Plum Cardamom Upside-down Cake

One on the things that I just love about late summer fruits is that you feel no guilt for baking them. The pressure is off to just eat them as is, perfect and untouched by human creativity. Hopefully, by the time September rolls around you’ve already had your fill and are now you are ready to head into fall, heart full to the brim with the memories of all those perfect moments where the juices dripped down your arm as you bit into the perfect piece of fruit. Ok, maybe I need a few more moments like that.

My point is, now is the time that I love to bake fruit deserts. Crumbles, cakes, compotes. I want them all and I’ve now got a list as long as my arm with fruit desserts that I’m itching to bake.

This cake is exactly what I want to be eating right now. It’s the perfect late summer/early fall dessert (or breakfast?). The cake is perfectly spiced. It hints that autumn is coming but the brightness of the plums reminds you that summer is still here and not ready to go. I absolutely love the combination of cardamom, ginger and orange zest. They play so well together, like they were destined to be best friends. I’m contemplating an ice cream with this flavor profile, that’s how much I love this spice combination. I don’t often eat cake batter but I found it so hard to stop licking the bowl once I got the cake in the oven.

The cake is straightforward and easy to make. You cream the butter and sugar, beat in the eggs one at a time, alternate adding the dry and wet ingredients until it is just combined then you pour it onto your plums that are patiently waiting in your cake pan with some butter and sugar. There is no need to line with parchment (which for some reason, I find super tedious) as the butter keeps it from sticking. I’ve made it with the small Italian plums (pictured below) and the larger purple and red ones and it works with all of them.

The plum topping is on the tart side which I find delightful and means that the cake itself can masquerade as breakfast with ease. It’s perfect with ice cream (what isn’t?) or a dusting of powdered sugar.

Once you’ve tried it with the plums, play around with the spices and fruit. Swap the orange zest for lemon zest. Cinnamon would be killer with peaches and a touch of bourbon. Apricots would be great here too. This cake has endless possibilities. Don’t you love a good choose-your-own-adventure recipe?

So here you go, friends. Go stock up on all the stone fruit you can find and get baking. The transition from summer to fall is upon us and this is the perfect way to celebrate. Also, If you make this for Sunday dessert, Monday morning you will be ever so grateful.

Yield: 8-10

Author: Laura Gable

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Plum Cardamom Upside-down Cake

Prep time: 25 MinCook time: 55 MinTotal time: 1 H & 19 M

Ingredients:

• 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature (divided)
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 pound of plums (about 14 Italian plums cut in half or 4-5 larger variety cut into 1/2-inch wedges)
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 1/2 cup whole milk Yogurt
• 1 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 teaspoons finely grated orange zest (from 1 orange)
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Place 2 tablespoons of butter in the cake pan and place it in the oven for a few minutes to melt the butter. Once melted, remove the pan from oven and add the brown sugar and stir it till it is evenly distributed around the pan. Place the plums in the pan, arranging however you like, making sure to fill the bottom of the pan and set aside.
2. Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cardamom, ginger and salt in a small bowl. In another small bowl, whisk together the milk, yogurt, vanilla and orange zest. Beat the butter and 1 cup of sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Reduce the mixer speed to low; add the flour mixture to the butter mixture in 3 batches, alternating with the milk mixture, beginning and ending with the flour, and mix until just incorporated (be careful not to over mix). Pour the batter over the plums and spread evenly.
3. Place the pan on the middle rack in the oven and bake until the cake is golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 50-55 minutes. (Cover loosely with foil if the cake is browning too quickly.) Let sit 15 minutes, then invert onto a platter and let cool completely.

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