Summer Fruit Upside-Down Cake
A simple, old-fashioned cake that's soft, buttery, and topped with sweet caramelized fruit. Incredibly versatile — use whatever fruit or berries you have on hand. Fresh strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, peaches, plums, nectarines, cherries, or a combination all work beautifully. One of those easy desserts that feels right at home on the kitchen table all summer long.
Prep time
20 min
Cook time
60–65 min
Serves
8
Ingredients
▼
Fruit Layer
- ⅓ cupbutter
- ½ cupbrown sugar
- 1⅔ cupssliced fresh fruit or berries (I used sliced strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries)
Cake Batter
- ½ cupbutter, softened
- ½ cupgranulated sugar
- 3medium eggs, at room temperature, well beaten
- 2 tspvanilla extract
- 2 cupscake flour* (see note below)
- 1 tbspbaking powder
- ¼ tspsalt
- 1 cupmilk
Ingredients
Fruit Layer
- ⅓ cupbutter
- ½ cupbrown sugar
- 1⅔ cupssliced fresh fruit or berries (I used sliced strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries)
Cake Batter
- ½ cupbutter, softened
- ½ cupgranulated sugar
- 3medium eggs, at room temperature, well beaten
- 2 tspvanilla extract
- 2 cupscake flour* (see note below)
- 1 tbspbaking powder
- ¼ tspsalt
- 1 cupmilk
Instructions
- 1
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
- 2
Place ⅓ cup butter into a 9-inch round cake pan and place it in the oven just until the butter has melted. Remove the pan from the oven.
- 3
Evenly sprinkle the brown sugar over the melted butter, then arrange the fruit or berries in an even layer over the sugar.
- 4
In a medium bowl, whisk together the cake flour, baking powder, and salt.
- 5
In a large mixing bowl, using an electric mixer, cream the softened butter, granulated sugar, eggs, and vanilla until light and well combined.
- 6
Add half of the flour mixture and mix just until incorporated. Add half of the milk and mix again. Repeat with the remaining flour mixture and the remaining milk, mixing just until the batter is smooth.
- 7
Carefully spread the batter evenly over the prepared fruit layer.
- 8
Bake for 60–65 minutes, or until the cake is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- 9
Immediately place a serving plate over the cake pan. Using oven mitts, carefully hold both the plate and the pan together, then quickly invert them. Gently lift off the cake pan and allow the fruit topping to settle over the cake.
- 10
This cake is especially nice served warm with freshly whipped cream.
Melissa's Notes
*If you don't have cake flour, use 2 cups all-purpose flour minus 2 tablespoons, then replace those 2 tablespoons with 2 tablespoons cornstarch.
Don't be afraid to make this recipe your own. Almost any fruit works beautifully — use whatever is in season or already in your kitchen. Strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, peaches, plums, nectarines, cherries, blackberries, or a delicious combination all make a wonderful topping.
Nutrition Information
Per serving
Nutrition information is an estimate and may vary depending on the ingredients and brands used.
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