Upside-down cherry cake is made in just three simple steps, with just a handful of ingredients - and it might be one of the best cherry cakes you'll ever bake.
Prep Time: 30 minutes | Cook Time: 45 minutes | Ingredients: 10 | Servings: 10 slices | Difficulty: Easy
Start with the cherries, pour a quick batter over the top, bake, then flip the upside-down cherry cake onto a platter. That's it. What you get is a moist, fruity, and seriously delicious cherry cake, tarte Tatin-style. Check out the Peach Tarte Tatin, too.
Cherries out of season? No problem - you can use frozen cherries to make the upside-down cherry cake, and it'll still turn out great.
Got more cherries? Try the Chocolate Cherry Brownies or the Sour Cherry Cake - both are quick, easy, and absolutely worth it.
Recipe ingredients
Fresh sweet cherries: You will need about 1.3 lbs (600 g) of pitted cherries; a bit more or less than that is ok. To make sure you have that amount after pitting the cherries, I would buy about 1.5 (700 g) cherries.
- You can also make this cake with frozen cherries - just mix them with cornstarch, lemon juice, and sugar straight from frozen, no need to thaw first. Sour cherries will work too; the cake will be tangier, of course.
Neutral-tasting oil for the batter; I use canola oil, but you can also use avocado oil, grapeseed oil, vegetable oil, or another neutral-tasting oil. You can also use the same amount of melted butter.
- This Irish Coffee Cake is also made with oil.
Other ingredients: All-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, eggs, cornstarch, lemon, and vanilla extract.
For full details on the ingredients and quantities, check the recipe card.
How to make upside-down cherry cake?
Step #1: Pit the cherries with a cherry pitter and mix them with cornstarch, lemon juice and zest, and a bit of sugar. Set aside.
Step #2: Line the springform pan with a whole sheet of parchment paper, pressing it into the bottom and all the way up the sides. This prevents cherry juice from leaking.
Step #3: Beat the eggs, sugar, and vanilla extract until light and fluffy (2-3 minutes). Add oil and milk and beat again.
Step #4: Mix flour, baking powder, and lemon zest, then briefly combine with the wet ingredients.
Step #5: Add the cherries to the prepared pan.
Step #6: Pour the batter over the cherries.
Step #7: Bake for 40-45 minutes, until a skewer inserted into the batter comes out clean.
Step #8: Cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Loosen the edges, place a platter on top, and carefully invert the cake. Let cool completely.
Tips
Measurements: Use a digital kitchen scale to measure the ingredients; it guarantees the best results (the Amazon affiliate link opens in a new tab).
Use a dull butter knife to gently loosen the edges of the upside-down cherry cake before flipping it.
Let the cake cool completely on the platter. This gives the cherry juices time to soak into the sponge, making it extra moist and flavorful.
Make ahead and store
You can bake the cherry upside-down cake a day ahead or earlier on the day you plan to serve it. I actually like it even more the next day - the texture changes and becomes a bit more condensed, the flavors deepen, and somehow it's just even more delicious.
Store leftovers in an airtight container for 1 day at room temperature or for 3-4 days in the fridge.
More easy summer desserts
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๐ Recipe
Cherry Upside Down Cake
Equipment
- Springform about 9 inches (23 cm)
- Large piece of parchment paper
- Several bowls
Ingredients
Cherries:
- 1.5 lbs cherries 1.3 lbs/600 g when pitted Note 1
- juice of 1 lemon
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
Batter:
- 2 large eggs
- ยฝ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ยผ neutral-tasting oil like canola oil, Note 2
- 2 tablespoons whole milk
- 1 โ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- the zest of the lemon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400ยฐF/ 200ยฐC.
- Cherries: Pit the cherries and place them in a large bowl. Add the sugar, lemon juice, and cornstarch. Leave the cherries to stand until you prepare the rest.1.5 lbs cherries + juice of 1 lemon + 3 tablespoons granulated sugar + 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- Line the springform pan with a whole sheet of parchment paper, pressing it into the bottom and all the way up the sides. This prevents cherry juice from leaking.
- Wet ingredients: Beat the eggs, sugar, and vanilla extract together for 2-3 minutes until the mixture is light and fluffy. Then add the oil and milk and beat again until fully combined.2 large eggs + ยฝ cup granulated sugar + 1 teaspoon vanilla extract + ยผ neutral-tasting oil + 2 tablespoons whole milk
- Add dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, and lemon zest. Gradually add this dry mixture to the wet ingredients and gently fold or stir just until combined - be careful not to overmix, as that can make the cake dense.1 โ cup all-purpose flour + 1 teaspoon baking powder + the zest of the lemon
- Assemble the cake: Spread the prepared cherries evenly in the lined springform pan. Pour the batter evenly over the cherries, smoothing the top with a spatula if needed to ensure it covers the fruit completely.
- Bake the cherry cake in a preheated oven for 40-45 minutes. To check if it's done, insert a skewer into the center of the cake's batter layer; it should come out clean or with just a few moist crumbs attached.
- Invert the cake: Once baked, let the cake cool in the pan for about 15 minutes. Then gently run a dull knife around the edges to loosen it. Place a serving platter or cake plate on top of the pan, and carefully invert the cake onto it. Allow the cake to cool completely on the platter before serving.
Notes
- Measurements: It is recommended to use a digital kitchen scale to measure the ingredients (the Amazon link opens in a new tab).
- Oil: You can use another neutral-tasting oil like avocado, vegetable, grapeseed, or vegetable oil. Or you can replace it with โ cup of butter (melted). In this case, leave out the milk.
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