Cornmeal Sour Cherry Upside-Down Cake

He who likes cherries soon learns to climb.- German Proverb

Earlier this week we had  snow....So, I am still in the mood for warm food.  For dessert today I made Cornmeal Sour Cherry Upside-Down Cake.  It is delicious served warm.  If you are unable to find sour cherries, this recipe could also work well with frozen blueberries.  I made my recipe with a 12 inch cast iron pan (if you do not have a cast iron pan, you could make the cherry topping with any pan on the stove top, then pour the topping into a greased 12 inch cake pan, add batter and put into the oven).  I have also served this for breakfast.

Cornmeal Sour Cherry Upside-Down Cake

Ingredients:


Cake Batter:
1 1/2 cups hot water
1/2 cup fresh squeezed orange juice
1 1/2 cup cornmeal
1/2 cup melted butter
1 1/2 cups flour
4 Tbsp. sugar
3 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
4 eggs, slightly beaten

Topping:
1/4 cup butter
zest from one orange
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup pecans
4 Tbsp. milk
2 cups prepared sour cherries

1.  Preheat oven to 350 F.
2.  The cake batter will be prepared in two bowls.  In the first bowl combine the cornmeal, hot water, orange juice and melted butter.  Set aside.
3.  In another bowl combine the flour, baking powder, 4 Tbsp. sugar, salt.  Set aside.

4.  To prepare topping first, melt 1/4 cup butter in a cast iron pan.
5.  Then stir in orange zest, 3/4 cup sugar, milk and the pecans. cook and stir over medium heat for 2 minutes.

6.  Then stir in the sour cherries.  Continue to cook for another 2-5 minutes, until heated through.  Remove from heat.

7.  Pour the flour mixture into the cornmeal water mixture.  Mix just until combined.  Stir in eggs.

8.  Gently pour cornmeal-cake batter over the cherry topping, taking care not to mix batter into the cherry topping.

 7.  Place cast iron skillet in the oven.  Bake 40 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.  Invert.  Serve warm  Serves 8-10.

 

 Enjoy!