So pretty and sweet, you’re guaranteed to want two pieces.

Saturday afternoon felt right for baking and I happened to see some enticing plums at the grocery store, so I revisited this recipe with happy results. Note, my plums were not red-fleshed (or 100% ripe…) so this recipe has the potential to be even more beautiful than pictured.

Upside-down cake is fun. That final moment of flipping the baking dish is nerve-racking and exciting, and when it sucks out of the baking dish and plops onto the plate all glistening and gorgeous—it’s a proud moment.

I used Cooking Light’s recipe, and started by sautéing plums in butter, then adding sugar, cardamom, and a pinch of salt. Once plums are tender, remove them with a slotted spoon and bring the remaining liquid to a boil; reduce until it’s a jammy consistency.

 

 

 

 

Arrange the plums in the bottom of a greased baking dish and pour the reduced plum juice over the plums—let cool. Next, whip up the cake batter with amaretto, pour over plums, and bake for 50 minutes. Top with whipped topping.

 

 

 

I’d like to try pineapple upside-down cake sometime. It’s such a classic, dotted with maraschino cherries; see images from every 50s/60s dinner party ever for reference.