Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

Preheat oven to 375°F.

For Topping: Stirring constantly, heat brown sugar, butter, and pineapple liquid 2 to 3 minutes in a heavy 10-inch skillet over moderate heat until mixture boils. Remove from heat and arrange 6 pineapple slices (rings) in mixture around edge of skillet and one in middle. Center a maraschino cherry in each pineapple ring, then fill spaces with remaining cherries for artistic impact. Set aside while you prepare cake.

For Cake: Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt together well and set aside.

Cream butter and vanilla in small electric mixer bowl at moderately high speed 2 to 3 minutes until fluffy, scraping bowl often with a rubber spatula. Add sugar gradually and beat 2 to 3 minutes until nearly white, again scraping bowl frequently. Beat in egg.

By hand add sifted dry ingredients alternately with milk, beginning and ending with dry and beating after each only enough to combine. Over-beating at this point will toughen cake.

Pour batter into skillet, spreading to cover pineapple and cherries, then bake on middle oven rack 30 to 35 minutes until cake browns lightly and feels springy when touched.

Cool cake in upright skillet on a wire rack 10 minutes, then loosen around edge with a small thin-blade spatula, and invert on a large round plate. Carefully lift off skillet. If any cherries or pineapple rings stick to pan, simply lift out and set back in place on cake.

Cool cake to room temperature, cut into wedges, and serve.