Upside-Down Pineapple Cake

My dear mom-in-law recently celebrated her 30th anniversary of turning 39 (ba-dum-dum). To celebrate, we had the family over and made a Sunday feast, dining elbow-to-elbow around our modest kitchen table, sharing stories that usually followed this pattern:

1) Something not awesome happened (i.e., falling out of the fishing boat, a memorably bad meal, that turkey fryer fire...).

2) It all turned out ok.

3) We laugh.

Life is kinda like that, isn't it? We work hard to make everything just right, but really, the things we remember most fondly are never picture perfect. I think about the truth of this quote:

For me, that means when the unexpected happens, learn to roll with it - worry less, laugh more. Maybe it also means fewer home improvement projects, more hikes and bike rides. Less Pinterest, more parties. And when it comes to birthday cakes, less fondant, more fun.

Pineapple Upside-Down Cake 
From my tattered red and white Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook

2 Tbls. butter
1/3 cup brown sugar
7 canned pineapple rings in juice
7 maraschino cherries
1 and 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
2/3 cup milk
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. In a 9" round pan, melt 2 Tbls. butter. Stir in 1/3 c. brown sugar and 1 Tablespoon water. Fit  the pineapple rings in the pan to decoratively fill the bottom (do not layer) and place cherry in the middle of each ring. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, granulated sugar, and baking powder. Add milk, the 1/4 cup butter, egg, and vanilla. Beat until well combined. Spoon batter over fruit in the prepared pan.

Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack 10 minutes. (If you invert the coffee cake too soon, the pineapple rings may stick to pan.) Loosen cake and invert onto serving plate. Serve warm.