devils food, but I have learned to just adapt the recipe with success.
  

PINEAPPLE UPSIDE DOWN CAKE

6          tablespoons margarine
1          (20 - oz) can crushed pineapple in its own juice, drained, juice reserved
3/4       cup reserved pineapple juice (I had almost 1 cup reserved juice and used it all)
1/2       cup chopped pecans
1 - 1/3  cups packed light brown sugar
1          white or yellow cake mix (I used a sugar free yellow cake mix)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Melt margarine in a 9 x 13 - inch baking pan (in oven that is preheating)

Sprinkle the nuts evenly in bottom of the pan.

Evenly cover nuts with the brown sugar.

"Sprinkle" the pineapple over the brown sugar. Set aside.

Prepare the cake mix according to package directions, replacing the reserved pineapple juice for the liquid (water).

Pour the cake batter over the top of the pineapple.

Bake for 45 minutes or until cake top springs back when touched.

Cool 5 minutes on wire rack.

Invert on cake plate or platter.

A little of the pecans remained in the pan, so I took a knife and filled in the empty spaces on the cake.