Polenta Plum Upside Down Cake is a scrumptious, Italian-inspired cake great for both dessert and breakfast.
Why You Should Try This Cake
This upside down cake is a total showstopper and you’d never believe how easy it is to put together. I’ve made upside down cakes in the past that involved caramelizing sugar over the stove, and it was a bit nerve-racking. I chose the easier method in this case. A little butter and brown sugar on the bottom of the pan will do the trick.
As far as the plums goes, you can either slice them and fan them out like I did, or just simply cut the plums in half, remove the stem and pit, and place them cut side down in the pan. This method would work best if your plums are a bit too ripe to cut into thin wedges.
The sweet-tart plum topping compliments the cake beautifully. The cornmeal provides great texture and flavor, and the fragrance from the orange zest and vanilla pairs perfectly with the other ingredients.
Ingredient Notes
Plums– I prefer red or black plums for the color, but you can use any plums available to you, as long as they’re not too ripe. Firm and juicy plums are the best choice for cutting into wedges so that they hold their shape while baking.
Cornmeal- Go for the finest cornmeal you can find. This will produce a finer crumb in the finished cake. I have made cakes with coarse ground cornmeal, so it’s ok to substitute if that’s all you can find. Just keep in mind there will be more texture.
Olive oil- I use extra virgin olive oil in combination with butter for a unique flavor in this cake. A fruity olive oil works best. Avoid anything spicy or bitter. If you don’t want a strong olive oil flavor, opt for a light olive oil, or a neutral oil such as canola or vegetable.
Brown sugar- I used light brown sugar, but a dark brown sugar would work well too.
Recipe Steps
Start off by placing a springform pan on a silpat or parchment-lined baking sheet (1). Coat with softened butter (2). Place a thin coating of butter on the sides of the cake and a thicker coating on the bottom.
Then, sprinkle over brown sugar (3). Next, arrange plum wedges in concentric circles on the pan, starting in the middle and working your way out (4).
Gather the dry ingredients. Sift them in a sieve over a large bowl (5). Then, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy (6).
Add the eggs, one a time, mixing between each addition (7). Add vanilla and orange zest. Stream in the olive oil slowly while mixing until emulsified (8). Mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients in 2-3 additions (9). Do not overmix.
Then, pour the batter into your prepared pan and bake until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean (10-11). Allow to cool for 15 minutes. Remove sides of springform pan and invert onto a parchment-lined wire rack. Cool completely before serving.
Recipe Tips and FAQs
- Use firm, juicy plums if you plan to cut them into wedges for the topping. Very ripe plums will be difficult to cut and won’t hold their shape. If your plums are ripe, try cutting them in half instead. Remove the stem and pit, and place them in the pan cut side down.
- Between creaming the butter and sugar and whipping the eggs, there is a lot of air in this cake. Tap it on the counter a few times before sticking it in the oven to knock out any air bubbles.
- It can be a bit difficult to check if this cake is done cooking. Keep in mind, when you gently shake the cake, there should be no jiggle. If it jiggles, it’s under-baked.
Cool the upside down cake for about 15 minutes before inverting it. This is enough time for the cake and sugar to set up slightly. If you cool it for too long, the sugar topping will harden and stick to the bottom of the cake. If this happens, put the cake over the burner of your stove top for a couple minutes to loosen it.
You can store upside down cakes for up to 3-5 days in the fridge or 3 months in the freezer. Wrap with plastic wrap for best results.
Related Recipes
- Torta Bertolina (Italian Grape Cake)
- German Apple Almond Cake
- Rhubarb Custard Cake
- Coconut Layer Cake with Swiss Meringue Buttercream
- Carrot Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Mascarpone Frosting
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Polenta Plum Upside Down Cake
- Total Time: 2 hours
- Yield: 10 servings 1x
Description
Polenta Plum Upside Down Cake is a scrumptious, Italian-inspired cake great for both dessert and breakfast.
Ingredients
Topping:
- 3–4 plums (500g), sliced in ½ inch wedges
- ⅓ cup (70g) light or dark brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons (43g) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
Cake:
- ¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons (130g) all-purpose flour
- ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons (80g) finely ground yellow cornmeal
- 1 ½ teaspoons (6g) baking powder
- 1 teaspoon (4g) kosher salt or ½ teaspoon fine salt
- 1 cup (207g) granulated sugar
- 1 stick (115g) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
- 4 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon (4g) vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon (1g) finely grated orange zest (from 1 orange)
- 3 ounces (75ml) extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Heat oven: Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Add toppings to pan: Grease a 9-inch springform pan or other 9 inch pan with high sides with 3 tablespoons of butter. Place a thin layer on the sides and a thick coating on the bottom. Place pan on a silpat or parchment-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle over brown sugar in an even layer. Arrange plum slices in concentric circles starting from the inside and working your way out. They should be slightly overlapping.
- Sift dry ingredients: In a large bowl, sift together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt. Whisk to evenly Combine
- Mix wet ingredients: In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or in a bowl with hand beaters, cream together the sugar and butter until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until fully incorporated. Scrape down sides of bowl. Stir in vanilla and orange zest. Gradually stream in oil while mixing on low speed until emulsified.
- Mix wet and dry: Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients in 3 additions, stirring gently to combine. Do not over mix.
- Bake and serve: Pour batter in pan over plums. Smooth out top. Tap on counter a few times to knock out any large air bubbles. Bake on center rack of the oven for 50-60 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. The cake should not jiggle.
- Cool: Cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Run a butter knife or thin offset spatula along the sides of the pan, and carefully remove outer ring. Invert onto a parchment-lined wire rack. Remove the base of pan. Cool completely before serving. Serve with whipped cream or ice cream, if desired. Enjoy.
Notes
I prefer red or black plums for the color, but you can use any plums available to you, as long as they’re not too ripe. Firm and juicy plums are the best choice for cutting into wedges so that they hold their shape while baking. If your plums are ripe, try cutting them in half instead. Remove the stem and pit, and place them in the pan cut side down.
Fruity olive oil works best. Avoid anything spicy or bitter. If you don’t want a strong olive flavor, opt for a light olive oil or a neutral oil, such as canola or vegetable.
Store for 3-5 days in the fridge or up to 3 months in the freezer. Wrap individual cake slices in plastic before freezing. To defrost, place a piece in the fridge overnight.
The cornmeal cake is adapted from David Lebovitz.
The plum topping is adapted from Food 52.
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian, American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/10 of cake
- Calories: 415
- Sugar: 32g
- Sodium: 270mg
- Fat: 23g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 49g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 5g
- Cholesterol: 108mg
This looks wonderful. My cousin in Canada has just made it. Wish I was with her to eat some. Would it work with other stone fruit such as nectarines?
Thank you, Claire! This makes my day :). I hope you’re cousin enjoyed it. You can absolutely substitute with any stone fruit. I think nectarines would make a delicious substitute.
Your recipes are always wonderful. These are presented so beautifully that they are just irresistible!
Thanks so much, Dinitia 🙂
Hello from Eastern Canada!
I found your blog after searching for ‘plum and polenta cake’; (I had a good idea of what I wanted to do with those plums :))
I made your recipe last night and it turned out beautifully.
Due to COVID and quarantine, I used whole wheat flour instead of AP, as it is what I have in the house, and it turned out perfectly moist and crumbly.
Thanks so much for this simple, yet elegant recipe.
I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed the recipe! Great to know it works well with whole wheat flour too!
Dear Sabrina:
I read your about page. I like your story and evolving journey. You are lucky to have a grandmother who taught you her recipes and tradition.
I have been out of town for 2 weeks, I am just catching up on all my e-mails. I really like this recipe. The Italian plums you have used in this recipe are my favorite. I have pinned this recipe for future reference.
I look forward to you sharing more recipes
Thank you so much, Kamini! That is incredibly thoughtful of you :). I hope you get around to making the plum cake! Enjoy the weekend!
This is my kind of breakfast. Forget what you can get at a bakery. I want this! The idea of of caramelized sugar, plums and the surprise of cornmeal. Beautiful.
Thanks so much, Romain 🙂
Gorgeous looking cake! I’m a huge fan of upside down cakes. Love your version with the cornmeal.
Thanks so much, Ronit!
Sabrina this is just gorgeous! Love it ????
Thanks mom 🙂