Pineapple Upside-Down Cupcakes

Ingredients

• 1 (15.25 ounce) package yellow cake mix
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 3 eggs
• 1 (12.5 ounce) can pineapple tidbits in juice, drained and juice reserved
• 1 cup brown sugar, or as needed
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 1 (16.5 ounce) can pitted cherries, drained (optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease muffin cups or line with paper muffin liners.

Beat cake mix, water, oil, and eggs together with an electric mixer in large bowl on low speed 30 seconds, increase speed to medium speed and beat for 2 minutes. Pour reserved pineapple juice into cake mix and beat until combined.

Sprinkle brown sugar evenly in each muffin cup. Drizzle butter evenly over brown sugar. Place pineapple tidbits and 1 cherry atop the brown sugar mixture. Pour cake batter over pineapple tidbits.

Bake in the preheated oven until golden and the tops spring back when lightly pressed, 15 to 20 minutes.