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Soft, lightly almond-flavored cake crowned with a layer of sweet caramelized plums. The result is impressive-looking, but it’s easy to prepare.
The Art of an Upside-Down Cake
Upside-down cakes look impressive with their neatly arranged fruit top, however they are fairly simple to make. They start with a layer of sugar and butter in a greased baking dish or skillet, followed by a layer of fruit. Cake batter is then carefully spread overtop and the entire thing is baked. During the baking process, the sugar and butter begins to caramelize and interact with the fruit, creating a delightful blend of syrupy caramelized flavors. The cake is then removed from the oven and allowed to cool momentarily before being inverted onto a serving dish. The result is a delicious cake with a beautifully arranged, caramelized fruit topping.
Almond or Vanilla
Almond extract is used in this recipe to give the cake a light almond flavor to compliment the plums. For additional almond flavor and added crunch, top the cake with roasted slivered almonds.
If almond flavor is not your thing, please feel free to use vanilla extract in place of the almond extract.
Common Questions
Do I need to peel the plums?
Peeling is optional and depends on your preference. Leaving the skins on can save a bit of time and adds some color and textural contrast. Peeling the plums results in a more delicate fruit topping.
How ripe should the plums be?
Ideally use plums that are ripe, but still slightly firm. Gently press on the plum with your finger; a ripe plum should give slightly, but not feel mushy.
How do I prevent the cake from sticking to the pan?
To prevent any sticking, be sure to grease the bottom and sides of your pan well before adding anything into it. You’ll also want to allow the cake to cool for 5-10 minutes before inverting. Additionally, you can gently run a butter knife around the side of the pan before inverting to ensure that no part of the cake is stuck to the side.
Equipment
You’ll need a roughly 10-inch round baking dish for this recipe. You can choose to use a cake pan or pie pan, but my favorite thing to use is a well-seasoned cast iron skillet.
Almond Plum Upside-Down Cake
Equipment
- 10-inch round cast iron skillet or baking dish
Ingredients
Cake Base
- ½ cup butter
- ¾ cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- ⅓ cup milk
- 2 tbsp sour cream
- ½ tsp almond extract
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 ½ cup flour
Plum Layer
- 2-3 plums
- 3 tbsp butter , melted
- 3 tbsp dark brown sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350℉.
Prepare the Cake
- Cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add eggs and beat until incorporated.
- Add milk, sour cream, almond extract, baking powder, and salt. Mix until fully combined.
- Mix in flour until just incorporated. Set aside.
Prepare the Plum Layer & Assemble
- Cut plums into thin wedges.
- In a bowl, mix together butter and brown sugar.
- Grease a 10-inch round cast iron skillet*. Pour sugar mixture into the the pan and spread evenly over the bottom.
- Arrange plum wedges in a single layer over the sugar.
- Gently spread cake batter over the plum layer.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- Allow the cake to cool for 5-10 minutes before inverting onto a plate. To invert: Run a butter knife around the edge of the cake to ensure it is released from the sides of the skillet. Place a large plate over skillet, hold them firmly together and quickly flip allowing the cake to release onto the plate.
- Allow the cake to cool before slicing and serving.
Notes
If you try out this recipe, I’d love to know what you think! Please leave a comment with a rating below and share a photo of your creation on Instagram using the hashtag #BrooksideKitchen and tag @BrooksideKitchen