Recipe: Pineapple Upside Down Cheesecake (Similar to Cheesecake Factory's)

PINEAPPLE UPSIDE DOWN CHEESECAKE
(Similar to Cheesecake Factory's) - photos

CAKE LAYER:
1 cup white sugar
1/3 cup butter, softened
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup milk
1 1/3 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Grease and flour a springform pan and preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

In a small bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl, combine sugar, butter, egg and vanilla, blending well. Add the flour mixture and then the milk, stirring together until smooth. Pour into your prepared springform pan.

PINEAPPLE LAYER:
1/4 cup butter
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
pineapple rings
maraschino cherries

Melt butter in a small saucepan and stir in 2/3 cup packed brown sugar. Drop small spoonfuls over top of cake batter until covered. Layer pineapple rings over top and place a maraschino cherry in the center of each ring.

Bake for 25 minutes.

CHEESECAKE LAYER:
3 packages (8 oz. each) cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 eggs
1/2 cup sour cream

Beat together softened cream cheese, sugar and vanilla. Add eggs, one at a time until blended. Gently fold in sour cream and pour over top of partially-baked cake layer.

Bake for 55 minutes and turn oven off. Leave cheesecake on center rack in oven and open the oven door for about 5 minutes. This will let the cheesecake acclimate to the outside temperature better and keep the center from sinking. Remove from oven and cool on wire rack. Refrigerate 4 hours before serving.

TO SERVE:
Garnish with whipped cream and cherries.

Source: Bread and Jam Food Blog