Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

No other dessert is quite as easy to transport to a party in the winter. Make it just before you leave and keep it warm in a basket or box lined with a towel. Try substituting plums, peaches, or apples in place of the pineapple for different seasons. While Hawaii is famous for the seductively, sweet, juicy fruit, pineapples originated in the Caribbean.

Pineapple Topping

    2 cups pineapple pieces
    ¼ cup butter, melted
    1 cup dark brown sugar
    ¼ teaspoon apple pie spice

Spice Cake

     2 cups all-purpose flour
     2 teaspoons baking powder
     ½ teaspoon apple pie spice
     ⅛ teaspoon ground Fleur de Sel
     ½ cup dark brown sugar
     ½ cup granulated sugar
     2 tablespoons butter, melted
     ⅓ cup plain applesauce
     2 large eggs
     1 teaspoon vanilla extract
     ¾ cup fat-free milk

1.  Preheat the oven to 350°.

2.  Place pineapple in the base of a 13 x 9 x 2-inch glass
     baking dish. Cover with melted butter.

3.  In a small bowl, mix the brown sugar and apple pie spice;
     sprinkle over pineapple.

4.  In a medium bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, apple pie
     spice and Fleur de Sel.

5.  In a large bowl, use a mixer to cream brown sugar, granulated  
     sugar and butter. Beat in applesauce, eggs and vanilla.

6.  Alternately beat in flour mixture and milk. Beginning and   
     ending with flour. Pour over the pineapple.

7.  Bake in a preheated 350° oven for 25-35 minutes. Cake is
     done when it springs back when lightly touched.
 
8.  Cut into squares and serve upside down with ice cream or     
     whipped cream.

     Hint: For a more formal cake, place large pineapple slices      
     with a maraschino cherry in the middle of each one in the      
     base of pan. Cut the slices so that each piece has a round         
     pineapple slice and half a cherry.

     Makes 8 large squares