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Plum Upside Down Cake served on a blue plate next to a patterned napkin.

Plum Upside Down Cake

Learn how to make the best (and prettiest) Plum Cake from scratch ... so easy and so delicious!
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time45 minutes
Total Time1 hour 5 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 8 slices
Calories: 386kcal
Author: Ginnie

Ingredients

  • nonstick cooking spray

For Topping:

  • 6 medium plums
  • ½ cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1 large lemon, zested and juiced
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

For Cake:

  • 1 cup + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ⅔ cup granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
  • 2 large eggs
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  • ½ cup sour cream
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Equipment

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees (177 C).
  • Spray a 9-inch round cake pan with nonstick cooking spray. Line bottom of pan with a circle of parchment paper, then spray parchment paper with more nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.

Prepare Topping:

  • Halve and pit plums. Slice into wedges ½-inch thick.
  • Whisk together brown sugar, cornstarch, and half of the lemon zest in a large bowl. (Save remaining zest and juice for cake batter).
  • Add plums to sugar mixture, then mix until well combined.
  • Stir melted butter into plum mixture.
  • Arrange plums in bottom of prepared cake pan, overlapping slices to fit. Sprinkle any remaining butter-sugar mixture over top. Set aside.

Prepare Cake:

  • Wipe out bowl used for topping, then add flour, baking powder, and salt. Whisk to combine.
  • In a separate medium-sized bowl, whisk together granulated sugar, brown sugar, and eggs until well combined.
  • Whisk melted butter into sugar mixture. Then add sour cream, vanilla, remaining lemon zest, and 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Whisk until well combined.
  • Add wet ingredients to flour mixture, then whisk together until just combined.
  • Pour batter over plums, smoothing to evenly fill pan.
  • Bake cake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 45 to 50 minutes. (If the plum juice bubbles over as the cake bakes, place a baking sheet on the rack below to catch the juices.)

Flip + Serve:

  • Let cake cool on wire rack for at least 15 minutes.
  • Center a large plate (or platter) over cake pan. Holding the pan and plate together, flip the cake over.
  • Carefully remove pan and parchment paper from cake. Drizzle any syrup remaining in pan over cake.
  • Serve warm or at room temperature. Enjoy!

Notes

Plums - Both red and black plums will work great for this recipe. For best results, use plums that are ripe, but still fairly firm.
Flour - When measuring the flour, use a spoon to scoop it into your measuring cup, then level off the top with a straight edge (such as a knife). Avoid scooping the measuring cup into the flour ... this compresses the flour, causing you to use too much.
Flipping the Cake - A nonstick baking pan works best for this recipe. If the cake seems like it might stick to the pan, run a knife around the edge of the cake pan before flipping it. Once flipped, give the pan a slight jiggle or firm tap (if needed) to release the cake. Make sure to use a large plate / platter, that way there will be room to catch any extra sauce.
More - Check out the info before this recipe card for helpful tips, step-by-step photos, recipes variations, and more!

Nutrition

Calories: 386kcal
Tried this recipe?Mention @HelloLittleHome or tag #hellolittlehome!