Shirley Temple Upside-Down Cake

A soft, ginger cake, a syrupy grenadine caramel, and a layer of sweet red maraschino cherries make this Shirley Temple upside-down cake a perfectly nostalgic sweet treat.

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 20

Inactive time: 1 30

Total Time: 2 5

Servings:

Calories: 308kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

Grenadine caramel:

4 tablespoons butter
½ cup light brown sugar
¼ cup grenadine
2 tablespoons heavy cream

Cherries:

16-ounce jar maraschino cherries (drained)
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon cornstarch

Batter:

¾ cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground ginger (see Note 1)
1½ teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
4 tablespoons butter (room temperature)
½ cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
½ cup whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For serving:

Instructions

Make the caramel:

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Lightly grease a 9-inch round cake pan. Set aside.
Melt 4 tablespoons of butter in a small pot over medium heat. Once melted, add ½ cup of light brown sugar. Stir to combine. Cook over medium heat for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves and the mixture darkens slightly in color.
Turn the heat to low and add ¼ cup grenadine and heavy cream. Whisk until smooth. Simmer for 8 to 9 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the liquid reduces. It should be thick enough to coat the back of your spoon. Turn off the heat.
Pour the mixture into the prepared cake pan and smooth it into an even layer. Transfer to the refrigerator for 15 minutes.

Prepare the cherries:

Halve the maraschino cherries and transfer to a bowl with 1 teaspoon lemon zest, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, and 1 tablespoon cornstarch. Toss to coat.

Make the batter:

Sift ¾ cup of all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons ground ginger, 1½ teaspoons of baking powder, and ¼ teaspoon of kosher salt into a small bowl. Set aside.
Add 4 tablespoons of room temperature butter and ½ cup of granulated sugar to a large bowl. Use an electric hand mixer to cream them together. Add 2 eggs and beat until smooth.
Add half the sifted dry ingredients and beat with the mixer until just combined. Add half the milk and beat until just combined. Add the remaining dry ingredients and the remaining milk, along with 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. Beat until just combined. Don’t over-mix!

Assemble the cake:

Remove the cake pan from the refrigerator. Pour the cherries on top of the caramel layer and arrange them in an even layer. Pour the batter over the cherries and smooth it out with the back of your spatula.

Bake the upside-down cake:

Transfer the cake to the oven and bake for 40 to 45 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
Let the cake stand at room temperature for 30 to 45 minutes. The cake should still be warm to the touch.

To serve:

Place a large plate over the cake pan and carefully invert the cake onto the plate. Serve with whipped cream and a maraschino cherry on top. Enjoy!

Notes

Note 1: This is for a very ginger-forward cake. If you prefer a more subtle ginger flavor, use 1 teaspoon ground ginger.

Nutrition

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