Warm Cherry Upside-Down Cake

Warm Cherry Upside-Down Cake

Makes one 9-inch cake, serves 8-10

Ingredients

Topping

• 6 Tbsp butter
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted
• 1/2 pound sweet cherries, pitted and halved (1/2 pound is about 40 cherries)

Cake

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 2/3 cup milk

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Grease the sides (not the bottom) of a 9-inch round cake pan or 10″ skillet. (I had a bit of the topping drip onto the bottom of my stove; suggest you put a cookie sheet under the baking pan).
3. Melt the 6 tablespoons of butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Add the brown sugar and the lemon juice and cook, stirring just until the sugar dissolves and the mixture bubbles. Pour into the prepared pan and swirl the pan to coat the bottom evenly with the mixture.
4. Evenly distribute the toasted almonds over the bottom of the pan.
5. Place the cherries, cut side up, in the pan in concentric rings.
6. Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt into a bowl.
7. In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle, beat the remaining 1/2 cup butter on medium speed until smooth. Add remaining 1 cup sugar gradually, beating constantly until pale and light and the mixture is not grainy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
8. Beat in vanilla and almond extracts.
9. On low speed, add half of the dry ingredients and beat until blended. Add milk and beat until blended. Add remaining dry ingredients and mix until blended. Transfer batter to the prepared baking pan and spread evenly.
10. Bake until the cake is well risen, golden brown, firm to the touch and beginning to pull away from the sides of baking pan; about 45-50 minutes. Test for doneness with toothpick inserted in middle and comes out clean.
    Note: After years of trial and error, one thing I’ve found before all else if making baked goods at altitude where it’s often drier too, check sooner since your ingredients are probably drier too. Mine was done at 40 minutes.
11. Remove from oven and immediately invert the cake onto a serving platter. Leave the cake pan upside down over the cake for about 2 minutes, then lift it off. If a few almonds or cherries stay behind in the pan, place them back on the cake or better yet…just pop them in your mouth!
12. Serve warm.