Cherry Upside Down Cake

Cherry upside-down cake comes together in three easy steps with just a few ingredients – and it might be the best cherry cake you’ll ever bake.

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 45

Servings slices

Calories 231kcal

Author Adina

Equipment

Springform about 9 inches (23 cm)
Large piece of parchment paper
Electric mixer
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
½ cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ neutral-tasting oil like canola oil, Note 2
2 tablespoons whole milk
1 ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
the zest of the lemon

US - EU

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400°F/ 200°C.
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 + ½ cup granulated sugar + 1 teaspoon vanilla extract + ¼ 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 ⅓ 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 ⅓ cup of butter (melted). In this case, leave out the milk.

Nutrition