Fresh Cherry Upside-Down Cake Recipe

Juicy fresh cherries pressed into a light cake batter made with whipped double cream are the star of this luscious upside-down cherry cake. Serve it plain, or add a spoonful of whipped cream for extra indulgence.

You are going to love this upside-down cherry cake

I adore fresh cherries, and finding a batch on special reminded me of a cherry upside-down cake I used to make years ago. The flavour of sweet, juicy cherries against a creamy, moist crumb makes this a simple but memorable pudding-style cake.

This cake is especially moist because the batter uses whipped double cream folded into the mix rather than creamed butter. The whipped cream lightens the batter and gives a tender bite that complements the cherries beautifully.

Without butter to cream, the recipe comes together quickly—the most time-consuming step is removing the cherry stones. If you prefer, use a cherry pitter; otherwise halving the cherries and nipping out the stones with a knife works perfectly.

Serve slices plain or add a spoonful of extra whipped cream for a richer finish. This cake makes a lovely afternoon treat, a simple dessert for guests, or a picnic centrepiece when cherries are in season.

A friendly taste-tester declared through a mouthful of cake, “Oh my goodness — this is lush!”

You will need these ingredients

• Fresh ripe cherries — halved and stones removed. A cherry pitter speeds this up, but halving and removing stones with a knife tip works well too.

For the cake

This is an easy mix batter; measurements are forgiving. The cake relies on folding whipped cream into the batter to achieve its tender texture.

• Flour — self-raising flour is ideal. If using plain flour, add 1 teaspoon baking powder per cup.
• Sugar — caster (superfine) or granulated sugar both work.
• Milk — full-fat milk gives the best texture, but semi-skimmed is acceptable.
• Eggs — the recipe calls for one large egg; if using small eggs, use two.
• Double cream (heavy cream) — whisk to stiff peaks before folding into the batter. Do not use single pouring cream; it will not whip sufficiently.
• Salt — a pinch enhances flavour; omit only if you must.

How to make a cherry upside-down cake

A 10″ loose-bottomed round flan dish is recommended. The removable base makes turning out the baked cake much easier and helps preserve the cherry topping when inverting.

Mix the batter

• Pour the double cream into a small bowl and whip to stiff peaks. Use a whisk or an electric hand mixer for ease.
• In a larger bowl combine the flour, sugar, milk, egg and salt. Whisk until well incorporated into a smooth batter.
• Gently fold the whipped cream into the batter until evenly combined, taking care not to deflate the cream completely.
• Grease the base and sides of the loose-bottomed flan dish with butter or brush with a neutral oil.

Assemble and bake

• Arrange the prepared cherries in a single layer over the base of the flan dish. For the best presentation place each cherry cut-side down so the rounded side will be visible on the finished cake.
• Pour the cream-enriched batter evenly over the cherries, taking care not to displace them.
• Bake in a preheated oven at 190°C / 380°F for about 25 minutes, until the top is golden and a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean. Oven times vary; if batter remains on the toothpick, bake a few minutes longer.
• Allow the cake to cool in the dish until it is cool enough to handle but still slightly warm.
• Place a large dinner plate over the cake, hold the plate firmly and carefully invert the dish and plate together.
• Remove the flan dish; the loose base will sit on top of the cake. Gently lift the base away with a flat palette knife, taking care not to disturb the cherries.
• Leave the inverted cake to cool completely on a rack before slicing. Serve slices plain, or top with extra whipped cream for an indulgent finish.

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Storage

Store the cake covered in the refrigerator, wrapped lightly in aluminium foil or plastic wrap to prevent it drying out.

The cake is at its best within three days of baking.

This particular cake is not recommended for freezing because the texture and fruit topping can be affected on thawing.

Save for later

Pin or bookmark this recipe so it’s easy to find when cherries are in season. A printed version of the recipe is handy when you’re ready to bake.

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If you enjoyed this upside-down cherry cake, you might also like other simple cakes and tarts that highlight fresh fruit and light custards.

📋 The recipe

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