Shelly's Recipe

UPSIDE-DOWN WHATEVER CAKE

Category: Cakes

1 cup (2 sticks) plus 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup light brown sugar
1 3/4 pounds fruit, thinly sliced (about 5 1/2 cups peeled apples, fresh figs, mangoes, peeled pears, or plums)
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cornmeal
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons whole milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
6 large eggs, separated
1 1/2 cups plus 1 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 by 13-inch baking dish with the 1 tablespoon of softened butter and set aside.

Melt 6 tablespoons of the butter in a heatproof bowl in the microwave. Add the brown sugar and cook in 30-second increments until dissolved, stirring often, 3 to 4 minutes. Pour the hot mixture into the prepared baking dish. Add the sliced fruit, arranging it in vertical rows, and set aside.

Whisk the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl or on a sheet of wax paper and set aside. Combine the milk and vanilla in a liquid measuring cup and set aside.

Using an electric mixer or beaters or a whisk, whip the egg whites on high speed in a large bowl until foamy. Slowly sprinkle in the 1 1/2 tablespoons of granulated sugar, whipping until the egg whites hold medium peaks. When you dip into the egg whites with a spoon and pull it out, a peak with a curved tip should form. (If you are using a stand mixer and don't have a second bowl, gently transfer the whites to another bowl and wipe out the mixer bowl.)

With the mixer, cream the remaining 10 tablespoons of butter with the remaining 1 1/2 cups of sugar on medium speed until pale yellow and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the egg yolks one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition and scraping down the bowl as necessary. With the mixer running on low speed, alternate adding the flour mixture and the milk mixture, beginning with one third of the flour, following with half of the milk, adding half of the remaining flour, the rest of the milk, and ending with the remaining flour, scraping down the mixer bowl as necessary.

Gently fold in half of the egg whites using a rubber spatula until nearly incorporated. Add the remaining whipped egg whites, folding in until just incorporated. Gently transfer the batter to the baking dish, spreading it evenly over the fruit.

Bake until the cake is golden and springs back from light pressure, 50 to 60 minutes. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes and then run a paring knife around the edges of the cake. Place a serving platter on top of the cake and flip the baking dish over, gently shaking the pan to release the cake onto the platter. Slice the cake into 9 equal squares.

Makes 8-10 servings