Upside-down Plum Cake

The upside-down plum cake is a delicious dessert that highlights the sweet and slightly tart flavor of these fruits. Here’s the recipe:

Ingredients

For the plum base:

• 500 g of plums
• 100 g of brown sugar
• 30 g of butter

For the batter:

• 200 g of all-purpose flour
• 150 g of granulated sugar
• 100 g of butter at room temperature
• 3 eggs
• 100 ml of milk
• 1 sachet of baking powder
• 1 pinch of salt
• Grated zest of 1 lemon (optional)

Preparation

1. Preparing the plum base:
   • Wash the plums, cut them in half, and remove the pits.
   • In an ovenproof skillet, melt the butter and add the brown sugar. Let it caramelize slightly over medium heat.
   • Place the plums cut-side down in the skillet and let them caramelize for a few minutes. Then turn off the heat and let cool.
2. Preparing the batter:
   • Preheat the oven to 180 °C.
   • In the bowl of a stand mixer or with an electric mixer, cream the soft butter with the granulated sugar until fluffy.
   • Add the eggs one at a time, continuing to beat.
   • Fold in the sifted flour with the baking powder and a pinch of salt, alternating with the milk. If desired, you can add the grated lemon zest to flavor the batter.
   • Pour the batter over the plums in the skillet, leveling it nicely.
3. Baking:
   • Bake the cake for about 40-45 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
   • Remove from the oven and let the cake rest in the skillet for about 10 minutes, then invert it onto a serving plate so the caramelized plums are on the top side of the cake.
4. Finishing:
   • Once cooled, you can dust with powdered sugar before serving, if you wish.

The upside-down plum cake is a classic that celebrates the end of summer and the beginning of autumn, when these delicious drupes are at their peak. This cake is perfect to enjoy both warm and cold, and pairs wonderfully with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a sweet custard sauce.