Pineapple Upside Down Cake

1~15 oz can pineapple chunks~ drained
3/4 c (1 1/2 sticks) butter~ divided
3/4 c brown sugar
1/2 c pecan halves
2 c flour
1 t baking powder
1 t baking soda
1/4 t salt
1 c sugar
2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 t vanilla extract
1/4 t rum extract

Melt 4 T butter (1/2 stick) over medium heat. Add brown sugar and stir to combine. Increase heat to medium high and cook until sugar mixture is bubbly, about 2 minutes. Add pineapple and continue to cook for 2 minutes, or until sugar mixture completely liquifies; remove pan from heat. Transfer mixture to 9 inch cake pan, add pecan halves and set aside.

Preheat oven to 375.

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

In separate bowl, cream remaining 1/2 c butter (1 stick) and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing just until incorporated. Add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately in 3 batches, mixing at low speed after each addition until just combined. Add vanilla and rum.

Spoon batter evenly over pineapple in pan. Bake in middle rack of oven until golden brown and a tester comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes.

Cool cake in pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Run a thin knife around edge of cake and, wearing oven mitts and working quickly, invert cake onto a cake plate, keeping plate and pan firmly pressed together. Carefully lift pan off cake, replace any fruit stuck to the bottom of pan, if necessary.

Serve cake warm or at room temperature.

Chef's Note: This cake is notorious for bubbling out of the pan while baking. Position a foil lined baking sheet on the oven rack directly below the cake pan to avoid having to scrape carbonized sugar off the bottom of your oven.