Before making cake below, prepare topping. In a 13 x 9 inch baking pan, place 1/2 cup butter; place in 375 degree oven until butter melts. Sprinkle 2 cups packed brown sugar over butter. Meanwhile, drain 1 (15 1/2 ounce) can pineapple chunks, use pineapple to form "flowers" in sugar mixture. Use a drained maraschino cherry for center of each flower.

Prepare cake batter:

2 1/4 c. cake flour
1 1/2 c. sugar
3/4 c. shortening
3/4 c. milk
3 eggs
2 1/2 tsp. double action baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. almond extract

Into a large bowl, measure all ingredients; with mixer at low speed, beat until well mixed, constantly scrapping bowl with rubber spatula. Beat at medium speed for 5 minutes. Pour batter carefully over design. Bake 35-45 minutes at 375 degrees, until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack for 10 minutes. Then loosen cake from sides of pan; place platter on top of pan and invert both; lift off pan. If fruit sticks to pan, lift off with spatula and replace in design on cake.