Upsidedown Cupcakes

Since it is the time for picnics and barbecues and cookouts, I love Kate's idea to host a virtual gluten free BBQ party with an alphabet theme! Visit Gluten Free Gobsmacked for Kate's other creative inspirations.

As a late signer-upper, I picked the letter "U," and I have no regrets. It forced me to think outside the box; although Upsidedown Cupcakes are not a new inverntion by any means, I did tweak them just a little.

Here's what I ended up with:

Pineapple Upsidedown Cream-Filled Cupcakes

Your favorite yellow cupcake batter, (I used the Lemon Sheet Cake recipe from Bette Hagman's Revised Gluten Free Gourmet)

3 T. butter

1/3 c. brown sugar

pineapple slices

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Melt the butter and brown sugar over medium low heat, stirring constantly. Once melted, divide between the 12 cups in a regular muffin tin (no need to line).

Cut the pineapple slices into fourths and arrange two pieces in each muffin cup, pressing them down into the brown sugar butter mixture.

Pour the batter into the muffin tin and bake for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Flip out upsidedown onto a cooling rack.

Pineapple Cream

1 block cream cheese or neufchatel, softened

1 can crushed pineapple, drained

1/4 c. sugar

4 oz. cool whip

With an electric mixer, mix together the cream cheese and pineapple. Add the sugar and continue to mix. Add the cool whip and mix for just a few seconds.

Cut the cool cupcakes in half horizontally, spread with the cream cheese mixture, and replace the top. Serve immediately. Store leftovers in the fridge.