Lemon and Blueberry Upside-down Cake

Happy Easter everyone! Last year I made this Lemon and Blueberry Upside-down Cake from Bon Appetit magazine. It was such a hit, that it was requested that I make it again this year. It really is a fantastic cake. The lemons and blueberries go well together, and I love anything that has almond paste in the recipe. I reduced the amount of butter and sugar in the topping because last year, it ran all over the place, and I had to mop some of it up with paper towels. I also upped the amount of lemon zest called for in the recipe to give it a more lemony flavor. This is one of my favorites!

Lemon and Blueberry Upside-Down Cake

8 servings

Bon Appétit | April 2006

Blueberry topping

• 2/3 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
  
• 1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries

Lemon-almond butter cake

• 3/4 cup cake flour
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 4 ounces almond paste (scant 1/2 cup), broken into small pieces
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 3 1/2 tablespoons finely grated lemon peel
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces, room temperature
• 3 large eggs, room temperature

• Lemon slices (optional)
• Whipped Cream (optional)
  

For blueberry topping:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine brown sugar and butter in 8-inch-diameter cake pan (I used a cast iron skillet) 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.

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 potholders and using both hands, hold platter and cake pan firmly together 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.

For lemon-almond butter 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 potholders and using both hands, hold platter and cake pan firmly together 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 Whipped Cream.