Plum Upside-Down Cake

My best friend Emily is an incredible pastry chef.  Unfortunately she lives on the west coast, so I never get to eat her creations.  But after many requests, she has finally started a blog, Whisk & Whittle, so now I can make her recipes myself.  She also sews aprons and her husband-to-be carves wooden spoons and cutting boards that are not to be missed.  So check it out!

After baking her Peach Upside-Down Cake 5 times in the last 6 weeks (no joke), I decided to recreate her recipe with some Naked Fig ingredients.  If you eat dairy and are okay with an occasional white flour treat, I highly recommend you try Emily's original recipe, as mine is simply not quite the same.  After you've tried the real deal, give my alternative a shot.  I swapped the flour so that this is a wheat-free, refined sugar-free, dairy-free version.  And make sure to check out her how-to video she made for Darling Magazine.  She makes baking this cake look like a breeze!

Plum Upside-Down Cake

6-8 small plums, cut in 1/2 inch slices

1/2 cup coconut oil + 2 tbsp for the bottom of the pan

1 1/4 cups coconut sugar + 2 tbsp for the bottom of the pan

3 eggs

2 tsp pure vanilla extract or 1 vanilla bean scraped

1/4 tsp salt

1 1/4 cups whole spelt flour (I used sprouted spelt flour)

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 cup almond milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pour 2 tbsp coconut oil onto the bottom of a 9 inch cake pan.  Sprinkle 2 tbsp of coconut sugar into an even layer on the oiled cake pan.  Starting from the middle of the pan, create a spiral shape with the plum slices working your way out.  Emily has a video on her site if you need more guidance.

In a small bowl, sift together the spelt flour and baking soda.

In a large bowl, whisk together the almond milk with the remaining coconut oil and coconut sugar.  Whisk in the eggs, one at a time, followed by the vanilla and salt.  Slowly incorporate the flour mixture until smooth.

Pour the batter over the plums, using a spatula to smooth out the top.  Bake for 30-35 minutes.  The cake should bounce back when you touch the top when it is done.  Allow cake to cool completely. Run a knife along the edge of the cake to make sure it separates from the pan and then turn it over onto a plate or serving platter.  Serve with coconut whipped cream or ice cream!

Don't forget to check out my events page for some Yoga Classes and Workshops coming up soon!