Upside-Down Plum Cake
By America's Test KitchenPublished on August 22, 2007
Yield
Serves 8 to 10
Ingredients
Topping
4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter ¾ cup light brown sugar (5 ¼ ounces/149 grams)5 medium plumsCake
1 ½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour (7 ½ ounces/213 grams)3 tablespoons cornmeal 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder ½ teaspoon salt 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened but still cool1 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar 4 large eggs, separated, at room temperature1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract ⅔ cup milkBefore You Begin
Using a 3-inch deep, 9-inch round pan to bake the cake gives it straight sides. If you prefer slightly flared sides on your cake, bake it in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet, which streamlines the process in three ways. First, the skillet need not be buttered; second, the caramel topping can be prepared in it directly; and third, the total baking time is cut to 50 minutes, which is 10 to 15 minutes faster than with the cake pan.
Instructions
- For the topping: Grease the bottom and sides of a 3-inch deep, 9-inch round cake pan. Halve the plums pole to pole; remove stones (cutting in half again, if needed). Cut into slices 1/2 inch thick. Melt 4 tablespoons of the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat; add the brown sugar and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is foamy and pale, 3 to 4 minutes. Pour the mixture into the prepared cake pan; swirl the pan to distribute evenly. Arrange the plum slices in concentric circles over the topping; set aside.
- For the cake: Adjust an oven rack to the lower-middle position and heat the oven to 350 degrees. Whisk the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl; set aside. Cream the butter in the bowl of an electric mixer at medium speed. Gradually add 1 cup of the sugar; continue beating until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the yolks and vanilla (scraping the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula if necessary); reduce the speed to low and add the dry ingredients and the milk alternately in 3 or 4 batches, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients, until the batter is just smooth.
- Beat the egg whites in the large bowl of an electric mixer at low speed until frothy. Increase the speed to medium-high; beat to soft peaks. Gradually add the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar; continue to beat to stiff peaks. Fold a quarter of the beaten whites into the batter with a large rubber spatula to lighten. Fold in the remaining whites until no white streaks remain. Gently pour the batter into the pan and spread evenly on top of the fruit, being careful not to disperse the fruit. Bake until the top of the cake is golden and a toothpick or thin skewer inserted into the center (but not into the fruit, which remains gooey) comes out clean, 60 to 65 minutes.
- Rest the cake on a wire rack for 2 minutes. Slide a paring knife around the edge of the cake to loosen it from the pan. Place a serving platter over the pan and hold tightly. Invert the cake onto the platter. Carefully remove the cake pan. If any fruit sticks to the pan bottom, remove and position it on top of the cake.
Yield
Serves 8 to 10Ingredients
Topping
4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter
¾ cup light brown sugar (5 ¼ ounces/149 grams)
5 medium plums
Cake
1 ½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour (7 ½ ounces/213 grams)
3 tablespoons cornmeal
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened but still cool
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
4 large eggs, separated, at room temperature
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
⅔ cup milk
Ingredients
Topping
4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter
¾ cup light brown sugar (5 ¼ ounces/149 grams)
5 medium plums
Cake
1 ½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour (7 ½ ounces/213 grams)
3 tablespoons cornmeal
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened but still cool
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
4 large eggs, separated, at room temperature
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
⅔ cup milk
Ingredients
Topping
4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter
¾ cup light brown sugar (5 ¼ ounces/149 grams)
5 medium plums
Cake
1 ½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour (7 ½ ounces/213 grams)
3 tablespoons cornmeal
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened but still cool
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
4 large eggs, separated, at room temperature
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
⅔ cup milk
Before You Begin
Using a 3-inch deep, 9-inch round pan to bake the cake gives it straight sides. If you prefer slightly flared sides on your cake, bake it in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet, which streamlines the process in three ways. First, the skillet need not be buttered; second, the caramel topping can be prepared in it directly; and third, the total baking time is cut to 50 minutes, which is 10 to 15 minutes faster than with the cake pan.
Instructions
- For the topping: Grease the bottom and sides of a 3-inch deep, 9-inch round cake pan. Halve the plums pole to pole; remove stones (cutting in half again, if needed). Cut into slices 1/2 inch thick. Melt 4 tablespoons of the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat; add the brown sugar and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is foamy and pale, 3 to 4 minutes. Pour the mixture into the prepared cake pan; swirl the pan to distribute evenly. Arrange the plum slices in concentric circles over the topping; set aside.
- For the cake: Adjust an oven rack to the lower-middle position and heat the oven to 350 degrees. Whisk the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl; set aside. Cream the butter in the bowl of an electric mixer at medium speed. Gradually add 1 cup of the sugar; continue beating until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the yolks and vanilla (scraping the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula if necessary); reduce the speed to low and add the dry ingredients and the milk alternately in 3 or 4 batches, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients, until the batter is just smooth.
- Beat the egg whites in the large bowl of an electric mixer at low speed until frothy. Increase the speed to medium-high; beat to soft peaks. Gradually add the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar; continue to beat to stiff peaks. Fold a quarter of the beaten whites into the batter with a large rubber spatula to lighten. Fold in the remaining whites until no white streaks remain. Gently pour the batter into the pan and spread evenly on top of the fruit, being careful not to disperse the fruit. Bake until the top of the cake is golden and a toothpick or thin skewer inserted into the center (but not into the fruit, which remains gooey) comes out clean, 60 to 65 minutes.
- Rest the cake on a wire rack for 2 minutes. Slide a paring knife around the edge of the cake to loosen it from the pan. Place a serving platter over the pan and hold tightly. Invert the cake onto the platter. Carefully remove the cake pan. If any fruit sticks to the pan bottom, remove and position it on top of the cake.
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