HOW TO MAKE IT :
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray 24 muffin cups with cooking spray.
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Line a work surface with parchment or waxed paper.
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Spoon 1 teaspoon melted butter into the bottom of each sprayed muffin cup.
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Spoon 1 tablespoon brown sugar in each muffin cup.
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Press a maraschino cherry into the center of the brown sugar in each muffin cup.
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Spoon a heaping tablespoon of crushed pineapple over the cherry and compact it with the back of a spoon into an even layer.
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Mix cake mix according to the package directions, replacing the water with pineapple juice. This may vary according to which cake mix you use. In large bowl with electric mixer on low speed until moistened, about 30 seconds. Turn mixer speed to medium and mix for 2 minutes.
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Pour pineapple cake batter into the muffin cups, filling them almost to the top.
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Bake in the preheated oven on the middle rack until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean, about 20 minutes.
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Allow cupcakes to cool at least 5 minutes before inverting muffin cups onto the waxed paper to release. Serve with pineapple and cherry sides up. Sprinkle cupcakes lightly with confectioners’ sugar if desired.
RECIPE NOTES
Just replace the water called for in your cake mix with pineapple juice. You should be able to reserve the juice from the crushed pineapple and have enough pineapple juice to use here. If you are a little shy on the amount of juice, just use water to fill the rest of the liquid called for in the recipe.
*Some people like the look of pineapple tidbits better for this recipe. I tried both and the crushed pineapple has a lot more flavor and looked prettier.
