Cherry Upside-Down Cake Recipe (2024)

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This cherry upside-down cake was a big hit with my family. Plenty of compliments and it went very fast! My Dad was especially smitten by it. I always thought it’s the best compliment when my parents love something I make. This cherry cake is sooooo soft; like a cross between angel food cake and pound cake.

The sweet tart cherries that get caramelized by the brown sugar as they bake are the crowning glory of this cake. Serve this with lightly sweetened whipped cream or a hefty scoop of vanilla ice cream and your guests will ask you why you only made 1 cake instead of 3. ;).

The beauty of this cake is you can use almost any kind of fruit on top! Think pineapples, peaches, nectarines, apricots, blueberries,…

For the Topping:

1/4 cup (4 Tbsp) unsalted butter
3/4 cup (packed) light brown sugar
2 cups (14 oz) fresh cherries, pitted and halve

Ingredients for The Cake:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour *measured correctly
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup (8 Tbsp) unsalted butter, softened at room temp
2 large eggs, separated
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup whole milk, luke warm
1/4 tsp cream of tartar

How to Make Cherry Upside-Down Cake:

What you’ll need: 9″ wide cake pan with 2″ tall sides.
1. Preheat oven to 350˚F. Butter sides of cake pan and place cake pan on the stove over low heat. Melt 4 Tbspbutter in the cake pan then add 3/4 cup brown sugar, stirring until well combined. Spread over the bottom of the pan and remove from heat. Place cherries, cut-side-down over the butter/sugar mixture, pressing down lightly to stick.

2. Stir together 1 1/2 cups flour, 2 tsp baking powder and 1/4 tsp salt in a medium bowl.

3. In a large bowl, use a handheld electric mixer to beat together 1 cup sugar and 8 Tbsp butter until light and fluffy (5 minutes on high). Mix in 2 egg yolks (1 at a a time), beating well after each then beat in 1 tsp vanilla. Add 1/2 cup luke warm milk and mix on med/low speed until well blended. Add flour mixture and continue to mix on low speed until blended.

4. In a clean bowl, beat 2 egg whites with 1/4 tsp cream of tartar until stiff but not dry. Fold gently into batter in two additions, foldingjust until incorporated. Transfer batter to cake pan and even out the top with a spatula. Bake 55 min at 350˚F.

Cool in pan 10 minutes then run a dull knife around edges of caketo loosen cake. Transfer to servingplatter by placing platter over cake and inverting directly onto platter. Let stand 5 minutes then serve warm or at room temp.

Credits: This recipe was adapted from the Bon Appetit Cookbook by Barbara Fairchild.

I just love cherry season, but this cake is still great even after the cherries are gone. I think I’ll try peach and raspberry next ;). Are you as excited about fresh summer fruit as I am?!!