I haven't made this in years but it was definitely time for a comeback! It's from my Betty Crocker's Cookbook, New and Revised Edition (1982).
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 can (8 1/4 ounces) sliced pineapple, drained
7 maraschino cherries, if desired
6 pecan halves, if desired
Dinette Cake Batter (see recipe below)
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Heat butter in round layer pan or square pan (9") in oven until the butter is melted. Sprinkle brown sugar over the butter. Fill the bottom of the pan with pineapple slices in any decorative way you want. Place cherries in center of pineapple slices; arrange pecans around the pineapple.
Prepare Dinette Cake Batter and pour over fruit in pan.
Bake until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Invert onto heatproof plate. Let pan remain a few minutes. Lift pan. Your pineapple cake is now upside-down and a thing of beauty! Serve cake warm. Makes 9 servings.
Dinette Cake Batter
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour or 1 1/2 cups cake flour
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup milk
1/3 cup shortening
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
Beat all ingredients in large mixer bowl on low speed, scraping bowl constantly, for 30 seconds. Beat on high speed, scraping bowl occasionally as needed, for 3 minutes.