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Plum Nectarine Pistachio Upside Down Cake tastes just as delicious as it looks! Upside down cakes are super quick and easy to make. A brown sugar syrup is topped with sliced plums and nectarines then a super fluffy pistachio cake layer. The fruit is sweet and caramelized and the cake is heavenly! Serve it topped with whipped cream alongside Cherry Tomato Pasta.
I love desserts but during the summer I don’t always want to spend a whole lot of time baking, so that’s why I love quick and easy desserts like this upside down cake. Rhubarb Upside Down Cake, One Bowl Chocolate Cake and this Sticky Toffee Persimmon Pudding all take about 15 – 30 minutes to prep, they look impressive and will wow any guest!
Ingredients You’ll Need for Plum Nectarine Pistachio Upside Down Cake
- Dry ingredients – all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt work together to create a light and fluffy cake.
- Buttermilk – Makes the cake layer perfectly moist and tender. It interacts with the baking soda to give the cake a nice lift too!
- Pistachios – Pistachios are a lovely pairing with plums and nectarines. They look amazing and give a slight crunch to the cake. Save a few nuts for garnish.
- Plum and nectarines – As it cooks in the brown sugar syrup, the plum and nectarine topping becomes so soft and caramelized and it tastes wonderful with the crunchy nuts and the tender cake.
For the rest of the ingredients, please refer to the recipe index card below!
How To Make Plum Nectarine Pistachio Upside Down Cake
- For the cake. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Mix together your dry ingredients in a medium-sized mixing bowl, then set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer cream together butter and sugar until fluffy, then add in eggs and vanilla. Add in half of the flour and all of the buttermilk, stir, then add the rest of the flour. Don’t over mix. Finally, stir in chopped pistachios.
- For the topping. Melt butter in a cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add in brown sugar and salt cooking until it starts to bubble, then allow it to cool slightly. Next, to the brown sugar mixture, arrange sliced plums and nectarines in the bottom of the pan overlapping them slightly. Gently pour the cake batter over the top of the fruit spreading it out evenly.
- Bake your upside down cake for 40 – 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool on a wire rack for 5-10 minutes.
- Invert cake by running a thin knife around the edge of the skillet, place a large plate over the top of the skillet then turn them both over. Serve the cake warm topped with whipped cream and more chopped pistachios.
Tips and Tricks
- Switch up the fruit. I used a mix of plums and nectarines, because I love the tart and sweetness of both of these stone fruit together. Switch up your fruit topping by using red plums, black plums, or even peaches to make a delicious flavor pairing.
- What pan to use. Use a well seasoned cast iron skillet or line your baking dish with a piece of parchment paper, then pour over the brown sugar syrup then layer the sliced fruit and the cake batter. You don’t want anything to stick because you want to be able to remove the cake in one piece before serving.
Recipe FAQs
Yes and no. Allow the cake to sit for about 5 – 10 minutes so that it can cool slightly. This will make it easier to handle and it helps to prevent the cake from falling apart as you are trying to flip it. Don’t wait too long otherwise the cake won’t come out of the pan in one piece and look beautiful.
Any pan that has a nonstick surface or one that can be easily turned over after baking. Well seasoned cast iron skillets and regular cake pans lined with parchment paper are wonderful for this type of cake.
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To Make the Cake:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
Next, in the bowl of a stand-up mixer with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs and vanilla, and beat until thoroughly incorporated.
Add half of the flour mixture and all of the buttermilk into the butter and sugar mixture. Then stir in the remaining flour mixture, being sure not to over mix. Add the pistachios and mix one last time.
To Make the Topping:
In a seasoned 10” cast iron skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the brown sugar and salt, and mix until the sugar begins to bubble, about 1 minute. Turn off the heat and let stand for a few minutes to slightly cool.
Arrange the slices of plums and nectarines in a circular pattern, overlapping a few of them, on top of the brown sugar mixture. Pour the cake batter over the slices of fruit, and spread the batter gently so it’s nice and even.
Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until a wooden skewer comes out clean.
Remove the cake from the oven and allow to cool on a wire rack for 5 to 10 minutes. To invert the cake, run a knife along the outside edge of the cake, place a plate on top of the cast iron skillet, and turn both of them over—be careful, they’ll be heavy! Lift up the skillet and there you have it! Your cake! Serve this cake slightly warm with a dollop of whipped cream.
Tips and Tricks
- Switch up the fruit. I used a mix of plums and nectarines, because I love the tart and sweetness of both of these stone fruit together. Switch up your fruit topping by using red plums, black plums, or even peaches to make a delicious flavor pairing.
- What pan to use. Use a well seasoned cast iron skillet or line your baking dish with a piece of parchment paper, then pour over the brown sugar syrup then layer the sliced fruit and the cake batter. You don’t want anything to stick because you want to be able to remove the cake in one piece before serving.
Calories: 453kcal | Carbohydrates: 56g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 89mg | Sodium: 263mg | Potassium: 296mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 30g | Vitamin A: 835IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 79mg | Iron: 2mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
