Cherry Cornmeal Upside-Down Cake
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Sticky, jammy cherries meet a golden, buttery cake in this homey take on the classic upside-down cake—sweet, simple, and totally summery.
An upside-down cake is an old-school dessert baked with fruit, butter, and sugar on the bottom, then flipped to reveal the caramelized fruit on top. You can make it with just about any seasonal fruit, but this version—adapted from Bon Appétit and Yossy Arefi via Bake From Scratch—is something special. As it bakes, the cherries and brown sugar turn into a glossy, jammy sauce that seeps into the cake, while a touch of cornmeal gives it a soft, cornbread-like texture that’s just the right amount of rustic.
A 10-Inch cast iron skillet is ideal for this cake, as it creates delicious caramelized edges, but if you don’t have one, a 9- or 10-inch springform cake pan will work nicely too.
“Spectacular! It’s got such a wonderful flavor and texture. I will be making this again soon!”
What You’ll Need To Make Cherry Cornmeal Upside-Down Cake
- Cherries: Fresh cherries are ideal for their firm texture and vibrant flavor, but you can use frozen cherries if they’re fully thawed and well-drained.
- Butter, dark brown sugar + balsamic vinegar: These ingredients cook together to make the rich, sticky caramel that coats the cherries.
- Cake flour + cornmeal: This combo gives the cake its tender yet rustic texture. Cake flour makes it soft and light, while cornmeal adds a unique texture with subtle nuttiness and a slightly crumbly bite. If you don’t have cake flour on hand, you can make your own with this adjustment: replace 2 tablespoons of each cup of all-purpose flour with cornstarch. (Cornstarch lowers the overall protein content of all-purpose flour, making it behave more like cake flour.)
- Baking powder + baking soda: These leaveners lift the cake so it stays light and airy.
- Butter, granulated sugar & eggs: The base of the batter, these ingredients add moisture, richness, and just the right amount of sweet.
- Almond and Vanilla Extract: Flavors that complement the cherries and cake.
- Whole Buttermilk: Adds moisture and a slight tang, ensuring a tender, flavorful cake. If your store doesn’t carry whole buttermilk (or you don’t want to buy a whole carton), use plain Greek or regular yogurt thinned with milk to a thick but pourable consistency.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Pit the cherries. Use a cherry pitter if you have one (I use the Leifheit Cherry Stoner—it’s especially helpful for a large batch like this.
Step 2: Make the caramel base. In a 10- to 11-inch ovenproof skillet with 2-inch-high sides, combine the butter, brown sugar, vinegar, and salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until the butter melts and the sugar dissolves. This should take a few minutes.
Pro Tip: Let the sugar fully dissolve for a smooth caramel—if it’s still grainy, give it another minute or two.
Step 3: Add the cherries. Stir in the cherries and bring to a boil for about 30 seconds. Remove the skillet from the heat. Boiling the cherries releases a bit of juice, creating a saucier topping once the cake is flipped.
Step 4: Mix the dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
Step 5: Beat the butter, sugar, and eggs. Using an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or beaters, cream the butter and sugar on medium-high until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each, then mix in the vanilla and almond extracts.
Step 6: Add the dry mixture and buttermilk. Add one-third of the flour/cornmeal mixture and mix just until combined. Pour in half the buttermilk and mix, then another third of the dry ingredients, followed by the remaining buttermilk and final third of the dry mixture. Use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure everything is fully incorporated.
Pro Tip: Starting and ending with the dry ingredients keeps the batter from curdling and gives it a smooth, stable structure.
Step 7: Add batter to skillet. Gently spread the cake batter over the cherry mixture in the skillet, smoothing the top.
Step 8: Bake the cake. Place the skillet on a baking sheet and bake in 350°F-oven until the top is set and golden brown, about 45 minutes. (The baking sheet catches any bubbling juices that might overflow.) Let cool in the skillet on a rack for 15 minutes.
Step 9: Invert the cake. Place a serving platter over the skillet and flip it carefully to release the cake. (Use oven mitts as the skillet will still be hot.) Serve warm or at room temperature with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream. The cake is best on the day it is baked, but leftovers will keep in a covered container at room temperature for up to 2 days; freeze for longer storage.
More Summer Fruit Desserts to Try
Cherry Cornmeal Upside-Down Cake
With caramelized cherries and a tender, buttery crumb, this cake truly redefines “the cherry on the cake.”
Ingredients
For the Topping
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ⅓ cup (packed) dark brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 1¼ lbs cherries (about 4 cups), stemmed and pitted
For the Cake
- 1⅓ cups cake flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled off (see note)
- ½ cup cornmeal (medium-grind)
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 stick (½ cup) unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract
- ¾ cup whole buttermilk (see note)
For Serving
- Vanilla ice cream or sweetened whipped cream (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and set an oven rack in the middle position. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil (the purpose of the baking sheet is to catch any caramel drips).
- Make the Topping: In a 10- to 11-inch ovenproof skillet with 2-inch-high sides (preferably cast iron), combine the butter, brown sugar, vinegar, and salt over medium heat. Stir until the butter melts and the sugar dissolves, a few minutes. Increase the heat to high; add the cherries and bring to boil for about 30 seconds. Remove the skillet from the heat.
- Make the Cake: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a hand-held electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla and almond extracts.
- With the mixer on low, add one-third of flour/cornmeal mixture and mix until just combined. Mix in half of the buttermilk, followed by another third of the flour/cornmeal mixture, the remaining buttermilk, and finally the remaining flour/cornmeal mixture. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Spoon the batter over the cherries in the skillet and spread evenly over top to cover the cherries.
- Place the skillet on the prepared baking sheet and bake until the top is set and golden brown, about 45 minutes. Cool the cake in the skillet on a rack for about 15 minutes. Place a platter over the skillet and carefully invert to remove the cake. If necessary, rearrange any cherries that may have become dislodged (if any cherry "goo" sticks to the pan, you can use a butter knife to spread it back over the cake). Cut the cake into wedges and serve warm or room temperature with vanilla ice cream or sweetened whipped cream (optional), if desired. The cake is best served fresh on the day it is baked, but leftovers will keep in a covered container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
- Note: Cake flour gives the cake a much lighter, more delicate texture than all-purpose flour. If you don’t have any on hand, you can make your own by replacing 2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons of the all-purpose flour with cornstarch.
- Note: If your store doesn’t carry whole buttermilk (or you don't want to buy a whole carton), use plain Greek or regular yogurt thinned with milk to a thick but pourable consistency.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (10 servings)
- Calories: 358
- Fat: 16 g
- Saturated fat: 9 g
- Carbohydrates: 51 g
- Sugar: 28 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Sodium: 269 mg
- Cholesterol: 76 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Spectacular! It’s got such a wonderful flavor and texture. I will be making this again soon!
I’d love to try this for the holidays as part of prepared meals I give as gifts. Any advice for freezing the cake?
Hi Kendra, After it is completely cooled, wrap it tightly with aluminum foil or freezer wrap and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight on the countertop before serving (or gifting). 😊 Hope your recipients enjoy!
Hi Jenn! I made this recipe with cherries once and love it . I was wondering if I can do it with blueberries? Should I change something ? Thanks !
Taline
Hi Taline, So glad you like the cake! I’ve never made it with blueberries, so I can’t say for sure, but I think it would work and don’t think you’d need to make any other changes. Please LMK how it turns out if you try it!
Hi Jenn! Yes I made it with blueberries and it was just as good ☺️!
Thank you!
Taline
So glad it came out nicely — thanks so much for reporting back! 😊
This recipe sounds amazing. When I toggle between metric and cup measures, the measurements do not switch from cup measurements, only the oven temperature changes, so I know the toggle switch is doing something. Could the metric measurements be added when time permits? Thank you.
Hi Kathy, I just added the metric conversions. Hope you enjoy the cake!
If using a springform pan should you make butter mixture in separate pan and transfer to baking pan?
Thanks,
Chris
Hi Chris, yes that’s correct. Please LMK how it turns out!