Drain the pineapple slices and the cherries. (Reserve the pineapple juice for the cake batter).

Place the pineapple slices and the cherries on a baking sheet or wire rack lined with paper towel, to help dry the fruits. Pat it dry with the paper towel.

Prepare the cake pan

Use a 9” cake pan for this recipe.

Grease the bottom and sides of the pan with oil.

Place a circle of parchment paper on the bottom of the pan. Grease the parchment paper. It’s very important to line the pan with parchment to prevent the caramel from sticking.

Arrange the pineapple slices overlapping slightly on the bottom of the pan, then fit one slice in the center.

Place one cherry in each pineapple hole.

Read the instructions before starting.

Place the cake pan, with the pineapple on the bottom right next to where the caramel is being made, because once the caramel is ready you have to immediately pour it in the pan.

Use a stainless steel or copper saucepan to make the caramel. Don’t use non-stick or aluminum pan.

Make sure the pan is clean, with no food residues in its even the tiniest bit of grease can spoil the caramel.

Add the sugar to the pan. Pour the water in, then add the glucose. Stir gently with a spatula until a wet sand consistency, and the sugar is incorporated with the water. When stirring, avoid getting sugar crystals on the sides of the pan, which can also cause crystallization of the caramel.

Dip a brush in water and brush the sides of the pan, to make sure there are no sugar crystals there.

Place the pan over medium high heat.

Let the mixture come to a boil. Do not move or stir or shake the pan. The sugar will melt, it will become a clear syrup with lots of fast moving bubbles. The next stage will be a slowing down of the bubbling, and that’s when the caramel will start to darken. Pay very close attention to it, as it can go from barely golden to burnt in just a few seconds if you aren’t careful.

Once you see the caramel starting to brown in certain spots, you can gently swirl the pan once or twice. Keep cooking it until the syrup is a light golden color.

Immediately remove it from the heat and pour over the apples.

Set the pan aside for the caramel to cool slightly.

Start making the cake batter.

Pre-heat the oven to 350ºF.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set it aside.

Use an electric mixer to beat the butter on medium speed for 30 seconds. You can use a stand mixer or a hand mixer.

Add the sugar and beat together with the butter for another minute, until the mixture is light and fluffy.

Scrape the bowl every so often to ensure everything is getting nicely incorporated together.

Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing until incorporated before adding the next egg.

Add the vanilla and mix to combine.

Add one third of the dry ingredient mixture to the bowl and mix on low.

Pour the buttermilk in and mix until incorporated.

Add another third of the dry ingredient mixture and mix on low to combine.

Pour the pineapple juice in and mix on low.

Add the remaining flour mixture to the bowl, and mix on low until incorporated.

You can also use the spatula instead of the mixer to fold the batter during this final stage. Avoid over mixing to prevent the cake from turning out dry.

Spread the batter on the bottom of the prepared cake pan, over the cooled caramel and pineapple mixture.

Use a spatula to spread out the batter evenly.

Bake the cake in pre-heated oven for about 35 to 40 minutes (depending on your oven it might take longer). If the cake is browning too much towards the final 5 minutes, and the center is not yet cooked, cover it with a piece of aluminum foil.

You will know the cake is done baking when you touch the top of the cake and doesn’t feel soft or jiggly, and your finger doesn’t sink in. Also insert a toothpick in the cake, and should come out clean, without any gooey batter attached.

Let the cake cool down for about 15 to 20 minutes, then flip onto a plate. It’s important to remove the cake from the pan before the caramel has a chance to harden, but the cake can’t be too hot either. You should be able to hold the pan in your hands, but it should still feel slightly warm.

Let the cake cool down completely before slicing and serving.

Store the cake in the fridge, in an airtight container for up to 4 days. If storing in the fridge, let the cake come to room temperature before serving.