Cherry Olive Oil Upside-Down Cake
 
 
This Cherry Olive Oil Upside-Down Cake is the perfect way to celebrate Mother's Day and the start of cherry season. It's tender, moist, and perfectly balanced with fresh cherries, quality olive oil, and a hint of lemon. Gluten-free vegan cake never had it so good!
Author:
Recipe type: Cake, Baking, Dessert, Mother's Day
Cuisine: Modern American
Yield: One 8- or 9-inch cake
Ingredients
  • Oil or vegan butter for greasing pan
  • 28g (2 Tbsp) vegan butter or shortening¹, melted
  • 24g (3 Tbsp) coconut sugar
  • 1 lb fresh cherries, pitted and halved
  • 19g (2 Tbsp + 2 tsp) finely ground flax seed (preferably golden)
  • 90ml (6 Tbsp) water
  • 120ml (½ cup) good quality fruity extra-virgin olive oil²
  • 90ml (6 Tbsp) non-dairy milk such as almond or cashew³
  • 132g (⅔ cup) organic cane sugar
  • 2 Tbsp finely grated lemon zest
  • 30ml (2 Tbsp) fresh lemon juice
  • 5ml (1 tsp) vanilla extract
  • 150g (1 ½ cups) finely ground almond flour
  • 90g (¾ cup) millet flour
  • 14g (2 Tbsp) finely ground coconut flour
  • 1 ½ tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • Optional whipped cream of choice for serving
Procedure
  1. Preheat oven to 350˚F with a rack in the center position. Grease sides and bottom of a deep 8-inch or 9-inch cake pan with oil or vegan butter; line the bottom with a round of parchment and set aside.
  2. Prepare topping: Drizzle melted vegan butter or shortening into bottom of pan, tilting to distribute. Sprinkle coconut sugar evenly over bottom of pan. Place as many cherries as you can fit into the bottom of the pan, cut-side down, tucking them in tightly. Scatter any remaining cherries evenly over the bottom layer.
  3. Prepare batter: Whisk ground flax with water in a small bowl, and set aside to thicken.
  4. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together olive oil, non-dairy milk, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla extract until sugar is dissolved. Add flax mixture and whisk for 15-20 seconds until frothy.
  5. In a separate bowl, whisk together almond flour, millet flour, coconut flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
  6. Add dry ingredients to wet mixture. Using a stand mixer or handheld mixer fitted with paddle attachment/beaters, beat on medium-high speed for 45-60 seconds until thoroughly combined, glossy, and smooth.
  7. Pour batter into pan, tilting or spreading as needed to cover cherries evenly and create a smooth surface.
  8. Bake: Set cake pan on a baking sheet and place on center rack of oven. Bake cake for 65-70 minutes or until the edge of the cake is nicely browned and the sides have pulled away from the pan, rotating the pan 180 degrees after 35 minutes. Note: even though the edges are browned, the very center of the cake will likely still be soft. Do NOT continue baking to try to firm up the center.
  9. Cool: Place pan on cooling rack and allow cake to cool in pan for 5 minutes, then run an offset spatula or the tip of a thin knife all the way around the edge of the cake to loosen, and leave the cake to set up for another 15 minutes.When center feels just firm to the touch, set another cooling rack upside down on top of pan. Slide one hand under bottom rack and hold top rack firmly in place with the other hand. Flip entire stack over so cake rests on the new cooling rack. Peel off parchment if stuck to cherries.
  10. Serve: Once cake has cooled transfer to a serving plate, cut into 12 slices, and serve with whipped cream of choice if desired.
Notes
¹I like to use Miyoko's vegan butter


²Now is not the time to skimp and use cheap oil, you want to use a good-quality EVOO that's fragrant and fruity without any bitterness. California Olive Ranch is my brand of choice - they offer a range of products at different price points, and even their least expensive everyday oil is great.


³Make sure your non-dairy milk is a plain, unsweetened variety
Recipe by Good Health Gourmet at https://goodhealthgourmet.com/cherry-olive-oil-upside-down-cake/