Cherry Almond Upside-Down Cake (Printable)

Moist upside-down cake with caramelized cherries and almond flavor; perfect for teatime or dessert.

# What You Need:

→ Fruit Topping

01 - 400 g (2 ½ cups) fresh or frozen pitted cherries
02 - 60 g (¼ cup) unsalted butter
03 - 100 g (½ cup) brown sugar

→ Cake Batter

04 - 120 g (1 cup) all-purpose flour
05 - 45 g (⅓ cup) ground almonds (almond meal)
06 - 8 g (2 tsp) baking powder
07 - 2 g (¼ tsp) salt
08 - 100 g (½ cup) granulated sugar
09 - 60 g (¼ cup) unsalted butter, softened
10 - 2 large eggs
11 - 120 ml (½ cup) whole milk
12 - 1 tsp vanilla extract
13 - ¾ tsp almond extract

# Directions:

01 - Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Grease a 23 cm (9-inch) round cake pan and line the bottom with parchment paper for easy release.
02 - In a small saucepan, melt 60 g butter over medium heat, add brown sugar, and stir until combined and bubbling. Pour this mixture evenly into the prepared pan.
03 - Arrange the pitted cherries over the caramel layer in a single, even layer.
04 - In a bowl, whisk together flour, ground almonds, baking powder, and salt.
05 - In a separate bowl, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, followed by vanilla and almond extracts.
06 - Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture alternately with the milk, starting and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined.
07 - Gently spread the batter over the cherry layer, smoothing the top with a spatula.
08 - Bake for 35–40 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
09 - Cool the cake in the pan for 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edge, then invert the cake onto a serving plate. Remove the parchment paper.
10 - Serve warm or at room temperature, optionally with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • The caramelized cherries make every slice feel a little luxurious, even on ordinary days.
  • It’s a magic trick of a cake—showy to serve, but slyly simple to make.
02 -
  • I once tried to flip the cake too soon out of pure impatience—the fruit stuck stubbornly, so patience during cooling is non-negotiable.
  • Using parchment at the base makes all the difference for a clean release; skipping it is a mistake I won’t repeat.
03 -
  • Testing doneness with a skewer is crucial—undercooked cake in the middle can sink after inverting.
  • Sneak a pinch of salt into the caramel for deeper flavor—it adds something magical.
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