Cherry Almond Upside-Down Cake (Printable)

Moist upside-down cake topped with caramelized cherries and a hint of almond — perfect warm with cream or ice cream.

# What You'll Need:

→ Fruit Topping

01 - 2 1/2 cups pitted cherries (fresh or frozen; thaw and drain frozen fruit)
02 - 1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter
03 - 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

→ Cake Batter

04 - 1 cup all-purpose flour
05 - 1/3 cup ground almonds (almond meal)
06 - 2 teaspoons baking powder
07 - 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
08 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
09 - 1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
10 - 2 large eggs
11 - 1/2 cup whole milk
12 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
13 - 3/4 teaspoon almond extract

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-inch round cake pan, line the bottom with parchment paper, and set aside.
02 - In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt 1/4 cup unsalted butter. Add 1/2 cup packed brown sugar and stir until the sugar dissolves and the mixture begins to bubble; remove from heat and pour evenly into the prepared pan.
03 - Spread the pitted cherries in a single, even layer over the caramel in the pan, distributing fruit to cover the surface.
04 - Whisk together the all-purpose flour, ground almonds, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl until homogenous.
05 - In a separate large bowl, cream the softened butter and granulated sugar with a mixer until light and airy. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing until incorporated, then beat in the vanilla and almond extracts.
06 - Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture in three additions, alternating with the milk and beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Fold gently and mix only until just combined to avoid overworking the batter.
07 - Carefully spoon or pour the batter over the cherry layer and smooth the surface with a spatula to achieve an even layer.
08 - Bake in the preheated oven for 35–40 minutes, or until a thin skewer inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs attached.
09 - Allow the cake to cool in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edge, invert onto a serving plate, and remove the parchment paper from the bottom.
10 - Serve warm or at room temperature. Optionally accompany with whipped cream, crème fraîche, or vanilla ice cream.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The glossy cherry-almond topping looks restaurant-fancy but comes together so easily, it feels like cheating.
  • I found that everyone asks for seconds—it's that tender, not-too-sweet crumb with a lovely pop of fruit.
02 -
  • Lifting the cake too early can leave half the topping glued to the pan—let it rest those 10 minutes, no matter how tempting.
  • Once I tried cold butter for the batter and ended up with stubborn lumps; room temperature ingredients make all the difference.
03 -
  • Toss a pinch of salt over the hot caramel-cherry layer before adding the batter—this makes flavors pop.
  • Creaming the butter and sugar for a good three minutes gives the lightest crumb.
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