Deborah Anderson | CoServ

Coconut and pecans make this cake even more special. Anderson shares her grandmother’s secret recipe, which is a crowd-pleaser.

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
1 can (20 ounces) sliced pineapple
Maraschino cherries
1 cup unpacked brown sugar
1 cup pecan halves
1 cup shredded, sweetened coconut
3 cups Bisquick
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup milk
4 tablespoons shortening
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt butter in a 10- or 12-inch cast-iron skillet on a stovetop. Remove from heat. Add pineapple in a circular design and insert a cherry into the center of each pineapple ring. Sprinkle brown sugar, pecans and coconut on top and in between the pineapple rings.

2. In a large bowl, beat Bisquick, sugar, eggs, milk, shortening and vanilla using an electric mixer, scraping the bowl as needed, until batter is smooth. Pour on top of the fruit and nuts in the skillet, making sure to cover completely.

3. Bake 40–50 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the cake’s surface is golden brown. To prevent sticking, immediately flip cake onto a serving dish, holding plate firmly to the cake while flipping.

Serves 8–10.

Cook’s Tip

In place of Bisquick, you can substitute 3 cups flour, 1 1/2 tablespoons baking powder and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and increase the shortening to 6 tablespoons.