Lemon Ginger Almond Upside-Down Cake
Kitchen Tested 
- Yield 8 servings
- Prep 20 mins
- Cook 45 mins
Try this as a lemony alternative to pineapple upside-down cake.
Mark Boughton Photography / styling by Teresa Blackburn
Thinly sliced lemons turn into a caramelized topping in this intriguing cake.
Ingredients
- Topping:
- 2 lemons
- Cooking spray
- 3 tablespoons butter, melted
- 2/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup slivered almonds
- 1/2 cup whole almonds
- 1 (1 1/2-inch) fresh ginger, peeled and coarsely grated
- Cake:
- 1/3 cup butter, softened
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 1 egg
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup buttermilk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- To prepare topping, finely grate lemons; set zest aside. With a sharp knife, remove white pith from lemons. Thinly slice, discarding seeds.
- Coat a 10-inch cast-iron skillet or 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray (wrap bottom with foil to prevent leaks). Pour in melted butter. Arrange lemon slices in a concentric pattern over butter. Sprinkle with brown sugar and slivered almonds.
- To prepare cake, place whole almonds, reserved lemon zest and ginger in a food processor; pulse until slightly moist and combined.
- Place butter and sugar in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until fluffy. Add egg and extracts; beat until blended.
- Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with buttermilk, beating at low speed after each addition. Stir in almond mixture.
- Pour batter on top of lemons. Bake 45 to 50 minutes, until top is golden brown and a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Remove from oven, cool 5 minutes, and invert onto a serving plate.
Recipe by Crescent Dragonwagon.
