This plum upside down cake gets beautifully caramelized in a cast iron pan. It's so easy to make - you don't need a mixer of any kind, just mix up the batter in a bowl!
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This plum upside down cake has a couple of tricks up its sleeve that make it easier and less risky than your average upside down cake situation.
First, we are not melting sugar and butter in a hot pan before baking, risking ruined caramel (and frayed nerves) before we even get started. Instead, we'll mix brown sugar with softened butter and smear it on the bottom of the skillet so it creates the caramel as it bakes!
Second, baking it in a cast iron skillet makes it nearly foolproof. The even heat and the nonstick surface ensure that the cake bakes perfectly and flips out flawlessly every time.
Jump to:
Plum upside down cake is a beautiful, effortless summer cake!
- Use any type of plum that you like, or a mix of different kinds would be so pretty!
- The lemon-ginger cake batter is the perfect match for the caramelized plums.
- No mixer needed!
- Yogurt and melted butter keep the cake moist and delicious.
Ingredients you'll need
- Plums: You can use any type or color of plum for this upside down cake! Look for plums that are not too firm and not too ripe. You want them to have just a bit of give when pressed.
- Brown sugar + softened butter: We'll mix these together to make the caramelized topping.
- AP Flour
- Baking soda
- Baking powder
- Ground ginger: I love the zing of ginger with these beautifully sweet plums.
- Salt
- Melted butter
- Sugar
- Plain yogurt
- Eggs
- Vanilla
- Lemon zest
Recommended tools and equipment
Guess what? You don't need a mixer of any kinde to make a plum upside down cake!! We're just going to stir and whisk things together gently in good old fashioned mixing bowls like grandma would have done.
- 10-inch cast iron skillet: This is REQUIRED. The recipe is written for a 10-inch skillet, (sometimes labeled as 10.25 inch) no bigger no smaller.
- Chef's knife and cutting board: To slice the plums.
- Mixing bowls: For the wet and dry ingredients of the cake batter.
- Microplane grater: To zest the lemon.
- Whisk and silicone spatula: For mixing and folding the batter.
How to make a plum upside down cake
Recipe adapted from multiple sources including Melissa Clark via New York Times Cooking, and Erin Jeanne McDowell via Food52.
Step 1: Make the brown sugar caramel topping
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Generously butter the sides of a 10-inch cast iron skillet. Combine the softened butter and brown sugar and spread them evenly on the bottom of the skillet.
Step 2: Slice the plums
Use a good chef's knife to slice the plums into thin wedges and set aside. Do not add to the skillet yet. See tips below.
Step 3: Prepare the wet and dry ingredients (do not combine yet!)
In a large mixing bowl, whisk the flour, ginger, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Use a microplane grater to zest the lemon. In another large bowl, whisk together the melted butter, vanilla, sugar and lemon zest.
Whisk the eggs into the melted butter mixture one at a time.
Finally, add the yogurt to the liquid ingredients and whisk until completely incorporated.
Step 4: Arrange the plums in the skillet for the upside down topping
Arrange the plum slices in the skillet on top of the brown sugar mixture. It's important to do this before finishing the cake batter. See tips below.
Step 5: Finish cake batter and add to skillet
Add the dry ingredients to the wet in two batches, using a silicone spatula to combine them. Stir gently, smoothing the batter until there are no lumps of flour remaining. The batter will be thick, but airy from the activation of the rising agents.
Pour the batter over the plums in the skillet and gently spread evenly.
Step 6: Bake and cool
Bake for about 40-45 minutes until the cake is deeply golden brown and is pulling away from the sides of the skillet, and a tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Remove from oven and immediately run a knife or offset spatula around the outside edge of the cake.
Let the cake cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then cover the skillet with a large serving plate and carefully and quickly flip the cake out onto the plate. Let cool for 30 to 60 minutes before serving.
PREP TIP: Don't leave the plum upside down cake in the pan any longer than 10 minutes. Because we're baking it in cast iron, the skillet will stay hot for quite some time and continue to cook the cake. We just want to leave it long enough for the caramel topping to release but not be completely liquid, then turn the cake out.
Tips for perfect plum upside down cake
- You must use a 10-inch cast iron skillet for this recipe.
- It's very important that you do not put the sliced plums on top of the sugar until just before baking. Once they touch the sugar they will start macerating and releasing too many juices.
- It's also very important that you place the plums before adding the dry cake ingredients to the wet. As soon as they meet, the rising agents will activate so you need to get the cake into the oven as soon as possible. If the batter is just sitting while you are taking the time to arrange the plums in a pretty design you risk winding up with a dense, flat cake.
- The cake will be deeply golden brown all the way around and in the center before it's done. Trust the process and don't remove it too soon. You don't want to risk raw batter in the middle.
Storage instructions
This plum upside down cake tastes best the day it is made, but you can store it covered or in an airtight container on the countertop for a couple of days. If it lasts longer than that (hard to believe, but...) cover tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
This cake freezes well! Cut into slices and wrap them individually for a treat whenever you get a craving. To serve, place in the microwave for 30-60 seconds and voilà, delicious cake!
More baking recipes with fruit
Fruity desserts for the win!
- A Peach Crumble is never not welcome in the summer.
- Cherry Clafoutis sounds super fancy, but it's really super simple.
- Have this Mixed Berry Cake for breakfast. You won't be sorry.
- When the seasons change, use this same method to make a Caramel Apple Upside Down Cake.
Recipe
Plum Upside Down Cake
Ingredients
Caramelized plum topping
- 3-5 plums variable depending on size
- 4 tablespoon softened unsalted butter
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
Cake Batter
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ cup melted unsalted butter
- 1 cup sugar
- zest of one lemon
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ½ cup plain yogurt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Generously butter the sides of a 10-inch cast iron skillet. Combine the softened butter and brown sugar and spread them evenly on the bottom of the skillet.
- Slice the plums into thin wedges and set aside. Do not add to the skillet yet. See notes below.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk the flour, ginger, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Use a microplane grater to zest the lemon. In another large bowl, whisk together the melted butter, sugar, vanilla and lemon zest.
- Whisk the eggs into the melted butter mixture one at a time.
- Finally, add the yogurt to the liquid ingredients and whisk until completely incorporated.
- Arrange the plum slices in the skillet on top of the brown sugar mixture. It's important to do this before finishing the batter. See notes below.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet in two batches, using a silicone spatula to combine the ingredients. Stir gently, smoothing the batter until there are no lumps of flour remaining. The batter will be thick, but full of airy bubbles from the activation of the rising agents.
- Pour the batter over the plums in the skillet and gently spread evenly. Bake for about 40-45 minutes until the cake is deeply golden brown and is pulling away from the sides of the skillet, and a tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Remove from oven and immediately run a knife or offset spatula around the outside edge of the cake.
- Let the cake cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then cover the skillet with a large serving plate and carefully flip the cake out onto the plate. Let cool for 30 to 60 minutes before serving.
Notes
- It's very important that you do not put the sliced plums on top of the sugar until just before baking. Once they touch the sugar they will start macerating and releasing too many juices, which will inhibit the formation of the caramel.
- It's also very important that you place the plums before adding the dry ingredients to the wet. As soon as the wet and dry meet, the rising agents will activate so you need to get the cake into the oven as soon as possible. If the batter is just sitting while you are taking the time to arrange the plums in a pretty design you risk winding up with a dense, flat cake.
- This cake will be deeply golden brown all the way around and in the center before it's done. Trust the process and don't remove it too soon. You don't want to risk raw batter in the middle.
- This cake tastes best the day it is made, but you can store it covered or in an airtight container on the countertop for a couple of days.
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