Description
This Plum Upside Down Cake pairs warm spices with caramelized plums for a sweet, tangy, and cozy treat—perfect for plum season or a taste of fall comfort.
Ingredients
For the sauce:
1/4 cup (1 ounce) unsalted butter
1/3 cup (55 grams) brown sugar lightly packed
1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
4-5 black plums (or variety of choice)
For the cake:
1/4 cup (1 ounce) unsalted butter
3/4 cup (145 grams) granulated sugar
1/4 cup (40 grams) brown sugar lightly packed
1 large egg
1/3 cup (2.5 ounces) plain yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup (150 grams) all purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
Instructions
- In an oven safe, 10 inch skillet*, heat the ingredients for the sauce (except the plums) until just melted, stirring often to combine.
- Pit and slice your plums into quarters or sixths (if large) and arrange them cut side down in the skillet with the butter and sugar mixture. Saute on medium-low for 10 minutes.*
- While the plums cook mix the batter for the cake. Using a stand or hand mixer, blend the butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar together. Then add the egg, yogurt and vanilla and beat until well combined.
- Finally, add in the dry ingredients and beat until a thick and smooth batter forms.
- Once the plums are done cooking, remove the skillet from the heat and spoon the batter over the top. The batter will be thick and a bit tricky to spread at first, but it will loosen as it begins to melt into the butter mixture. Gently smooth it out as evenly as possible to cover the plums.*
- Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 25 minutes or until a deep golden brown or until a tooth pick comes out of the cake portion clean. It will appear darker than you expect due to the spices in the batter.
- Let the cake cool until it's no longer hot to the touch but still warm.* Place a plate or serving platter over the skillet, and carefully—but firmly—hold it in place. Invert the skillet to release the cake onto the plate. If it doesn’t release right away, give the skillet a confident tap to help it along.
- Serve warm on it's own or with a scoop of ice cream if desired. Enjoy!
*All nutritional information is an estimation only. Exact nutritional value depends on exact amounts and ingredients used.
Notes
1. Alternatively, if you do not have an oven safe skillet, you can caramelize your plums in whatever skillet/sauce pan you have and then gingerly transfer the plums and sauce to a glass (not tin) baking dish. Always ensure whatever dish you are baking with is oven safe (including the handle) and do not use a non-stick skillet in the oven.
2. Once you have placed your plums in the skillet to saute, do not move them around or try and stir the sauce. Just gently cook them, allowing the butter mixture to bubble up between the plums.
5. See the pictures in the Instructions portion above to see how the batter spoons over the plums.
7. We want the cake cool enough that it will hold together when we invert it but not totally cooled so that the sugar sticks to the skillet and doesn't release the plums. Warm but not hot is the key.
- Prep Time: 15-20 minutes
- Cooling Time: ~20-30 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American