Damson and Spelt Upside Down Cake

Sometimes baking is not about creating extraordinary but making something warm and comforting to hold on rainy days. This cake is one of those. Straightforward, a blank canvas to use other fall fruits such as pears and apples or other spices that marry well with the chosen fruit. I have included some other combinations in the notes section below.

It was a while since I had exhausted our Damson tree, and when I saw some in the farmer's market, I couldn't resist enjoying this fruit in its last days.

Using melted butter creates a dense (in a good way) texture, making it the right bed for the fruits.

This cake is best enjoyed fresh but keep well for up to two days in an airtight container at room temperature.

Ingredients

160 grams all-purpose flour

40 grams wholemeal spelt flour

45 grams almond flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/t tsp sea salt

1/4 tsp ground cardamom 

100 grams sugar

60 grams light muscovado sugar

120 + 20 grams butter, melted and cooled at room temperature

2 large free-range eggs, at room temperature

100 ml full-fat milk, at room temperature

450 grams damsons, pitted and cut in half

crème fraîche or yogurt, to serve

Method

Preheat the oven to 180° C (160° C fan). Lightly grease a 23cm cake pan pan and line the base and sides with parchment paper. 

Stream 20 grams of melted butter at the bottom of the pan, and sprinkle with 1 tbsp sugar. Arrange the damsons cut-side down and set aside.

Sift all the dry ingredients (checklist: all-purpose flour, spelt flour, almond flour, baking powder, cardamom, and salt) and set aside. 

In a medium bowl, combine 120 grams of melted butter and sugars until mixed. Add the eggs one at a time until the batter is shiny and homogenous. Add the dry ingredients, followed by the milk and whisk until just incorporated. Be careful not to over-mix the batter.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and gently even out the top with a spoon or a spatula. Bake the cake for 40-45 minutes or until golden brown. Transfer the cake to a wire rack and wait 30 minutes before inverting the cake.

Serve with a generous amount of crème fraîche or yogurt.

Notes

Here are some other combinations of fruits and spices to play around with:

• Pears / cinnamon or cardamom

• apples / cinnamon or vanilla

• Damson / bayleaf infused butter (simply crush the bayleaf to help release the aroma and put it in the sauce pan with your butter. Melt the butter on medium-low heat and let it sit 20-30 minutes before using.)

Noosh-e-Jaan, may it nourish your soul. x