Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease each regular size cup in a 12-cup muffin tin or two 6-cup muffin tins.

Topping:

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
7 tbsp. packed brown sugar
1/2 cup drained crushed pineapple (juice reserved; see note)
6 maraschino cherries, drained and cut in half

Melt butter in a small saucepan. Add sugar and stir over low heat until blended. Remove from heat and stir in pineapple. Spoon about 1 tablespoon of topping into each muffin cup. Place a cherry half, rounded side down, in center of each.

Cake:

1 cup cake flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 large egg, yolk and white separated (at room temperature)
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter (at room temperature)
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup pineapple juice

Mix flour, baking powder and salt. Beat egg white in a small bowl with electric mixer until stiff peaks form when beater is lifted. Beat butter and sugar in a large bowl with electric mixer (no need to clean beaters) until fluffy. Beat in egg yolk. Stir vanilla into pineapple juice. Beat into butter mixture alternately with flour mixture in 3 additions until blended. Gently stir (fold) beaten egg white into batter. Pour into muffin cups.

Bake at 350°F for 20 to 25 minutes or until cupcakes shrink from sides of pan and a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack 10 minutes. Invert on cookie sheet and gently tap each cup to release cupcakes. Serve warm or at room temperature.