I love to bake! It's a pretty common sentiment - especially amongst our Foodie Friends at Port Plums! So when a good friend asked me about making a Strawberry Upside Down Cake for a family get-together this month, I couldn't resist.
This cake is fantastic for summer when strawberries are in season but it also makes for a lovely valentine's dessert. Just look at the sweet little strawberry hearts dotting the top! Serve with fresh strawberries and whipped cream or ice cream.
The original recipe comes from Five Heart Home. I found that I went through more than 12oz of strawberries when picking pretty ones for the top of the cake so I increased the volume 1lb. Extras can be used for garnish or a snack!
I used a 9" spring form pan for this cake and it came out beautifully but a regular 9" round or square cake pan will do the trick.
Ingredients
For the Strawberry Layer:
- 1lb strawberries, washed, hulled, & sliced 1/4-inch thick
- 3 tablespoons butter, melted
- 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 5 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup milk
- Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Generously grease the sides of a 9-inch round cake pan.
- Cut the 3 tablespoons butter into small pieces and place in the cake pan. Place the pan in the oven for a minute or two until the butter is just melted.
- Remove the pan from the oven and swirl the melted butter to coat the bottom of the pan. Evenly sprinkle the brown sugar over the melted butter to form a thin layer at the bottom of the pan. Arrange the sliced strawberries in a single layer over the brown sugar, making sure the slices are touching or slightly overlapping.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside. In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the softened butter and sugar until fluffy. Scrape the bowl and blend in the egg and vanilla. Beat on high for 3 minutes, scraping the bowl occasionally. With the mixer on low speed, gradually blend the flour mixture into the wet mixture, alternating with the milk until just combined.
- Scrape the batter into the pan and carefully spread over the strawberries. Bake for 28 to 32 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Set the cake pan on a cooling rack and cool the cake in the pan for 3 minutes. Carefully run a thin knife or spatula around the edge of the cake pan, then lay a cake platter on top of it. Pressing down on the platter, quickly invert the pan so that it's upside-down on the platter. Wait for 1 minute and then slowly and carefully lift the cake pan from the top of the cake. If any berries stick to the pan, place them back on the top of the cake. Serve cake warm or at room temperature. Cool completely before covering and storing leftovers at room temperature for up to three days.
