Cherry Almond Upside-Down Cake (Printable Version)

Moist upside-down cake topped with caramelized cherries and delicate almond notes; perfect warm with cream or ice cream.

# What You'll 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 Advice:

01 -
  • This cake bakes up with a beautifully caramelized cherry layer that looks far more impressive than the effort required.
  • The hint of almond tucked into the batter gives a delicate richness that makes every slice a pleasure, especially with a cup of coffee.
02 -
  • Once, I tried to invert the cake too soon—let it cool for at least 10 minutes or the topping will run everywhere.
  • Arranging the cherries close together makes the topping extra thick and prevents bald spots after flipping.
03 -
  • Creaming the butter and sugar properly is non-negotiable for a fluffy crumb.
  • A touch of almond extract goes a long way—too much and it masks the cherry flavor.
Go Back