Grilled Pineapple Upside Down Cake

I in our house, I take care of all of the indoor cooking and Daniel is responsible for the outdoor cooking. Last year Daniel purchased a new grill and I decided that a great birthday gift for him would be Weber's Way to Grill: The Step-by-Step Guide to Expert Grilling (Sunset Books)<. I know, I am the cookbook queen, but I feel like everyone needs at least a couple to call their own!

This is one of the recipes from the cookbook. I can't tell you how good this was...I think we ate the whole thing in one sitting...or close to it! No offense to all of you pineapple upside down lovers, but 9.5 times out of 10 I will pass on it...I just hate the canned pineapple taste! I kindly bought the ingredients even though I was highly sceptical of the recipe.

One bite and it changed my opinion of this old dessert! The fresh pineapple really did wonders for it. That and the brown sugar caramelizes in the cast iron skillet...this is really a must try!!!

Topping:
6 rings fresh pineapple, each 1/2" thick
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Batter:
1 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2/3 cup buttermilk
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar

Brush the pineapple rings with the melted butter. Grill them over direct medium heat, with the lid open, until nicely marked, 4-6 minutes, turning once. Remover from the grill and let cool. Leave one pineapple ring whole and cut the others into halves.

In a 12 inch cast iron skillet over direct medium heat, combine the brown sugar, cream, cinnamon, and any melted butter remaining from brushing the pineapple slices. Cook until the sugar has melted and liquid starts to bubble around the outer edge, about 2 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat and pace on a sheet pan. Place the whole pineapple ring in the center of the skillet, and then arrange the pineapple halves around it. Set aside.

In a large bowl mix the flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. In a small bowl whisk the buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla.

In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar on medium high speed until light and fluffy, 2-4 minutes. With the mixer on low, add the buttermilk mixture and then gradually add the flour mixture. Blend until smooth, scraping down the sides as necessary. Using a rubber spatula, spread the batter evenly over the pineapple slices in the skillet.

Bake the cake over indirect medium heat, keeping the temperature of the grill as close to 350 degrees as possible, with the lid closed, until the top is golden brown and a skewer inserted comes out clean, 40-50 minutes. Remove the cake from the grill and let cool for 10 minutes.

Before removing the cake from the skillet, run a paring knife around the edge to loosen. Place a serving platter over top of the skillet. Wearing insulated barbeque mitts, carefully invert the skillet and platter at the same time, and then slowly remove the skillet. Replace any pineapple that stuck to the bottom of the skillet. Let the cake cool briefly before slicing.