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Before berry season slips away, make this. This upside-down blackberry cake is one of the easiest—and prettiest—ways to turn a carton of fresh blackberries into a dessert that feels effortlessly impressive.
A tender vanilla sour cream cake that has a pound-cake-like crumb is topped with caramelized blackberries. As the cake cooks, the gorgeous berry topping turns glossy and creates a gemstone hue to the top of the cake. This cake feels fresh, just sweet enough is meant to be enjoyed with a scoop of cold ice cream at the end of a long summer night.
Every berry season deserves a grand finale! Whether you’re trying to use up a carton of berries before they go bad or simple looking for a beautiful dessert, that is simple yet look elegant, this blackberry upside-down cake is the answer.
PS. This may be one of the best cake recipes we’ve ever made! We loved it so much, we made it twice in one week!
Why You’ll Love this Blackberry Upside-down Cake
- Perfect way to celebrate berry season! If you’re looking for an excuse to take advantage of the summer berry season, let this be your reason! You won’t regret the juicy, caramelized topping on this moist vanilla cake.
- She’s simple but elegant. This cake is a show stopper – in taste and presentation. It seriously tastes like something you would get at your favorite local bakery. But you can say “I made that!”
- The perfect summer twist on upside-down cake. So many people are familiar with pineapple upside-down cake. But after one bite of this blackberry upside-down cake, this will be all anyone can talk about.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- All-purpose flour
- Unsalted butter
- Sugar
- Sour cream
- Eggs
- Salt
- Vanilla extract
- Lemons
- Blackberries
How to Make Blackberry Upside-down Cake, Step by Step
Step 1. Preheat the oven. Grease and line the cake pan.
Start by preheating the oven to 350°F and prepping your cake pan. We recommend greasing and lining the cake pan with a piece of parchment paper. That way the edges won’t stick and you can easily remove the cake from the pan after it bakes.
Step 2. Melt butter and sugar on the stovetop. Spread the bottom of the pan and line it with blackberries.
Unlike most cakes, the bottom of this cake is the most important part. Mainly because it will become the top! It’s the shining feature of the cake and when it’s flipped over, the glistening, caramelized, fruit will reveal the masterpiece.
This step is simple but it’s probably the most important part. Start by melting butter and sugar on the stovetop until the sugar has dissolved and the butter is melted. Pour the melted butter mixture into the bottom of the cake pan and spread it in an even layer.
This butter and sugar mixture will do a couple of things as the cake cooks:
- It will caramelize the fruit and give it a sweet, shiny crust!
- It will help create a buffer between the fruit and the pan. That way when you remove the cake from the pan, the fruit won’t stick to the surface.
After you coat the bottom of the pan in the butter-sugar mixture, line the cake pan with blackberries. Make sure the blackberries are sliced in half and the inside of the black berry is facing you.
Step 3. Make cake batter.
In a medium mixing bowl, mix together flour, salt and lemon zest. This will be your dry mixture. Set this to the side to add back into the batter in a minute.
Use an electric hand mixer or stand mixer with paddle attachment to cream butter and sugar on medium speed until it is whipped and creamy.
Reduce the speed of the mixer to medium-low speed and mix in your eggs, vanilla and sour cream. The sour cream will give the cake a very soft crumb. (It’s our secret weapon in cakes or muffins!)
Once the wet ingredients are blended and smooth, mix in the flour mixture until it’s just blended.
Step 4. Pour batter over fruit-lined cake pan. Bake for about 40 minutes.
Pour the vanilla cake batter over the fruit and use a spatula or icing knife to gently spread the batter in an even layer.
Pop the cake in the oven to bake for about 40-45 minutes until it comes out clean.
Tip: Use a toothpick to test the doneness of the cake. If the toothpick comes out clean, it’s done!
Step 5. Flip the cake over and let it set for 30 minutes before slicing.
Let the cake set for about 10 minutes before flipping the cake. Place a plate upside down underneath the cake pan and hold them both tightly together as you flip the cake pan over.
You should feel the cake drop onto the pan. Gently lift the cake pan off the top of the cake and remove the parchment paper from the top.
Let the cake set for at least 30 minutes or up to 2 hours before slicing and serving.
Our favorite way to enjoy this cake is warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!
Tips for Making Blackberry Upside-down Cake
- Arrange the blackberries in a tight, even layer. Slice the blackberries in half and place them as tight as you can, with minimal gaps, so every slice has a beautiful blackberry topping once the cake is inverted.
- Use room-temperature ingredients. Softened butter, eggs, and sour cream create a smooth batter that bakes into a soft, tender cake.
- Mix the batter just until combined. Once the flour is added, avoid over mixing. This helps keep the cake light and delicate. Over mixing creates a tough and dense crumb.
- Let the cake cool briefly before flipping. Allow the cake to rest for about 10 minutes after baking. This gives the topping time to set slightly while still being warm enough to release cleanly from the pan.
Recipe FAQ
How do I know when the cake is done baking?
Keep an eye on the cake as it reaches the lower end of the cook time. The edges of the cake will start to turn a golden brown color.
But to be sure the cake is done, insert a toothpick into the center of the cake. If it comes out clean you’re good to go!
How to store leftover Blackberry Upside-down cake
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Let slices come to room temperature or warm them slightly before serving.
More Summer Dessert Recipes:
Blackberry Upside-Down Cake
Description
This blackberry upside-down cake combines juicy fresh blackberries with a soft, buttery vanilla cake for an easy yet elegant summer dessert.
Ingredients
- 1 1/3 cup all-purpose flour/cake flour
- 8 tbsp butter, room temperature
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- Zest of 1 lemon
- Blackberry Topping
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 4 tbsp butter
- 2 cups blackberries, halved
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and line cake pan with parchment paper.
- Melt 4 tbsp butter and 1/2 cup sugar in a sauce pan until just melted and sugar is dissolved. Pour the butter mixture into the bottom of the cake pan and evenly spread around. Line the bottom of the cake pan with blackberries making sure there are little to no gaps between.
- Make cake batter. In a medium bowl, mix together flour, salt and zest of 1 lemon.
- Using an electric mixer or stand mixer with paddle attachment, beat butter on medium until creamy. Mix in sugar and mix for a couple more minutes until whipped and creamy.
- Reduce speed of mixer to medium-low and add in 1 egg at a time. Next stir in vanilla and sour cream until evenly blended.
- Add in flour mixture and mix until just blended.
- Pour batter over fruit-lined cake pan. Cook in oven for 35-40 minutes until cooked. Test doneness with a toothpick. If it comes out clean, the cake is done.
- Let cake cool on a wire rack and let the cake sit for about 10 minutes. Carefully flip the cake onto a plate. Scrape any berries that stick to the pan with a spatula and place back onto the cake. Let the cake cool for at least 30 minutes until the fruit is set on top.
- Slice and serve.
