Repost: Upside Down Plum & Cardamom Cake

one of my go-to recipes for board meetings at Food52, work events, and everyday fika treats

I love all (or at least most!) of the recipes I work on, but there will always be a handful that stand out as favorites–and this upside-down plum & cardamom cake is definitely one of them.

By now, I’m sure you’ve heard me talk about fika, the Swedish tradition of taking a coffee break paired with something sweet or snacky. And if you’re looking for the perfect fika treat, this is it. While there are a few meticulous steps–like caramelizing sugar and arranging a plum design–it comes together surprisingly easily for how pretty it looks.

And while the plum layer is the showstopper visually, the crunchy bits of cardamom are the real stars. I love spotting the dark specks throughout the cake, and they add just the right bit of texture alongside the soft, caramelized fruit. Just make sure not to use ground cardamom–buy the whole seeds and crush them yourself. It makes all the difference in both flavor and appearance.

Lastly, you don’t need whipped cream… but I highly recommend it!!!

Here is what you’ll need

• plums, very thinly sliced

• granulated sugar

• water

• Diamond crystal kosher salt

• unsalted butter, room temperature

• whole black cardamom seeds

• vanilla extract

• eggs

• all-purpose flour

• baking powder

• whole milk

plums without and with caramelized sugar

Steps

1. Arrange the plum layer

2. Make the batter

3. Caramelize the sugar

4. Pour over plum layer and add the batter

5. Bake, cool, & serve!

Photo on left via Food52, taken by James Ransom

See the full recipe here on Food52! Can’t wait to hear what you think.