Upside Down Cake with Nectarines, Plums and Cherries

If you follow this blog for a while now, you’ve probably noticed my fondness for upside-down cakes. The combination of buttery, caramelized fruit layer, with the tasty cake on top, makes me want to bake it again and again.
This time I was debating about which fruits to use in the fruit layer, and then decided that “the more – the merrier” and combined nectarines, plums and cherries all in one. I didn’t add any spices, like I usually do, as I felt this mix of fruits was interesting enough without them. The cake turned out so tasty, that I plan on making this version again very soon, while the seasonal fruits are still juicy and tasty. Try it and enjoy.

Notes:
* Even though I used less sugar than I normally do (which is less than what most recipes call for to begin with), the result was just as tasty. However, if you prefer sweeter cakes, you can increase the amount of sugar according to your liking.
* For more recipes of upside-down cakes, click HERE.

Makes: 8
Prep time: 20 minutes
Baking time: 35 minutes

Ingredients:
For the fruit layer:
1/3 stick (40 grams) soft butter
½ cup sugar (see notes)
1 nectarine, sliced
2-3 small plums, sliced
6-7 dark cherries, cut around the seed
For the batter:
2/3 stick (75 grams) soft butter
¾ cup white sugar (see notes)
2 L eggs, at room temperature
1 cup milk, at room temperature
1 tsp vanilla
1½ cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
Dash salt

1. Preheat the oven to 350F (175C).
2. The fruit layer: lightly butter the sides of the pan and spread the rest of butter over the bottom of a 9½” (24cm) deep cake pan. Sprinkle the sugar on top, avoiding about ¼” (½ cm) from the sides (this will help in releasing the cake from the pan later on). Arrange the cut fruits on top and place in the fridge until the batter is ready.

3. The batter: in a medium bowl, whisk together the butter, sugar and eggs. Add the milk and whisk again (the mixture will seem “broken”- don’t be alarmed, it’s fine). Add the vanilla, flour, baking powder and salt and mix to a smooth batter. Pour the batter over the fruits, from the center out, again avoiding the sides.

4. Bake for 35 minutes, or until the cake is golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
5. Let the cake stand for 1-2 minutes in the pan. Place a plate (the size of the pan or bigger) on top of the pan. Using oven mitts (remember, the pan is still hot!) hold both plate and pan together, and turn the pan upside down over the plate. Place on a work surface and carefully remove the pan.

6. Let cool to room temperature before cutting.