Blueberry season is getting close to the end in our area. It's time to make all of the delicious blueberry things while our fridge is still full of fresh berries. This cake is one of our favorites.
This cake is pillowy moist, easy to make, and features a nice hint of lemon which compliments the blueberries perfectly. We find it to be vibrant and sweet, while not overly sweet.
Flipping The Cake "Upside Down"
If you're concerned about the topping sticking inside of the pan, although I have never found it necessary to do so, you can absolutely line the cake pan (bottom) with a piece of parchment. The main key in getting the cake to release in order to turn it upside down on a plate is to make sure you release the sides of the cake by sliding a butter knife between the cake and the cake pan (after cooling for 5 minutes). Don't skip this step!
Notes About Some of the Ingredients:
Flour - I have only made this with all-purpose flour. If you try another flour, I would love for you to comment what you tried and how it worked!
Butter - you can use non-dairy butter instead of dairy if you prefer. Between the cake and the topping you'll be using 16 Tablespoons total or 1 cup.
Lemon Zest - make sure you're getting just the yellow part of the peel and not the white pith, which is bitter. If you don't have 2 lemons to zest or don't care for it, leave it out. You can instead add a 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon to both the cake and the topping. The lemon zest is delicious if you have it though.
Buttermilk - if you do not have buttermilk or are making this dairy free, add 1 1/2 teaspoons white or apple cider vinegar or lemon juice to 3/4 cup milk (dairy or non-dairy) and let sit 5 minutes before adding to the batter.
Maple Syrup - I think maple syrup compliments blueberries in the most delicious way, but if you don't have any, substitute with equal amounts of honey. They add to the syrupiness of the topping.
Blueberries - fresh or frozen work beautifully in this recipe. If you are using frozen, do not thaw them. I've given a range of 1 1/2 cups - 1 3/4 cups because you want the entire bottom of the cake pan covered with a single layer of blueberries. Depending on the size of your blueberries, it may be a little more than 1 1/2 cups.
you can see that 1 1/2 cups of blueberries was not quite enough this time so I ended up sprinkling on a few more
Spread the topping paste across the bottom of the prepared cake pan. Top with a single layer of blueberries.
Carefully scoop out the cake batter on top of the berry layer and smooth, ensuring the berries stay put on the bottom of the pan.
On to the recipe!
Blueberry Upside Down Cake
makes: one 9-inch cake
Cake:
12 Tablespoons unsalted butter, brought to room temp
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
zest of 1 large lemon
3/4 cup buttermilk (see note above for instructions to make if you don't have buttermilk on hand)
Topping:
4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
2 Tablespoons maple syrup
zest of 1/2 of 1 large lemon
1 1/2 - 1 3/4 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
To make the cake:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Prepare a 9" round cake pan by buttering it or spraying it with cooking spray. Set aside.
- In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and lemon zest of 1 large lemon. Set aside.
- If you are making buttermilk, mix together 3/4 cups of milk and 1 1/2 teaspoons of vinegar or lemon juice. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, mix together the butter and sugar with a mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy, 2-4 minutes. Add in the vanilla and the eggs, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a spatula and beating until well combined.
- With the mixer on low, beat in half of the dry ingredients followed by half of the buttermilk. Mix just until combined, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl. Beat in the remaining dry ingredients and remaining buttermilk, mixing just until combined.
To make the topping:
- Combine the melted butter, brown sugar, maple syrup and lemon zest of half of a large lemon in a bowl. Stir together until a paste-like consistency forms. Spread into the bottom of the prepared cake pan, using a spatula to get all of the butter-sugar mixture.
- Pour the berries into the pan forming a single layer of blueberries on top of the topping.
Putting it all together:
- Carefully scoop the thick cake batter over the berries, making sure to keep the berries on the bottom of the pan, and spreading the batter evenly from side-to-side.
- Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 40-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean and the cake is no longer jiggly in the center when moved.
- Remove the cake from the oven and set the pan on a cooling rack for 5 minutes. Using a butter knife, go around the entire edge of the cake to loosen. Take a plate or cake stand and place on top of the cake pan. Flip the pan (the pan will still be hot - use potholders) so the cake is now on the plate or cake stand. Leave the cake pan on the plate/cake stand for a minute to ensure the topping comes off. If any of the topping sticks in the pan, using a spatula, scoop it out and onto the cake.
- Allow to cool for 30 minutes before serving.
- Store at room temperature or in the refrigerator in a covered container for up to 2 days. For longer storage, wrap and freeze for 1-2 months.
That looks so good!
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