Lemon Upside Down Cake Recipes

PLUM UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE WITH LEMON

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Combine 3/4 cup sugar and 1 1/2 tablespoons water in a 10-inch ovenproof skillet and stir until the mixture looks like wet sand. Cook over medium-high heat, gently swirling the pan occasionally but not stirring, until light amber, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and arrange the plums in concentric circles over the caramel; set the skillet aside.
• Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl. Beat the butter and the remaining 1 cup sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition, then beat in the vanilla. Whisk the milk, sour cream and lemon zest in a small bowl. Reduce the mixer speed to low; add the flour mixture to the butter mixture in 3 batches, alternating with the milk mixture, beginning and ending with the flour, and mix until just incorporated. Pour the batter over the plums and spread evenly.
• Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake until the cake is golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 50 minutes. (Cover loosely with foil if the cake is browning too quickly.) Let sit 15 minutes, then invert onto a platter and let cool completely.

UPSIDE-DOWN LEMON SPONGE CAKE WITH LEMON-MAPLE BUTTER

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit/160 degrees Celsius.
• Trim the 3 lemons, slicing and discarding the tips, then cut each lemon into very thin (1/10-inch/1/4-centimeter-thick) rounds to get 24 slices; discard the seeds (pips). Place a large nonstick skillet over high heat. Working in about three batches, add lemon slices in a single layer and cook until nicely charred on both sides, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Repeat with the remaining slices and set aside.
• Line a baking dish about 8-by-12 inches/20-by-30 centimeters in size with a piece of parchment paper large enough to cover the base and sides, and enough overhang to later fold over the batter. Pour 1/2 cup/120 milliliters maple syrup into the prepared dish. Halve the vanilla bean (pod) lengthwise, scrape the seeds into a small bowl, then add the scraped-out halves to the prepared dish. Top with the charred lemon slices, spreading out so they cover the entire base while overlapping slightly in spots.
• Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, and mix on medium speed to combine. Add the room-temperature butter, eggs and egg yolk, brown sugar, milk, reserved vanilla seeds and the remaining 3 tablespoons maple syrup, and mix on medium-low speed for 2 minutes until combined. The mixture will look like it's split a little with some smaller cubes of butter, but that's O.K.
• Spoon the mixture into a piping bag or resealable plastic bag, snipping the base, and pipe the mixture directly on top of the lemons in the baking dish in an even layer (this ensures the lemons don't move around too much). Using the back of a spoon, smooth over the mixture to create an even layer. Fold over the excess parchment paper to cover, then wrap the dish tightly in foil.
• Place the baking dish into a larger roasting pan (tin) that is roughly 10-by-14 inches/24-by-36 centimeters. Carefully add about 1 inch/3 centimeters boiling water to the pan, transfer to the oven and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 60 minutes. Lift the baking dish from the water, remove the foil, and unwrap the parchment paper. Set aside for 5 minutes before carefully inverting the whole thing onto a platter, carefully removing the parchment paper to expose the lemons.
• During the last 10 minutes of baking, prepare the lemon-maple butter: Add the lemon juice and maple syrup to a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Cook for about 2 minutes, then turn the heat down to low. Once the mixture is no longer simmering, gradually whisk in the chilled butter a little at a time until you have an emulsified sauce.
• Drizzle half the lemon-maple butter all over the warm sponge cake and serve warm, with the remaining lemon-maple butter and crème fraîche alongside.

BACKYARD CITRUS UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE

Steps:

• Position a rack in the center of your oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 9-inch round cake pan and line it with parchment paper.
• Start by making the upside-down layer:
• In a medium saucepan over low heat, melt the butter. Remove the pan from the heat and add ½ cup of the sugar and 2 tablespoons of water. Whisk the mixture until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is glossy and thickened a little. Pour the melted butter and sugar into the prepared cake pan and smooth into an even layer to cover the bottom. Place the cake pan in the freezer until the butter and sugar layer freezes; leave the pan in the freezer until you are ready to transfer the batter to the pan.
• In a small bowl, gently toss the lemon slices with the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar. Leave the lemon slices in the sugar to macerate for 10 minutes.
• While the upside-down layer freezes, make the cake batter:
• Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a large bowl. Set aside. Combine the eggs with the olive oil in another large bowl and beat vigorously with a whisk until well combined. Add the yogurt and sugar. Make a well in the flour mixture and add the wet mixture in three additions, folding in each addition until no dry bits of flour remain. Set aside.
• Fan the lemon slices out to cover the melted butter and sugar in the cake pan, overlapping the slices by as much as 1⁄8 inch. Pour the cake batter directly on top of the lemon slices.
• Bake for about 1 hour, until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out with only a few moist crumbs clinging to it. Transfer to a wire cooling rack and let cool for 15 minutes. Invert the cake onto a serving plate and carefully remove the parchment-paper lining. Allow the cake to cool for 1 hour more before serving.
• Note: This cake can be made with nearly any citrus, my favorite being lemon because I like it to be bitter and tart. The only citrus I would not use is raw grapefruit, oro blanco, or lime. The rinds of grapefruit and oro blanco are much thicker than lemons and oranges and they will take longer to bake. Lime and grapefruit also retain too much of the bitter quinine flavor and will make for an odd-tasting cake

LEMON UPSIDE DOWN CAKE

Steps:

• Cut 3 of the lemons into one-eighth inch thick slices. Remove seeds and set aside. You will have about 30 lemon slices. Grate 1 teaspoon lemon peel from the remaining lemon. Set aside the grated peel; save the lemon for another use.
• Heat 4 tablespoons of the butter in a 10-inch cast iron skillet or an ovenproof 10-inch saute pan until melted. Brush the sides of skillet with a little of the melted butter. Add the brown sugar, stir until it is moistened with the butter and spread it into an even layer. Arrange the lemon slices, slightly overlapping, to cover the bottom of the skillet. Set aside.
• Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl and set aside.
• Cut the remaining 6 tablespoons butter into a mixing bowl. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean with the point of a knife onto the butter. Using an electric mixer, beat the butter, scraping down the sides of the bowl, until creamy. Add the sugar and grated lemon peel and beat until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time.
• Add half the flour mixture and beat until blended. Add milk and beat until combined, then add the remaining flour mixture and beat until blended.
• Spread the batter over the lemons in the skillet to cover evenly. Bake 30 to 35 minutes, or until the cake is golden and the center tests done. Let the cake stand 5 minutes, then invert the skillet onto a platter. To serve, slice into wedges with a sharp knife.

LEMON BLUEBERRY UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Rub 2 tablespoons butter over the bottom and sides of an 8-inch round cake pan.
• Whisk 1/2 cup sugar, cinnamon, and allspice together in a small bowl. Sprinkle evenly over the bottom and sides of the cake pan. Arrange blueberries evenly over the bottom.
• Combine remaining butter and sugar in a large bowl. Beat with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla extract; beat well. Beat in lemon juice and zest on low speed.
• Mix flour, baking powder, and salt together in another bowl. Add to the butter mixture in 3 batches, alternating with milk, beating on low speed after each addition until batter is well combined.
• Spoon batter smoothly and evenly over the blueberries in the pan. Place pan on a baking sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack, about 20 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of the cake and invert onto a rimmed platter or serving dish.

MEYER LEMON UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Rub bottom and sides of an 8-inch cake pan with 2 tablespoons butter and sprinkle bottom with sugar. Thinly slice lemons and remove seeds. Arrange lemon slices in concentric circles over brown sugar. Set aside.
• In a food processor, pulse almonds until finely ground. Add baking soda and salt, and pulse to combine. In a medium bowl, whisk together egg yolks and honey. Stir in almond mixture.
• Beat egg whites until doubled in volume (but do not form soft peaks). Gently fold whites into almond mixture until just combined. Transfer batter to prepared cake pan.
• Bake until top is deep golden brown and a skewer inserted into middle comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Let cool in pan for 5 minutes. Carefully turn out onto a serving plate. Serve warm or at room temperature. Slice with a serrated knife.

LEMON UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE

Steps:

• Make sure there is a rack in the middle of the oven & preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Trim ends from lemons & cut into slices 1/8" to 1/4" thick, discarding any seeds.
• In an ovenproof, nonstick 10" skillet over medium heat, melt unsalted butter with the brown sugar.
• Add lemon slices & increase heat to high. Boil & stir for 1 minute.
• Remove skillet from heat & arrainge slices in an attractive pattern in the bottom of the skillet.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder & salt.
• In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the remaining 1/2 cup of butter until light & fluffy.
• Add granulated sugar & zest, again beating until light & fluffy (& scraping down the side of the bowl).
• Add egg yolks & vanilla & beat just until blended, then reduce speed to low & add flour mixture alternately with the milk, scraping down the side of the bowl after each addition. Beat until just blended.
• In a large clean bowl, beat egg whites with clean beaters on medium speed until just foamy, then increase speed to medium-high & add cream of tartar, beating just until egg whites form stiff peaks.
• Add 1/4 of the whites to the batter & fold in using a whisk or rubber spatula ~ Continue to gently fold in the whites, 1/4 at a time, being careful not to overmix.
• Pour batter over lemon slices & gently smooth the top, then bake 45-50 minutes or until top is golden brown & a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean.
• Let cool in the pan on wire rack for 10 minutes.
• Loosen edge of cake with a rubber spatula all around, then invert it onto a serving platter, leaving the pan over the cake for 5 minutes.
• Remove pan & serve cake warm, cut into wedges.