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Easy Cherry Upside Down Cake

This Cherry Upside Down Cake recipe, besides being easy, is a true must-have for every occasion. Sweet dark cherries are the star here, topping a moist, rich cake with just the right sweetness; the combination is hard to resist!😋

Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Additional Time
5 mins
Total Time
1 hr 15 mins
Servings: 12
Calories: 338 kcal
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

For the Cherry Upside Down Cake:
  • 250 g (2 cups) all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ¼ cup avocado oil , grapeseed oil, or vegetable oil
  • ½ stick unsalted butter softened at room temperature
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup light brown sugar
  • 3 large eggs , room temperature
  • 1 egg yolk , room temperature
  • ¾ cup buttermilk , at room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon pure almond extract
For the Brown Sugar Topping:
  • ¼ cup unsalted butter , melted
  • ¾ cup light brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 teaspoon almond
  • 1-¼ lbs (about 4 cups) fresh or frozen sweet dark cherries (no need to thaw)

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Adjust the oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 350 degrees F—Pour 4 tablespoons of melted butter into a 3.1-quart nonstick rectangle cake pan, tilting to coat the bottom and sides. Whisk ¾ cup light brown sugar, 1 teaspoon cornstarch, 1 teaspoon pure almond extract, and 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract together in a small bowl, then sprinkle evenly over the melted butter. Arrange pitted cherry over the sugar mixture, nesting cherries snugly together.
  2. Sift together the flour and baking powder in a large bowl; set aside. Place the ¼ cup avocado oil, 1 stick unsalted butter, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, 1 cup granulated sugar, and ½ cup light brown sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on medium speed for about 3 minutes. Beat in the vanilla and almond extracts.
  3. Beat in the eggs and egg yolk one at a time, ensuring they emulsify completely with the butter mixture. Reduce the mixer speed to low, scrape bowl and beater and add ½ of the dry ingredients, and add half the buttermilk and beat until just combined.
  4. Next, add the remaining flour mixture and the buttermilk, and beat on low speed until just combined. Do not overmix the batter! Using a rubber spatula, fold it all by hand to ensure no lumps at the bottom of the bowl. Pour batter over the cherries in the pan and smooth the top with a rubber spatula.
  5. Bake the Cherry Upside-Down Cake until deeply golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 50 to 55 minutes. Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Run a knife around the pan's edge to loosen the cake's sides, then invert the cake onto a serving platter. Discard parchment paper. Let the cake cool for a least 1 hour. Serve warm or cool—store covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Notes

  • How to Store 
  • This Cherry Upside Down Cake can be refrigerated airtight for up to 3 days; remove it from the fridge about 15 to 30 minutes before serving.
  • Make-Ahead
  • The Cherry Upside Down Cake can be made a day ahead of time and refrigerated for up to 3 days with a cling film cover over the top of the pan.
  • How to Freeze
  • Freeze the cherry Upside Down Cake for up to 3 months. Wrap the cake in clingfilm twice and foil once. To defrost, unwrap and defrost for about 5 to 8 hours at room temperature on a wire rack—before serving.