Preheat and Prepare: Preheat your oven to 180°C (160°C fan/Gas Mark 4). Thoroughly grease a 12-hole standard muffin tin with butter or a non-stick spray. Place the tin on a larger baking tray to catch any potential drips.

Make the Caramel Base: In a small bowl, mix the 60g of melted butter with the 75g of light soft brown sugar until combined. Spoon this mixture evenly between the 12 holes of your muffin tin.

Arrange the Fruit: Cut each pineapple ring in half to create two semi-circles. Place one semi-circle into each muffin cup, curved side down. Pop a maraschino cherry in the centre of each pineapple curve.

Start the Cake Batter: In a large mixing bowl, or the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the 125g of softened butter and 125g of caster sugar together for 3-4 minutes until the mixture is pale, light, and fluffy. You can learn more about this crucial step in this guide to creaming butter and sugar.

Add Eggs and Vanilla: Beat the eggs lightly in a separate jug. Add them to the creamed butter and sugar mixture a little at a time, beating well after each addition to prevent curdling. Once incorporated, stir in the vanilla extract.

Combine Dry Ingredients: Sift the plain flour, baking powder, and salt into a separate bowl and give it a quick whisk to combine.

Finish the Batter: Add half of the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and gently fold them in with a spatula. Add the 2 tablespoons of milk, fold again, and then add the remaining dry ingredients. What works best for me is to mix only until the last streaks of flour disappear. Over-mixing can make the sponge tough.

Fill and Bake: Carefully spoon the cake batter evenly over the pineapple in each muffin cup. The batter should fill them about two-thirds of the way. Smooth the tops gently.

Bake the Cakes: Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes. The cakes are done when they are golden brown, springy to the touch, and a skewer inserted into the centre of a sponge comes out clean.

Cool and Invert: Remove the tin from the oven and let it stand on a wire rack for exactly 5 minutes. Don't leave it any longer! Place the wire rack on top of the muffin tin, and carefully but confidently, flip the whole thing over. The cakes should drop out onto the rack. If any pineapple sticks, gently ease it out with a small knife and place it back on its cake.