You won’t be able to eat this upside-down strawberry cake without smiling. It’s as eye-catching as it is delicious.
This beautiful dessert flips the classic cake recipe on its head, with a luscious layer of caramelized strawberries baked at the bottom. When turned out, the strawberries shine on top, creating a juicy glaze that melts into each soft, buttery bite.
Perfect for warm gatherings or a fresh summer treat. Enjoy on a warm afternoon or in the company of friends.
Upside-down strawberry cake
Ingredients
- 250ml (1 cup) berry juice
- 125ml (½ cup) brown sugar
- 500ml (2 cups) strawberries, halved
- 30g (3 tbsp) butter
- 210g (1½ cups) self-raising flour
- 140g brown sugar
- 180ml milk
- 80ml (1/3 cup) oil
- 1 large egg
- 10ml (2 tsp) vanilla extract
- edible flowers, to garnish
- fresh whipped vanilla cream, to serve
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 180°C. Line the bottom and sides of a 24cm cake tin with baking paper.
Heat the juice and sugar in a saucepan and stir until it bubbles. Allow it to bubble until thick and syrupy, about 5 – 10 minutes. Add the halved strawberries and pour this mixture into the lined cake tin. Add knobs of butter on top and place the tin in the fridge while you prepare the cake batter.
Using an electric mixer, whisk the rest of the ingredients together until smooth.
Pour the cake batter over the back of a large spoon into the tin. It is important to try and let the 2 mixtures mix as little as possible as you want the berry mixture to remain at the bottom.
Bake for 25 – 30 minutes. Insert a cake tester to test whether it is ready – if it comes out clean, the cake is ready. Leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes and then turn it onto a serving plate to cool down completely.
Garnish the cake with edible flowers and serve with a dollop of whipped vanilla cream.
Notes
Cook's tip: Sometimes the strawberry layer and the cake batter mix a little while you’re preparing this cake. It just means there might only be a few strawberries on display when the cake is turned upside-down, but don’t worry as the rest of the berries will have baked inside the batter. The syrup and berries will ensure that the cake stays moist. Garnish it with fresh berries and mint on top to hide any imperfections.
ALSO SEE: Strawberry-filled cupcakes
