Hawaiian Pineapple Upside Down Cake

On my way to a Hawaiian-themed party, all I could think of was Pineapple Upside Down Cake. The recipes did not seem Hawaiian enough. The additions of coconut, banana and macadamia nuts brought the tropics to the recipe. I can't tell you how many people raved at the party. The whole cake is gone.

• Preparation Time: 20 mins
• Cooking Time: 45 mins
• Total Time: 1 hr 5 mins
• Calories: 506 Calories

Ingredients

• ⅓ cup vegetable oil
• 3 eggs
• ½ cup butter, melted
• 12 maraschino cherries
• 1 (18.25 ounce) package white cake mix
• 1 ripe banana, mashed
• ½ cup chopped macadamia nuts
• 1 ½ cups brown sugar
• ½ cup reserved pineapple juice
• ½ cup coconut water
• 8 canned sliced pineapple rings (drain and reserve juice)
• ½ cup flaked coconut, divided
• 2 canned sliced pineapple rings, chopped

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Step 2

Pour the melted butter into a 9x13-inch baking dish.

Step 3

Sprinkle the brown sugar evenly over the butter.

Step 4

Arrange 8 pineapple rings in two rows in the baking dish.

Step 5

Sprinkle the macadamia nuts, half of the flaked coconut, and 2 chopped pineapple slices between the rows of pineapple rings.

Step 6

Place a maraschino cherry in each pineapple ring, then scatter the remaining cherries over the coconut mixture. Set baking dish aside.

Step 7

Whisk together the pineapple juice, coconut water, vegetable oil, and eggs in a large bowl. Stir in the mashed banana, yellow cake mix, and remaining flaked coconut until well blended.

Step 8

Slowly pour the batter into the prepared baking dish.

Step 9

Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then run a paring knife between the cake and the edge of the pan.

Step 10

Cover the cake pan with a large serving plate, and invert it to tip the cake out of the pan and onto the plate with the pineapple slices showing.