In this topsy turvy upside-down season of bunker mentality, meal planning has morphed from a dreaded chore to an anticipated event. Therefore, to keep with this theme, an upside-down anything cake is what’s for Easter dessert.
My father’s favorite birthday cake was a warm upside-down pineapple cake with a generous dollop of vanilla icecream. I can still see those candles placed just so in the middle of each pineapple ring.
Fast forward to today. We have stocked our pantries and refrigerators with extra everything. So, pull out a can of any fruit or dig in the fridge drawer and find those pushed to the back not so appetizing long-forgotten fruits. It’s time to make an easy old-fashioned upside down anything cake.
Prepare your fruit by thinly slicing. If peelings are thick like mango, peel as well. Otherwise, thin-skinned fruit like plums and peaches can keep their skins. Mix it up if you have a collection of fruits. If using canned fruit, drain the liquid. I’ve even used fruit cocktail and mandarin oranges. Any fruit works!
Melt 1/4 cup butter over low heat in the bottom of a round layer cake pan. Sprinkle 1/2 cup brown sugar evenly over the butter. Attractively arrange fruit, cut sides up over sugar mixture. Be sure that the whole bottom of the pan is covered with one layer of fruit.
Pour prepared cake batter evenly over fruit in the pan. If you’re using a yellow cake mix, double the recipe of the fruit mixture and bake two single-layer cakes. Bake at 350 for 35-45 minutes until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Invert onto a plate. Leave the pan over the cake for 15 minutes to allow gooey topping to settle and cool. Serve warm with ice cream or whipped topping.
For a homemade one layer cake, measure all the ingredients into a large mixing bowl. Blend on low speed for one minute scraping the bowl intermittantly. Beat 3 more additional minutes on high. Pour batter over the fruit mixture in the one round layer cake pan and bake as directed.
Which fruits did you dig out and use for this Easter worthy cake?
1 1/4 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup milk
1/3 cup shortening
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
How well would this work with cherries? Does the fruit need to be fresh or would frozen fruit work?
If it’s frozen, drain the fruit well after it thaws. Save the juice for a flavored iced tea!