Description

This Strawberry Upside Down Cake is one of the best easy dessert ideas when you want something quick simple and healthy enough to feel good about sharing. The soft cake and jammy fruit make it perfect for brunch and holiday tables and potluck trays and party slices. It also works for meal prep treats after a weeknight dinner when you want a homemade sweet without a complicated bake.

Ingredients

Scale

2 cups strawberries
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup plain yogurt

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Instructions

The flour mixture and wet mixture are poured together and the pale batter starts to come together in the natural white dish. Dry streaks still show through the center and around the edges so the mixture looks only partially combined and uneven.
Melted butter and brown sugar are worked together until the mixture looks glossy and sandy and then it is spread under and around the strawberries. The fruit now looks lightly coated and deeper in color with shiny patches and uneven coverage.
As the coated strawberries sit they begin to soften and release juice into the sugary layer. The bottom looks wetter and more syrupy and the berries settle into a looser uneven pattern with a slightly darker red tone.
The batter is mixed until smooth and thick enough to hold soft lines across the surface. It now looks creamy and structured instead of streaky and it falls in heavy folds with a few tiny lumps that keep it looking natural.
The thick batter is folded over the softened strawberries and spreads across the top in a loose uneven blanket. Some fruit still presses up near the edges and the batter settles with natural dips and slightly thicker spots.
The full dish now looks clearly assembled with a fruit base and a cake layer resting above it as one complete unbaked dessert. The top is gently leveled but still casual with soft swirls and the edges show slight uneven thickness.
The cake bakes into a firm golden layer with light browning around the edges and deeper color in a few uneven patches. The fruit underneath turns glossy and jammy and a little syrup peeks out where the cake pulls back slightly.
The finished cake is turned out onto a natural white dish and the strawberries now sit on top in a shiny uneven layer with casual overlap and little gaps. The crumb looks soft and fully cooked while the top shows non uniform red tones and light sticky gloss and the edges keep their homemade roughness.

Notes

Pro Tips:

Use ripe strawberries for the glossiest topping and the best natural sweetness.
Do not overmix the batter once it looks thick and mostly smooth.
Keep the strawberry layer loose and uneven so the top looks natural after turning.
Let the cake cool slightly before plating so the fruit layer settles without sliding.

Storage: Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The fruit layer will soften more over time and the cake is best served slightly warm or at room temperature.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Category: Dessert
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 serving