Juicy fresh cherries on top of a cake batter made with fresh cream are the stars of the show in this luscious upside-down cherry cake. Serve it plain, or add a spoonful of whipped cream for extra indulgence!
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You are going to love this upside-down cherry cake
I love fresh juicy cherries, and I was delighted when I found some on special in my local supermarket. They reminded me of a long-forgotten cherry upside-down cake that I used to make years ago. I couldn't wait to get them home so I could start baking!
It's a super-moist cake, due to the batter being made with whipped cream rather than butter. And the creamy texture of the cake complements the sweet juicy cherries perfectly.
Because there's no butter to be creamed into the cake mix, this is a really quick cake to throw together - the longest part of making it is removing the stones from the cherries. Of course, you could leave the stones in, but I wouldn't recommend it - no one wants to break a tooth when biting into a slice of cake!!!!
You can serve this cake plain, or for extra indulgence, serve it with a spoonful of whipped cream on top.
The comment from my friendly neighbour/cake tester (said through a mouthful of cherry cake) was 'Oh my goodness - this is LUSH'!
You will need these ingredients:
- Fresh ripe cherries - cut in half and stones removed. If you have a cherry-stoner by all means use that, or just do as I did and cut the cherries in half and remove the stones with the tip of the knife.
For the cake:
This is an easy-mix batter, and you don't have to be too precise with the measurements.
- Flour - self-raising flour if you have it, if not, add one teaspoon of baking powder for every cup of plain flour.
- Sugar - I used granulated, but you can substitute it with castor sugar.
- Milk - full-fat, or if you only have semi-skimmed you can use that instead.
- Eggs - this recipe calls for one large egg - I only had small eggs so I used 2.
- Double cream - (or heavy cream) this is whipped to stiff peaks before being mixed through the rest of the ingredients. Don't use single cream - it won't stiffen when you beat it.
- Salt - I always think a little bit of salt improves the flavour of a cake batter. If you don't use salt you can leave it out.
How to make a cherry upside-down cake
For baking this cake, you will need a 10" loose-bottomed round metal flan dish. It's really important to use a flan dish with a loose bottom as this makes it so much easier to remove the finished cake from the dish.
Mix the batter
- Start by pouring the cream into a small mixing bowl and whipping it into stiff peaks (image 1 above). You can use a balloon whisk and plenty of elbow grease, or (much easier) use an electric hand mixer.
- Now place the rest of the ingredients into a larger mixing bowl and whisk them all together until well incorporated (image 2 above).
- Finally, fold in the cream (image 3 above).
- Rub the base and sides of your (loose-bottomed) flan dish with a little butter, or brush with sunflower oil.
Assemble and bake
- Scatter the cherries evenly on the base of the flan dish (image 1 above).
- I was in such a hurry to make this cake that I forgot the next quite important step (hence no photo). Turn all the cherries over so the cut side is on the bottom. This makes for a MUCH nicer presentation of the finished cake. It was only after I'd poured the batter on the cake that I realised I'd forgotten!
- Pour the batter over the cherries (image 2 above)
- Bake in a preheated oven (190C / 380F) for about 25 minutes, until the top of the cake is nicely browned (image 3 above), and a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean. If there is batter on the toothpick, return the cake to the oven for another minute or two.
- Allow to cool until the flan dish is cool enough to handle.
- Place a large dinner plate over the cake and holding one hand over the plate, carefully turn the dish and plate upside down.
- Remove the flan dish and you will be left with the bottom of the dish on top of the cake.
- I used a flat palette knife to gently lift the bottom of the flan dish off the cake, taking care not to disturb the cherries.
- Leave to cool completely and serve either plain or topped with additional whipped cream.
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Storage
Store the cake in the refrigerator, covered with a layer of aluminium foil (or plastic wrap).
The cake is best eaten within 3 days.
It is not suitable for freezing.
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📋The recipe
Upside-down cherry cake
(Click the stars to rate this recipe)
Equipment
- Small mixing bowl
- Large mixing bowl
- 10" loose-bottomed round flan dish
- Balloon whisk or electric hand mixer
Ingredients
- ½ lb / 225 grams fresh cherries weight after stones removed
- 1 cup 140 grams self-raising flour
- ¾ cup / 150 grams caster sugar
- ¾ cup / 180 ml milk
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup / 120 ml double cream
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 190°C / 380°F
- Wash the cherries, remove the stones and discard along with the stalks.½ lb / 225 grams fresh cherries
- Pour the cream into a small mixing bowl and whisk until the cream forms stiff peaks.½ cup / 120 ml double cream
- Place the rest of the ingredients (except the cherries) into a larger mixing bowl and whisk until well combined.1 cup 140 grams self-raising flour, ¾ cup / 150 grams caster sugar, ¾ cup / 180 ml milk, 1 large egg, ½ teaspoon salt
- Fold in the whipped cream.
- Grease the loose-bottomed flan dish with butter, or brush with sunflower oil.
- Arrange the cherries, cut side down, on the bottom of the flan dish.
- Pour over the batter.
- Bake in a pre-heated oven for 25 minutes until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out cleanly.
- Allow to cool slightly then invert onto a large plate and remove the flan dish. See notes.
- Leave to cool completely and serve slices either plain or topped with whipped cream.
Notes
- Place a large dinner plate over the cake and holding one hand over the plate, carefully turn the dish and plate upside down.
- Remove the flan dish and you will be left with the loose bottom of the flan dish on top of the cake.
- I used a flat palette knife to gently lift the bottom of the flan dish off the cake, taking care not to disturb the cherries.
Nutrition
I am not a nutritionist. The nutrition information has been calculated using an on-line calculator, and is intended for information and guidance purposes only. If the nutrition information is important to you, you should consider calculating it yourself, using your preferred tool.
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