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Plum and caramel upside-down cake

A slice of plum upside-down cake on a spatula, showing moist, caramelized fruit atop a golden-yellow sponge, set on parchment paper.

By Tom · Updated

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  • About 1 hour 5 min
  • Easy

Whether you're using plums, pineapple, peaches, or something a little wild, this recipe never fails.

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The recipe

Plum and caramel upside-down cake

Whether you're using plums, pineapple, peaches, or something a little wild, this recipe never fails.

  • 15 min prep
  • 50 min cooking
  • Easy

Times and difficulty are our estimates from the method, not stopwatch figures.

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Measurements

Ingredients

For the sponge cake

Tick things off as you go — they stay ticked if you close the page.

A dotted underline means the amount has been rounded to something you can measure.

Method

  1. Step 1

    Preheat your oven to 170°C fan (190°C conventional / 375°F). In an oven-safe skillet, melt the sugar over low heat. Once it turns a golden caramel, stir in the butter (50 g) until smooth. Remove from heat.

  2. Step 2

    Place the halved plums (7), cut side down, into the caramel in a single layer. Set aside.

  3. Step 3

    In a mixing bowl, cream the softened butter (50 g), sugar, and vanilla (10 g) until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs (3) one at a time. Fold in the flour (175 g) and milk (60 ml) until the batter is smooth.

  4. Step 4

    Spread the batter over the plums (7) and caramel, smoothing the top. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until golden and a skewer comes out clean.

  5. Step 5

    Let the cake sit for 5 to 10 minutes, then carefully turn it out onto a plate while still warm. Serve warm or cold, on its own or with cream or ice cream.

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More vegetarian puddings and bakes

Questions people ask

How long does plum and caramel upside-down cake take?

About 1 hour 5 min from start to finish, of which 15 min is prep and 50 min is cooking. That figure is worked out from the method rather than timed with a stopwatch, so give yourself a little more the first time.

How much does this make?

The original recipe did not state a yield, so nothing has been invented for it. The scale control on the recipe card multiplies the quantities instead, which is the honest version of the same thing.

Can I see the ingredients in ounces and pints?

Yes. The metric and imperial switch on the recipe card converts every quantity, rounded to amounts you can actually weigh or measure rather than to four decimal places. Your choice is remembered for every recipe on the site.

Is it vegetarian?

Yes, as written. If you are cooking for a strict vegetarian, the one to check is the cheese: several hard cheeses are made with animal rennet.