Upside Down Plum Cakecooks Illustrated Recipes

PLUM UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE

Steps:

• Melt butter in a 10-in. cast-iron or ovenproof skillet. Sprinkle brown sugar over butter. Arrange plum halves, cut side down, in a single layer over sugar; set aside. , In a large bowl, beat eggs until thick and lemon-colored; gradually beat in sugar. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; add to egg mixture and mix well. Blend water and lemon extract; beat into batter. Pour over plums. , Bake at 350° until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 40-45 minutes. Immediately invert onto a serving plate. Serve warm, with whipped cream if desired.

PLUM UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Drop butter into an 8-inch square and let melt in the preheating oven.
• Remove the pan from the oven and tilt to coat the bottom evenly with butter. Sprinkle brown sugar and almond flour on top. Arrange plum slices over the mixture.
• Beat softened butter and sugar together until light and creamy. Mix in egg and vanilla extract until fluffy.
• Sift flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon together in a separate bowl. Add to the butter mixture alternately with the milk, folding just until dry spots disappear. Pour batter evenly over the plums; tap pan onto the counter to expel excess air bubbles.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes.
• Cover the pan with a serving plate and immediately invert cake onto the plate. Let cool until no longer hot, about 15 minutes. Cut and serve warm.

PLUM UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE WITH LEMON

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Combine 3/4 cup sugar and 1 1/2 tablespoons water in a 10-inch ovenproof skillet and stir until the mixture looks like wet sand. Cook over medium-high heat, gently swirling the pan occasionally but not stirring, until light amber, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and arrange the plums in concentric circles over the caramel; set the skillet aside.
• Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl. Beat the butter and the remaining 1 cup 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, then beat in the vanilla. Whisk the milk, sour cream and lemon zest in a small bowl. 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. Pour the batter over the plums and spread evenly.
• Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake until the cake is golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 50 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.

PLUM UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Stir 6 tablespoons butter, brown sugar and honey in heavy medium skillet over low heat until butter melts and sugar and honey blend in, forming thick, smooth sauce. Transfer to 9-inch-diameter cake pan with 2-inch-high sides. Arrange plums in overlapping concentric circles atop sauce.
• Mix flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt in medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat remaining 6 tablespoons butter in large bowl until light. Add sugar and beat until creamy. Add eggs and beat until light and fluffy. Beat in extracts. Add dry ingredients alternately with milk, mixing just until blended. Spoon batter evenly over plums. Bake cake until golden and tester inserted into center of cake comes out clean, about 1 hour 5 minutes. Transfer to rack; cool in pan 30 minutes.
• Using knife, cut around pan sides to loosen cake. Place platter atop cake pan. Invert cake; place platter on work surface. Let stand 5 minutes. Gently lift off pan. Serve cake warm with whipped cream.

NEXT-LEVEL PLUM UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. In a 10-inch cast-iron skillet, melt 4 tablespoons butter with brown sugar over low heat. Using a fork, mix together until smooth. Remove from heat.
• Place plum halves, cut-sides down, on a work surface; cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Transfer each slice to skillet, forming concentric circles beginning at outer edge and ending in center, overlapping slices as you go around.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat remaining 1 stick butter with granulated sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. In a small bowl, beat egg yolks and vanilla; add to butter mixture. In another small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. With mixer on low speed, add flour mixture to butter mixture in three additions, alternating with buttermilk and beginning and ending with flour mixture; beat until just combined. Transfer batter to a wide bowl.
• In a clean mixer bowl fitted with the whisk attachment, beat egg whites on medium-high until soft peaks form, about 2 minutes. Stir one-third of whites into batter. Gently fold in remaining whites until incorporated. Pour batter over plums, spreading with an offset spatula to cover evenly.
• Bake until top is browned and springs back when lightly pressed in center, and a tester comes out clean, 50 minutes to 1 hour. Transfer skillet to a wire rack; let cool 20 minutes. Turn out cake onto a serving plate and let cool completely before serving.

UPSIDE-DOWN PLUM CAKE(COOK'S ILLUSTRATED)

Steps:

• For topping: Grease the bottom and sides of a 9-inch square or round, 3-inch deep cake pan. Melt butter in medium saucepan over medium heat; add brown sugar and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is foamy and pale, 3 to 4 minutes. Pour mixture into prepared pan; distribute evenly. Arrange the fruit over topping; set aside.
• For cake: Adjust oven rack to the lower-middle position and heat the oven to 350 degrees. Whisk the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl; set aside. Cream the butter in the bowl of a standing mixer at medium speed. Gradually add one cup of the sugar; continue beating until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the yolks and vanilla. Reduce speed to low and add the dry ingredients and milk, alternately in 3 or 4 batches, until the batter is smooth.
• Using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites in the large bowl at low speed until frothy. Increase speed to medium-high; beat to soft peaks. Gradually add remaining two tablespoons of sugar; continue to beat into stiff peaks. Gently fold a quarter of the egg whites into the flour mixture. To soften the batter. Then ass remaining egg whites and fold in to just combined. Pour batter into pan and spread evenly on top of the fruit. Bake until top of the cake is golden and a toothpick comes out clean, 60 to 65 minutes.
• Rest cake on wire rack for two minutes. Slide a pairing knife around the edge of the cake to loosen it from the pan. Place a serving platter over the pan and hold tightly. Invert the cake onto the platter. Carefully remove the cake pan. If any fruit sticks to pan or falls off cake, carefully reposition.