The Danny Dunn Cookbook

My favorite book series when I was a kid was the Danny Dunn series.  A great series of books about a boy who is interested in science.  Now when I read the books I always enjoy the food they are eating.  I was reading Daddy Dunn and the Anti-Gravity Paint and when Danny comes home from school his mom is making a pineapple upside down cake for after dinner.  Here is a recipe I found online at Lost American Recipes, that may be similar to what she made back in 1956 when this book was published.  

Ingredients:

4 Pineapple slices

1/4 C brown sugar

2 T butter melted

1 1/4 C all purpose flour

3/4 C sugar

2 t baking powder

1/2 t salt

1/4 C oil

1 egg

1/2 C milk

1 t vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350

Prepare 8x8x2 pan by greasing well with butter

Spread brown sugar and butter across the bottom of the pan. 

Arrange pineapple slices in bottom of pan

Stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.

Add oil, egg, milk, and vanilla

Beat for 3 minutes, 150 strokes per minute, until well blended.  

Pour batter over pineapple

Bake for 35-40 minutes

Turn upside down on serving plate and serve with whipped cream.