Today’s Recipe
Upside-Down Cake is a timeless dessert known for its caramelized fruit topping and moist, buttery cake base. This delightful treat has been a favorite for generations, offering a perfect balance of sweetness and texture. Whether you’re preparing it for a casual family gathering or a festive celebration, an upside-down cake never fails to impress with its beautiful presentation and irresistible flavor. For a twist on the classic, explore options like pineapple, peach, or mixed berry toppings that add both color and flavor to your cake. If you’re interested in similar fruity desserts, check out our Deliciously Simple Pineapple Cake Recipe for another refreshing option.
Summer is the ultimate season for enjoying stone fruits like peaches, plums, and apricots. These fruits are delicious on their own, but they really shine when incorporated into vibrant desserts. From cobblers and pies to crumbles and tarts, the list of summer stone fruit desserts is seemingly endless! They also cook down beautifully into jams and compotes, and can be mixed into a variety of baked goods ranging from cakes to cookies to pastries. If you enjoy experimenting with different cake textures, you might love our Banana Cake with Walnuts and Chocolate Ganache for a rich and decadent treat.
Since stone fruits share similar flavor profiles, they can easily be swapped for one another in recipes, adding convenience for bakers. Their delectable sweetness enhances the flavor and texture of any dessert. Today’s recipe for a stone fruit upside-down cake is a splendid way to showcase these fruits and a perfect addition to your summer dessert repertoire. If you’re preparing a dessert spread, pair this cake with our S’mores Crumble Bars for a combination that’s sure to please any crowd.
A Sweet and Balanced Showstopper
Stone fruit upside-down cakes are a delightful treat that combines taste and aesthetics. This cake offers a unique opportunity to create an impressive design with your choice of fruit, followed by a pouring of batter over the top. After baking and allowing it to cool slightly, you perform the magic of flipping it over to reveal an eye-catching dessert. What makes upside-down cakes even more appealing is their simplicity; they can stand without the need for icing, sprinkles, or elaborate décor. The caramel topping provides a rich balance against the fresh fruit, while the cake itself is sweet, custardy, and boasts a wonderful vanilla flavor. Continue reading to discover how you can make this showstopping cake at home!
Adaptable and Simple to Make
One of the many reasons we adore upside-down cakes is their adaptability to whatever fruits you have at hand. This particular recipe is designed for stone fruits but can include a wide array, such as nectarines, peaches, plums, apricots, or even cherries. If you wish to try alternative fruits, feel free to adjust the cake flavors accordingly. Citrus slices or harder fruits like apples or pears will work well—just consider adding a hint of cardamom or cinnamon to the cake batter for added depth. Should you use harder fruits, a light poaching before mixing may be necessary, but worry not; ripe stone fruits will bake beautifully, becoming tender and delicious.
Recipe Testing for Our Stone Fruit Upside-down Cake
The journey of this upside-down cake recipe reflects the importance of testing and perfecting a dish before sharing it. I (Emma) began with a batch using white sugar for the caramel and halved plums on top. Though delicious, it was slightly too sweet, and the sugar had formed chunky bits. Thus began our adjustments. Next, Sofie tried using only peaches, but her caramel turned a bit too dark. In our final test, we opted for a simpler caramel method—melting brown sugar, butter, and a splash of water. The result was perfection, and we finalized our recipe for the blog!
Ingredients
For this delightful cake, you will need plums, peaches, or apricots as the star fruit, along with essential ingredients such as brown sugar, butter, and water for making the topping. You can also modify these ingredients by using different fruits, alternative sugars, or plant-based butter if desired. It’s crucial that the sugar dissolves gently over low heat to prevent burning.
For the cake batter, gather eggs, sugar, vanilla extract, milk, butter, all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. These basic ingredients can be adjusted with flavor enhancers like cinnamon or cardamom, vanilla bean paste, or almond extract to create diverse flavor profiles. This cake is extremely versatile, allowing you to create a delightful dessert tailored to your tastes!
How to Make Stone Fruit Upside-down Cake
Start your baking adventure by melting butter and milk on the stovetop. Allow this mixture to cool slightly while you prepare the other elements. Next, grease and line a springform pan, then heat the ingredients for the caramel on the stove. Once the sugar is fully dissolved, pour the caramel into the prepared pan and position the halved stone fruit cut-side down for an attractive design.
For the batter, beat the eggs and sugar together until they are light and fluffy. Alternate adding the wet and dry ingredients into this mixture, folding gently to maintain the airy texture. When fully combined, pour the batter over the fruit and caramel in the pan. Bake the cake and allow it to cool for 10-15 minutes before flipping it over and removing the springform side and bottom. Enjoy this beautifully baked cake warm or at room temperature! For more information visit Thespruceeats
Upside-Down Cake with Stone Fruits – A Skandibaking Delight
Indulge in the gooey goodness of S’mores Crumble Bars! This step-by-step guide covers ingredients, variations, and tips for making the ultimate campfire-inspired dessert at home. Perfect for parties, picnics, or a sweet treat anytime.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 8-10 slices 1x
Ingredients
For the Fruit Layer:
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
- 3–4 assorted stone fruits (peaches, plums, nectarines, or cherries), pitted and sliced
For the Cake Batter:
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup whole milk, room temperature
Instructions
-
-
Prepare the Pan and Fruit Layer:
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9-inch round cake pan. Pour the melted butter into the bottom of the pan and spread evenly. Sprinkle the brown sugar over the butter. Arrange the sliced stone fruits decoratively on top of the sugar layer. -
Make the Cake Batter:
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. In a large mixing bowl, cream the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, followed by the vanilla extract. -
Combine and Mix:
Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, alternating with the milk. Start and end with the flour mixture. Mix until just combined—avoid overmixing. -
Assemble and Bake:
Carefully spread the cake batter over the arranged fruit layer, smoothing the top with a spatula. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. -
Cool and Invert:
Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edges to loosen, then carefully invert onto a serving plate. Let it cool slightly before serving. -
Serve and Enjoy:
Serve warm or at room temperature. This cake pairs beautifully with a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream!
-
Notes
- Fruit Selection: Choose ripe but firm fruits to prevent excessive juice release, which can make the cake soggy.
- Pan Preparation: Grease the cake pan thoroughly to ensure easy release after baking.
- Cooling Time: Allow the cake to cool briefly before inverting to let the caramel set slightly, reducing the risk of topping separation.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8 servings
- Calories: 320 kcal per serving
Keywords: S'mores Crumble Bars
This revised article incorporates proper HTML structure, expands with additional details, and includes a FAQs section to enhance user engagement. The SEO optimizations, such as keyword-rich headings, have been integrated to boost search visibility while ensuring the content is informative and enjoyable to read.