Amaretto Cherry Upside-Down Cake

This amaretto cherry upside-down cake is the perfect way to use ripe summer cherries in a dessert that will have everyone demanding seconds.

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time: 1

Cook Time: 20

Inactive time: 2

Total Time: 3 20

Servings:

Calories: 372kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

Cherries:

1½ pounds red cherries (stemmed, pitted, and halved; you’ll need a yield of 1 pound cherries after pitting)
¼ cup amaretto liqueur
¼ cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
3 tablespoons butter
½ cup light brown sugar (or use granulated sugar)
2 teaspoons light corn syrup

Batter:

1 cup cake flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
4 tablespoons butter (room temperature)
½ cup granulated sugar
1 egg
6 tablespoons whole milk
½ teaspoon almond extract
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

For serving:

Whipped cream (optional)

Instructions

Prepare the cherries:

Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
Place the halved cherries in a large bowl. Add the amaretto, sugar, and cornstarch. Stir to combine and set aside.

Cook the sugar:

Lightly grease a 9-inch cake pan. Set aside.
Melt 3 tablespoons of butter in a small pot over medium heat. Once melted, add ½ cup brown sugar and 2 teaspoons corn syrup. Stir to combine. Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves and the mixture darkens slightly in color.
Pour the mixture into the prepared cake pan and smooth it into an even layer. Transfer to the refrigerator for 15 minutes.

Make the batter:

Sift 1 cup cake flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, and ¼ teaspoon kosher salt into a small bowl. Set aside.
Using an electric hand mixer, cream 4 tablespoons butter with ½ cup granulated sugar in a large mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Add 1 egg and beat until smooth.
Add half the dry ingredients and beat with the mixer until just combined. Add 3 tablespoons of milk and beat until incorporated. Add the remaining dry ingredients and the remaining 3 tablespoons of milk, ½ teaspoon almond extract, and ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract. Beat until just combined. Don’t over-mix!

Assemble the cake:

Remove the cake pan from the refrigerator. Arrange all of the cherries, cut-side down, in single layers. Spoon half of the excess liquid from the bowl over the cherries. See Note 1.
Spoon the batter over the cherries and smooth it into an even layer.

Bake the upside-down cake:

Transfer the cake to the oven for 50 to 55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
Let the cake stand for at least 30 to 45 minutes at room temperature.

To serve:

Place a large plate over the cake pan and carefully flip the cake onto the plate. Use a small butter knife to tap over the pan to encourage the release of the cake. Once the cake has been transferred to the plate, cut and serve with whipped cream on top. Enjoy!

Notes

Note 1: You can pour all the excess liquid from the bowl over the cherries, but it will make a lot of excess sauce. Just be sure to use a platter large enough to hold the sauce when you turn over the cake.

Nutrition

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