Kids and a Mom in the Kitchen: Pineapple Upside Down Cake

I really wanted to make pineapple upside down cake when we were doing the color yellow a few weeks ago. Unfortunately we never got to it. That, however, did not change the fact that I really wanted pineapple upside down cake. I realized we haven't made this in almost two years. We originally made it when we were doing the letter U (for upside down).  So we made this last night when grandpa was here for a visit (grandma is still down here helping out).

3 TBS butter

1 (20 oz) can crushed pineapple (drain juice and reserve 1/2 cup)

8 maraschino cherries (we used 16)

1/4 cup walnut halves

2/3 cup packed brown sugar

1/3 cup shortening

1/2 cup sugar

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

1 1/4 cup flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

(This recipe was found at allrecipe.com)

The girls took turns cutting off a tablespoon of butter to place in the bowl to melt in the microwave.

It was then poured into the pan (we use a 9X9 square pan because we don't own a round pan)

The girls then arranged the cherries and the walnuts:

Then they sprinkled the brown sugar on.

I put the pineapple on top of the brown sugar and we set the pan aside while we made the batter.

Then we creamed the shortening and sugar.

The next step is to add the egg and vanilla and beat it well.

It was then time to sift together the flour, baking powder and salt in a separate bowl. Unfortunately I forgot to measure them into a separate bowl. I had the girls put the dry ingredients in with the sugar/shortening mixture. It didn't hurt the recipe though. 

So we just mixed it all together, adding the pineapple juice.

Then we spooned the batter over the pineapple in the pan.

Daddy enjoyed the remaining pineapple juice.

Amelia insisted on getting a picture of me putting the cake in the oven.

The girls love watching their creations bake (and other foods too).

Of course, because Amelia needed the picture of me putting the cake IN the oven, Tabitha needed her turn to take a picture.

Here is a picture of the girls the last time we made this. Wow, have they grown in the last 2 years. 

(Hannah was just a baby last time.)

Do you have your children help you in the kitchen?  What lessons do they learn? Do you have any kid friendly recipes to share?

I'd love to see your posts, whether you have done something this week or some time in the past. Just link up below. This is a weekly linky, it just doesn't always get posted on the same day.

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