Berry Upside Down Cake

Name: Berry Upside-Down Cake
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 60 min
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons butter,; ⅓ cup light brown sugar, (firmly packed); 2 cups fresh raspberries; 1 cup blackberries; 1⅓ cups all-purpose flour; 2 teaspoons baking powder; ⅔ cup sugar; ¼ cup butter; 1 egg; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 1 teaspoon lemon peel, (grated); ⅔ cup milk

a slice of berry cake on a plate topped with berries and a fork

This fresh, delicious, homemade berry upside-down cake is the perfect dessert to make any time you have an abundance of fresh fruit.

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Table of Contents

Berry Upside-Down Cake Ingredients
Substitutions And Additions
How To Make This Berry Upside-Down Cake Recipe
How To Serve This Mixed Fruit Upside-Down Cake
Storage
Frequently Asked Questions
More Recipes You’ll Love
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Simple and tasty, this easy, homemade berry upside-down cake is a quick, old-fashioned dessert that you can make from scratch. Juicy, fresh mixed berries are layered with a deliciously moist cake for a classic recipe that will have your guests declaring it the best with its award-winning, gourmet flavor.

overhead shot of a Berry Cake with a slice taken out of it

Berry Upside-Down Cake Ingredients

This sweet and fruity cake is the perfect treat for those who love fresh berries and a moist cake.

As you take a bite, the warm cake will melt in your mouth and is complemented by a burst of fruity flavor.

You’ll need:

2 tablespoons of butter PLUS ¼ cup of butter, divided into 2 tablespoons and ¼ cup
⅓ cup of firmly packed light brown sugar
2 cups of fresh raspberries
1 cup of blackberries
1⅓ cups of all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons of baking powder
⅔ cup of sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1 teaspoon of grated lemon peel
⅔ cup of milk

Substitutions And Additions

TOPPINGS: Fresh whipped cream would be delicious. You could also sprinkle coconut on your berry upside-down cake as well.

FRUIT: This traditional dessert can also be made with a huge variety of fresh fruit: rhubarb, pear, cranberry, strawberry, blueberry, mango, plum, pumpkin, banana, peach, apple, or apricot.

How To Make This Berry Upside-Down Cake Recipe

Let’s walk through the steps to make this cake, where the bottom becomes the top for a beautiful presentation.

STEP ONE: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Coat a 9-inch round cake pan with non-stick cooking spray.

OUR RECIPE DEVELOPER SAYS

You can also use parchment paper to help prevent the cake from sticking when it comes time to flip it over.

You can buy pre-cut parchment paper rounds to make lining the pan even easier.

You could also bake your cake in a cast iron skillet or a bundt cake pan.

STEP TWO: Combine 2 tablespoons of melted butter with brown sugar in a small mixing bowl.

PRO TIP:

You can add ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon to the butter/brown sugar mixture for some added flavor.

melted butter and brown sugar combined in a bowl

STEP THREE: Pour the butter mixture over the bottom of the prepared pan and pat it into an even layer.

STEP FOUR: Evenly top with berries and set it aside.

STEP FIVE: Combine flour with baking powder in a medium bowl and set aside.

STEP SIX: Beat sugar with the remaining butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until creamy.

Beat in the egg, vanilla extract, and lemon peel. Alternating the flour and milk, beat in the flour mixture and milk until blended. Pour the cake batter over top of the berries.

PRO TIP:

Don’t over-mix the batter or your cake will be tough and rubbery.

pour the cake batter over the berries in the pot

STEP SEVEN: Bake the cake for 40 to 45 minutes in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.

STEP EIGHT: Cool for 5 minutes on a wire rack; invert onto a serving plate. Serve warm or at room temperature and dust with confectioner’s sugar if desired.

How To Serve This Mixed Fruit Upside-Down Cake

This Southern, traditional favorite upside-down cake recipe can be served in a variety of ways. It’s divine by itself, but there are lots of tasty topping ideas as well.

Fresh whipped cream with a bit of mint is a great idea, along with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Hot fudge sauce or caramel sauce drizzle would also be delicious. You could also sprinkle the cake with coconut and a bit of powdered sugar before serving.

Upside-down cakes are so much fun to make and look amazing when they are finished. Check out our other varieties of this popular dessert.

Try our banana-upside down cake. For an adorable mini version, check out our pineapple-upside down mini cakes.

MORE UPSIDE DOWN RECIPES

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Upside Down Apple Cake

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Upside Down Pineapple Cake

Storage

We’ve got you covered with some easy-to-follow guidelines that’ll keep your cake tasting just as amazing as the first slice.

IN THE FRIDGE: Berry upside-down cake can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.

You can eat it cold, but we recommend microwaving it for 30 seconds before serving.

IN THE FREEZER: To freeze this cake for up to three months, you should wrap each piece in plastic wrap or foil and then place them into an airtight container.

Thaw overnight in the fridge before warming in the microwave.

overhead shot of a berry cake topped with whipped cream, berries, and mint

This delicious recipe is filled with fresh berries and a moist cake that will have everyone raving. The presentation is so elegant and beautiful looking that you could easily make this berry upside-down cake for a celebration.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a berry upside-down cake?

Much like its cousin, pineapple upside-down cake, the berry upside-down cake features a glaze with fresh berries on the bottom of the pan with the cake on top when baking.

Before serving, you flip over so the berries are on the top of the cake. It’s so moist and tasty!

How do I flip the cake without making a mess?

Let your cake cool on a wire rack for about 5 minutes, then lay a flat plate over the top of the cake pan. Carefully flip the cake over onto the plate. Bang on the bottom of the pan for good measure, then lift the pan off.

Can I freeze an upside-down cake?

If you have any leftovers of this delicious cake (and I’m betting you won’t!), you can wrap individual slices in plastic wrap and then store them in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months.

More Recipes You’ll Love

Berry Upside-Down Cake

5 from 4 votes

This fresh, delicious, homemade berry upside-down cake is the perfect dessert to make any time you have an abundance of fresh fruit.

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 45

Total Time 1

Servings

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Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter,
⅓ cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
2 cups fresh raspberries
1 cup blackberries
1⅓ cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
⅔ cup sugar
¼ cup butter
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon peel, grated
⅔ cup milk

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Coat a 9-inch round cake pan with non-stick cooking spray. Melt 2 tablespoons butter and combine with brown sugar in a small bowl.
Crumble the mixture over the bottom of the prepared pan and pat it into an even layer. Evenly top with berries; set aside.
Combine flour with baking powder in a medium bowl; set aside. Beat sugar with remaining butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer until creamy. Beat in the egg, vanilla extract, and lemon peel. Alternately beat in flour mixture and milk until blended. Pour over berries.
Bake for 40 to 45 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes on a wire rack; invert onto a serving plate. Serve warm or at room temperature and dust with confectioner's sugar if desired.

Video

Notes

You can also use parchment paper to help prevent the cake from sticking when it comes time to flip it over. You can buy pre-cut parchment paper rounds to make lining the pan even easier.
You could also bake your cake in a cast iron skillet or a bundt cake pan.
You can add ½ teaspoon of ground cinnamon to the butter/brown sugar mixture for some added flavor.
Don’t over-mix the batter, or your cake will be tough and rubbery.

Nutrition

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Proudly Prepared by the Spaceships Kitchen

This recipe was developed, tested, cooked and photographed by the Spaceships Kitchen. From our dinner table to yours, we hope you think it's out of this world!

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Lexus Monroe Editorial Assistant