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!
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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 all of my delicious gluten free dessert recipes.
Here is our little plum tree is in a happy spot in our backyard. This is just a few branches because our tree grew like crazy in just a few months. I am going to have to prune it a lot in January because the branches are really thin and tall.
Why this recipe is great:
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. You can use other fruits like pineapple, apple, apricot, really any fruit you love!
Plums and stone fruit make the best summer desserts. You will also love this Gluten Free Plum Galette recipe!
Ingredient notes:
- 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.
- 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 but I do not recommend canned coconut milk.
- Coconut oil - You can also use butter or vegan butter.
Recipe step by step directions:
Step 1: Add all of your dry ingredients to a bowl and whisk to blend.
Step 2: Now, add your wet ingredients to the bowl and whisk.
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.
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 seed.
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.
Step 6: Pour the cake batter over the plums and spread it around to evenly cover the plums. Bake at 350º F for 45 minutes.
Step 7: When the cake is baked, remove it from the oven. I loosened the sides of the springform pan to allow it to cool faster. Next, put a plate over the top of the cake and flipped the cake over.
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!
Variations
This gluten free upside-down cake is really versatile. You can trade out the plums for other fruits if you want. Here are some ideas to try:
- Pears
- Apples
- Pineapple
- Peaches
- Strawberries
Tips and Recipe FAQ:
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.
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 start coming away from the pan as well.
Yes! Most upside-down cake recipes should be refrigerated after they have completely cooled. This cake is very moist due to the plum juice 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.
Yes, you can freeze this plum cake recipe. After it has cooled entirely, wrap it with plastic wrap or tin foil. Then place in an airtight container and put in the freezer it will last around 1 month.
You can make this cake nut-free by omitting the almond flour and adding an additional ½ cup of gluten free flour blend.
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 and so you will need fewer to cover the bottom of the pan.
This cake will keep up to 4 days in an air-tight container, or up to 4 months in the freezer.
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.
More gluten free cake recipes:
If you love this gluten free plum cake, then you should try some of my other gluten free cakes. Here are more of my favorite cakes:
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📖 Recipe
Gluten Free Upside-Down Cake
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
- 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.
- If your gluten free flour blend doesn’t contain Xanthan Gum or Guar Gum, please add 1 teaspoon.
- 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.
- This cake will keep up to 4 days in an air-tight container, or up to 4 months in the freezer.
Nutrition
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Janis Long
Hi......what size spring for. Pan did you use ?
Sandi Gaertner
Hi, it is 10 inches. You can use a smaller one if that is easier, you just need to monitor the bake time.
Jennifer Banz
Wow! That looks delicious! Thanks for sharing!
Sandi Gaertner
You are so welcome Jennifer.