Shelly's Recipe

LEMON & BLUEBERRY UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE

Category: Cakes

Blueberry topping:
3/4 cup packed golden brown sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
11/2 cups fresh blueberries

Lemon-Almond Butter Cake:
3/4 cup cake flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp fine sea salt
4 oz almond paste (scant 1/2 cup), broken into small pieces
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3 tbsp finely grated lemon peel
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces, at room temperature
3 large eggs, at room temperature

Garnish:
Lemon slices, lemon peel curls, additional blueberries (all optional)

Lemon Whipped Cream (optional)
1 cup chilled heavy whipping cream
2 tbsp granulated sugar
1 tbsp finely grated lemon peel
2 tsp fresh lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350. Combine brown sugar and butter in 8-inch diameter cake pan with 2-inch-high sides (preferably nonstick). Place cake pan over medium heat and whisk constantly until butter and sugar melt and mixture is smooth and bubbling. Using pot holders, remove pan from heat; cool 15 minutes. Sprinkle blueberries evenly over.

Prepare cake: Sift flour, baking powder, and salt into medium bowl. Combine almond paste, sugar and lemon peel in bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed until almond paste is broken into very small pieces, about 1 minute. Add butter, 1 piece at a time, beating until mixture is smooth and scraping down sides of bowl occasionally. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well and scraping sides of bowl after each addition. Add flour mixture and beat just until batter is smooth. Spoon batter in dollops over blueberries in pan; spread evenly with offset spatula to smooth.

Bake cake until deep golden and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 43 minutes. Remove from oven; let stand 1 minute. Run small knife around cake to loosen. Place large platter atop pan. Using oven mitts or pot holders, hold platter and cake pan firmly together with both hands and invert; shake gently, allowing cake to settle on platter. Cool at least 20 minutes.

Garnish cake with lemon slices and lemon peel curls, if desired. Serve warm or at room temperature with additional blueberries and Lemon Whipped Cream.

Prepare whipped cream: Combine all ingredients in medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat to soft peaks. (Can be made 4 hours ahead. Cover and chill. Rewhisk before using). Serves 8