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Home Recipes Cake Recipes

Gluten Free Upside-Down Cake with Fresh Plums

Published: Jul 15, 2019 · Modified: Jun 25, 2023 by Sandi Gaertner · 7 Comments · This post may contain affiliate links

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Summer is in full swing, and there is nothing better after a hot day than to relax with a piece of delicious gluten free upside-down cake! It’s sweet with plump plums and a moist, tender cake. Serve it at parties, barbecues, and potlucks, and it will disappear quickly!

A whole gluten free plum upside down cake on a big plate.
Jump to:
  • Why This Recipe Is Great:
  • Ingredient Notes:
  • Substitutions:
  • Tips For Sucess:
  • Recipe Step-By-Step Directions:
  • More Gluten Free Cake Recipes:
  • 📖 Recipe
  • Fearless Dining
  • 💬 Comments

Our plum tree has been producing an abundance of ripe, juicy plums this summer! We are super excited because, in the past, the squirrels get to them before we get to enjoy any fruit. So not only am I really excited to share some awesome plum recipes, I am even more excited to eat them. 

You are going to fall in love with every bite of these ripe plums. They add so much flavor and go perfectly with the sugary sweet cake. If you love desserts as much as we do, don't forget to check out my delicious gluten free dessert recipes.

If you need more recipe inspiration, I have over 100 incredible Gluten Free Cake Recipes on the blog.

Our tiny plum tree.

Here is our little plum tree in a happy spot in our backyard. These are just a few branches because our tree grew like crazy in just a few months. I will have to prune it a lot in January because the branches are really thin and tall.

Why This Recipe Is Great:

  1. One of the things I love about this gluten free plum cake is that it is also dairy-free, and there is a nut-free option as well, so it is great for those with food allergies.
  2. You can use other fruits like pineapple, apple, apricot, really any fruit you love!
  3. This cake is fluffy, and the plums' flavors bake so nicely into the cake.
  4. You can freeze the cake and serve it another time.

Plums and stone fruit make the best summer desserts. You will also love this Gluten Free Plum Galette recipe!

Allergen Information:

This recipe is gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free, and vegetarian.

Top Pick
King Arthur, Measure for Measure Flour 3 lbs
King Arthur, Measure for Measure Flour 3 lbs

This is one of my favorite gluten-free flour blends for cookies, cakes, pie crust, biscuits, and muffins! (Do not use this flour blend for yeast recipes.)

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Ingredient Notes:

Photos of the gluten free plum cake ingredients.
  • Gluten Free Flour Blend - I tested this recipe using Bob's Red Mill 1 to 1 Gluten Free Flour Blend and King Arthur's Measure for Measure Gluten Free Blend. That doesn't mean others will not work; I just have not tested other flours.
  • Almond Flour - I highly suggest using almond flour and not almond meal. Almond meal is more coarse and will make your cake grainy. See the Substitutions section for a nut-free option.
  • Xanthan Gum - If your gluten free flour blend doesn’t contain xanthan gum or guar gum, please add 1 teaspoon.
  • Non-Dairy Milk - I used almond milk but other dairy-free kinds of milk will work I do not recommend canned coconut milk.
  • Coconut Oil - You can also use butter or vegan butter.

Substitutions:

  • Make it nut-free! You can make this cake nut-free by omitting the almond flour and adding an additional ½ cup of gluten free flour blend.
  • Make it gum-free! If you can't have xanthan or guar gum, use my DIY Gluten Free Flour Blend.
  • Swap the coconut oil for another type of oil. I also have used canola oil.
  • Swap the ripe plums for other types of fruit like strawberries, peaches, apricots, and apples.
Pouring cake batter into a springform pan.

Tips For Sucess:

  • Don't use a stand mixer. They tend to overmix the cake batter, leading to dense cake.
  • Let the cake batter sit for 10-15 minutes. This will help to soften the rice flour in the gluten free flour blend and eliminate the grittiness.

Recipe Step-By-Step Directions:

The dry cake ingredients in a large mixing bowl.

Step 1: Add all of your dry ingredients to a large mixing bowl and whisk to blend.

The wet ingredients in a smaller mixing bowl.

Step 2: Next, add your wet ingredients to the bowl and whisk.

The wet and dry cake ingredients in a bowl.

Step 3: Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and mix. Mix the cake batter until it is just "barely" mixed. This will help keep your cake light and fluffy! Overmixing the batter makes your cake denser.

The plum cake batter in a mixing bowl.

Step 4: This is what your gluten free cake batter will look like. Now to prep the plums and pan. Cut your plums in half, remove the pit. 

The plums on the bottom of the springform pan.

Step 5: I used a springform pan for this recipe but you can use any cake pan. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper. This will help you when it comes time to remove your cake from the pan.

Don't forget, the number of plums you need will vary by how large they are. Our tree's plums are tiny, so I needed to use more to cover the bottom of the springform pan.

The cake batter on top of the plums.

Step 6: Pour the cake batter over the plums and spread it around to cover the plums evenly. Put a pan under the springform pan in case of leaks. Bake at 350º F for 45 minutes.

Step 7: When the cake is baked, remove it from the oven. Let it sit on a cooling rack for 5 minutes. Loosen the sides of the springform pan to allow it to cool faster. Next, put a plate over the top of the cake pan and flip the cake over.

A gluten free plum upside down cake on a plate.

Remove the bottom of the springform pan, then slowly (very slowly!) peel off the parchment paper. *Optional dust the cake with powdered sugar.

If you love plums as much as we do, give this Gluten Free Plum Sorbet recipe a try too!

Recipe FAQ:

What is an upside-down cake?

Basically, an upside-down cake is when the cake itself is baked on the bottom of a baking pan, and then a layer of fruit is on top. When it’s time to serve the upside-down cake, you usually flip it so the cake is on top and the fruit is on the bottom.

How do you know when the cake is finished baking?

You will know when this gluten free upside-down cake is done when you insert a toothpick in the center, and it comes out clean. As the cake bakes, you will notice the sides also start coming away from the pan.

Do I need to refrigerate the cake?

Yes! Most upside-down cake recipes should be refrigerated after they have completely cooled. The plum juice makes This cake very moist, so you must refrigerate it.

The cake will last around 3 days in the fridge. If you prefer it to be warm, you can always toss it in the microwave for 20-30 seconds.

How do you store this gluten free upside down cake?

Store the cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up or for up to 4 months in the freezer.

Can I freeze an upside-down cake?

Yes, you can freeze this plum cake recipe. After it has cooled entirely, wrap it with plastic or tin foil. Then place in an airtight container and put in the freezer it will last around 1 month.

How many plums does this recipe call for?

How many plums you use will depend on the size of your plums. Our plums are tiny, so I need to use a lot more. Store-bought plums tend to be a lot larger, so you will need fewer to cover the bottom of the pan.

When baking gluten free, there can be a bit of a learning curve in the beginning. Don’t let that scare you because once you get the hang of it, you will be making the most amazing baked goods and recipes. Take a look at How To Eat Gluten Free Anywhere + Gluten Free Diet Tips to help you out. 

Two slices of plum upside down cake on plates.

You may also love this easy Gluten Free Pineapple Upside Down Cake.

More Gluten Free Cake Recipes:

If you love this gluten free plum cake, then you should try some of my other gluten free cakes.

  • A whole gluten free pumpkin cheesecake on a table.
    The Best Gluten Free Pumpkin Cheesecake
  • A serving of gluten free apple dump cake topped with whipped cream.
    3-Ingredient Gluten Free Dump Cake
  • A baked gluten free cherry clafoutis in an 8x8 baking pan.
    Gluten Free Cherry Clafoutis
  • The top view of a slice of peach kuchen next to the whole cake.
    Gluten Free Kuchen A Decadent German Cake

📖 Recipe

A whole gluten free plum upside down cake on a big plate.

Gluten Free Upside-Down Cake

Sandi Gaertner
A mouthwatering Gluten Free Plum Upside-Down Cake recipe.
4.58 from 7 votes
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Prep Time 20 minutes mins
Cook Time 45 minutes mins
Total Time 1 hour hr 5 minutes mins
Course Gluten Free Dessert Recipes
Cuisine American
Servings 12
Calories 263 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 1 ½ cups gluten free flour blend * see note
  • 1 cup almond flour * see note
  • 1 ¼ cups sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ⅛ teaspoon salt
  • 1 ¼ cup almond milk or non-dairy milk
  • 2 large eggs
  • ⅓ cup coconut oil melted
  • 2 cups plums see note

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350º F.
  • In a large bowl, add the dry ingredients and whisk to blend.
  • In a smaller bowl, add the wet ingredients and whisk to blend.
  • Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and mix.
  • Wash and cut the plums in half, removing the pit.
  • Line the bottom of a springform pan (or cake pan) with parchment paper.
  • Press plum halves upside down on the parchment paper so the cut open side is facing down on the paper.
  • Pour the batter over the plums and spread with the spoon to evenly distribute the batter.
  • Bake the cake for 45 minutes. Check with a toothpick to see if it is done.
  • Open the sides of the springform pan to allow cooling.
  • Hold a plate over the cake top and flip the bake upside down so the cake bottom (without plums) is on the plate. Remove the springform pan bottom and slowly peel the parchment paper off the plums cake bottom.
  • Allow finishing cooling. Optional: dust with powdered sugar.

Notes

  1. I have tested this recipe with King Arthur Measure for Measure GF, Bob's Red Mill 1 to 1 GF blend, and Authentic Foods Multi Blend in this recipe. That doesn't mean others will not work, I just have not tested other flours.
  2. If your gluten free flour blend doesn’t contain Xanthan Gum or Guar Gum, please add 1 teaspoon.
  3. To test for doneness, insert a toothpick into the center of the donut. If the toothpick comes out clean, it is done baking. If you see batter or crumbs, the donuts need to bake longer.
  4. This cake will keep up to 4 days in an air-tight container, or up to 4 months in the freezer.
(*See post about how many plums to use. It will completely depend on the size of your plums.)
You can make this cake nut-free by substituting the almond flour for an additional ½ cup of gluten free flour blend.

SPECIAL NOTE

Please know that every gluten free flour blend has a different starch to grain ratio. If you use a blend I didn't test, you may need to adjust your moisture levels in your baked goods.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 263kcalCarbohydrates: 37gProtein: 5gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 27mgSodium: 115mgPotassium: 87mgFiber: 3gSugar: 24gVitamin A: 134IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 81mgIron: 1mg
Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @FearlessDining or tag #FearlessDining!

Nutrition Disclaimer

Nutritional information is an estimate provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the actual nutritional information with the products and brands you are using with your preferred nutritional calculator.

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Comments

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    Recipe Rating




  1. Safika

    July 23, 2022 at 6:57 pm

    5 stars
    This is such an easy recipe! I felt like baking and hadn't gone to the store. I subbed coconut sugar for the sugar, macadamia nut milk for the almond milk, added a little vanilla and used frozen cranberries I had in the freezer! It tastes amazing! I probably could have added more sugar to the cranberries - but I like things not too sweet and this works.

    Reply
    • Sandi Gaertner

      July 24, 2022 at 11:13 am

      I love the idea of using cranberries, and I love how you made it refined sugar-free. Thank you so much for coming back to let us know that coconut sugar works in this recipe!

      Reply
      • Safika

        August 16, 2022 at 8:45 pm

        You're welcome and THANK YOU for the recipe. I'm thinking of making it again with some frozen peaches. I'll let you know how it works!

  2. Janis Long

    September 16, 2020 at 12:22 pm

    Hi......what size spring for. Pan did you use ?

    Reply
    • Sandi Gaertner

      September 16, 2020 at 1:35 pm

      Hi, it is 10 inches. You can use a smaller one if that is easier, you just need to monitor the bake time.

      Reply
  3. Jennifer Banz

    July 15, 2019 at 2:47 pm

    Wow! That looks delicious! Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
    • Sandi Gaertner

      July 15, 2019 at 5:04 pm

      You are so welcome Jennifer.

      Reply

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Welcome to my blog! I am so glad you are here. If you have Celiac Disease, are gluten intolerant, or have a wheat allergy, you've come to the right place. With years of extensive experience in recipe development, I am dedicated to assisting you on your gluten free journey. As a seasoned gluten free cookbook author and recipe developer, I specialize in creating easy, family-friendly recipes that rival their gluten-filled counterparts. Rest assured, my recipes undergo rigorous testing and refinement, ensuring foolproof results every time.

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