Pineapple Upside-Down Cakes

These pretty pineapple cakes feature a ginger-spiced filling with hazelnuts. Add fluffy gingered whipped cream and cherries for a picture-perfect dessert.

Makes: 6 cakes
Prep: 40 minutes
Bake: 15 minutes
Cool: 20 minutes

Ingredients
1/3 cup butter
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons full-flavor molasses
6 1/2-inch-thick slices fresh or canned pineapple
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup hazelnuts (filberts), toasted, cooled, and finely ground
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
3 tablespoons butter, softened
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 egg
1 egg yolk
1/2 cup milk
1 egg white
Gingered Whipped Cream
6 maraschino cherries with stems

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a small saucepan, combine the 1/3 cup butter, the brown sugar, and molasses. Cook and stir over low heat until butter is melted and mixture is combined. Divide among six 3-1/2-inch (jumbo) muffin cups. If necessary, cut pineapple slices to fit into bottoms of muffin cups. Place pineapple on top of molasses mixture in cups. Set aside.

2. In a small bowl, combine flour, ground hazelnuts, baking powder, and ginger; set aside. In a large bowl, beat the 3 tablespoons butter with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Add granulated sugar; beat until combined. Beat in whole egg and egg yolk. Alternately add flour mixture and milk to butter mixture, beating on low speed after each addition just until combined.

3. Thoroughly wash beaters. In a small bowl, beat egg white on medium speed until stiff peaks form (tips stand straight). Fold beaten egg white into batter. Spoon batter over pineapple in muffin cups, filling each about three-fourths full.

4. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until tops spring back when lightly touched. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Using a sharp knife or narrow metal spatula, loosen edges of cakes from sides of muffin cups. Invert cakes onto parchment paper or a large tray. Cool for 15 minutes.

5. Prepare Gingered Whipped Cream. Top warm cakes with cherries and serve with the whipped cream. Makes 6 cakes.

6. Gingered Whipped Cream: In a medium bowl, combine 1/2 cup whipping cream and 2 teaspoons sugar. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until soft peaks form (tips curl). Fold in 1 tablespoon finely chopped crystallized ginger.