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Moist Plum Upside-Down Cake with Cardamom Glaze

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A moist and tender plum upside-down cake topped with a caramelized fruit layer and a fragrant cardamom glaze, perfect for a cozy dessert with a hint of exotic charm.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 6–8 ripe plums, halved and pitted (Italian or Santa Rosa varieties recommended)
  • ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
  • 1¾ cups (220g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup (115g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¾ cup (180ml) buttermilk (or ¾ cup milk + 1 tablespoon lemon juice, let sit 5 minutes)
  • 1 cup (120g) powdered sugar, sifted
  • 2 tablespoons milk (dairy or dairy-free)
  • ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). In your cake pan or skillet, combine melted butter, sugar, and cardamom. Stir until sugar begins to dissolve.
  2. Arrange plum halves cut side down in a circular pattern on top of the butter mixture, covering the surface evenly.
  3. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
  4. In a large bowl, cream softened butter and granulated sugar with a hand or stand mixer until light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes.
  5. Beat in eggs one at a time, fully incorporating each before adding the next, then mix in vanilla extract.
  6. Alternately add the flour mixture and buttermilk to the wet ingredients, starting and ending with flour. Mix each addition just until combined to avoid overmixing.
  7. Carefully spoon the batter over the plum layer in the pan, spreading evenly without disturbing the fruit arrangement.
  8. Bake for 45-50 minutes until golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Tent with foil if top browns too quickly.
  9. Let the cake cool in the pan for 15-20 minutes. Run a knife around edges to loosen, then invert onto a serving plate so the plum layer is on top.
  10. Whisk powdered sugar, milk, cardamom, and vanilla in a small bowl until smooth. Drizzle the glaze over the warm cake.
  11. Slice and serve warm or at room temperature.

Notes

Use organic plums if possible to avoid waxy coatings. Freshly ground cardamom enhances the glaze aroma. If plums are very juicy, place a baking sheet under the pan to catch drips. Avoid overmixing the batter to keep the cake tender. Let the cake cool enough before inverting to prevent sticking. Leftover glaze is great on pancakes or oatmeal.

Nutrition

Keywords: plum upside-down cake, cardamom glaze, moist cake, fruit dessert, easy cake recipe, seasonal dessert, baking

Find it online: https://spoonette.com/moist-plum-upside-down-cake-recipe-with-easy-cardamom-glaze-tutorial/