It’s spring-eve! What better way to celebrate than with a fresh berry upside-down cake? I’m super excited to finally share this recipe with you. Berry upside-down cake is everything that is right in the world, it’s moist, sweet and tart. It’s complete happiness and sunshine.
In the recipe, I included the fruit combination that I used, however, feel free to mix it up and choose your favorite berries – just make sure you include a lime, lemon or orange- these slices will help break up the sweetness of the brown sugar and fruit making it a bite of heaven.
I like the look of the full lime (lemon or orange) slice. To keep the shape of the round slice, it requires a little extra step. First you want to thinly slice the fruit with the peel on. Afterwards you can gently remove the peel. I found it easiest to use a knife to cut a small sliver in the middle of the white pith and through the peel. Then use a finger nail to peel it off of the slice slowly and carefully (see the picture), this technique will allow it to keep it’s round shape without rough cut marks.
It is important to remove the peel otherwise you will have trouble cutting through the cake and it will create a bitter taste. However, keeping the round shape it’s not necessary, feel free to peel the lime and dice the fruit if it’s easier.
Berry Upside-Down Cake
Equipment
- 1 8in pan
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups All-Purpose Flour
- 2 teaspoons Baking Powder
- 1 Lemon worth of Zest
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- ½ cup Coconut Oil
- ¾ cup Sugar
- 1 Egg
- 1 teaspoon Almond Extract
- ½ cup Whole Milk
Topping
- ¼ cup Butter melted
- ½ cup Brown Sugar
- 1 handful Strawberries rinsed & sliced
- 1 handful Blueberries rinsed
- 1 handful Raspberries rinsed
- 1 Lime sliced & peeled
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350F.
- In a bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, lemon zest (careful not to zest the white pith of the lemon) and salt.
- Using your kitchen aid mixer (with a paddle attachment) or hand mixer cream together the coconut oil and sugar until fluffy.
- Add in the egg and almond extract. Mix until evenly combined and a pale yellow.
- Now you will want to fold the dry ingredients and milk into the wet ingredients alternating between dry ingredients and milk, ending with flour. What?? Here is an easier explanation: you will divide the four into thirds, it does not have to be exact, but just know you will add the flour three times. The milk will be divided into half, again it does not have to be precise but just know you will add the milk two times. To the wet ingredients (egg mixture) you will add one third of the flour, folding it in with a spatula. Then you will add one half of the milk, folding again with a spatula. Repeat and then add in your last third of flour. Folding means that instead of stirring you will lift the ingredients up from the bottom and fold it on top until it’s combined evenly this helps create air in making a lighter batter.
- There you have it! It will be thick when you’re done. Set this aside as you prepare the bottom of the pan (top of the cake).
Topping
- You will need your cake pan, melting butter, brown sugar and your fruit. Make sure your fruit is rinsed, dried and sliced. I sliced my strawberries in half, but kept all my other berries whole.
- Pour the butter into the pan. Tilt the pan around so that the butter coats the entire cake pan.
- Sprinkle 1/2 of your brown sugar on the bottom of the pan.
- Add your fruit. You can make any design you like, just remember it will flip over which is why I placed my strawberries “upside down” because I wanted the outside of the strawberry to be on top once the cake was flipped out.
- Sprinkle with the remainder of the brown sugar.
- Pour the cake batter onto the fruit and sugar. It’ll be thick, aim to pour it out in the middle so that it will spread out into the pan naturally.
- Carefully spread it to the sides of the cake pan, trying not to move your fruit.
- Bake at 350F for 30 minutes. Your toothpick should come out clean. If you need to bake it longer but the cake it starting to brown, you can cover it with foil.
- Cool for 15-20 minutes on a rack before flipping. To flip, place a serving plate over the cake pan and flip upside down. I tap the top of the cake pan gently, I think it's just a superstition that if I don't it won't come out. Carefully and slowly pull the cake pan straight up. The cake pan may still be warm but you want to get it out before it cools down completely.
