Italian Plum Upside-Down Cake Recipe
Italian Plum Upside-Down Cake done right starts with the caramel, not the fruit. Most versions use plain butter and sugar, and that works. But once you swap in honey and add a spoonful of powidła śliwkowe – thick, slow-cooked Polish plum butter – you get a caramel that is darker, richer, and already full of plum flavor. That’s what makes this cake worth making.
The batter brings brown butter, rye flour for a slightly earthy note, almond flour for tenderness, and sour cream for that tang. Fresh ginger and cardamom tie it all together. Italian plums bake cut-side down into the caramel and get jammy and gorgeous.
I do the same move in my Spiced Plum Loaf – lean into the natural tartness of the plum instead of sweetening it into submission.
Quick Look at this Recipe:
More Upside Down Cakes You’ll Love
Key Ingredients, Variations and Substitutions
Italian Plums – these small, oval plums are ideal for an upside-down cake. They have a firm texture, deep plum flavor, and enough acidity to balance the sweet caramel. Use plums that are ripe but still firm. Very soft plums can release too much juice and become difficult to arrange. Italian plums have a short window, usually late summer into early September depending on where you are. Regular black or red plums can work if Italian plums aren’t available, but choose firm ones.
Powidła śliwkowe is a thick Polish plum butter made by cooking plums down until concentrated and jammy. It has a deep fruit flavor and much less water than a typical jam. You can find it in Polish or Eastern European grocery stores, and some specialty markets carry it as well. If you don’t have powidła, a thick plum butter or very thick plum jam can work. Avoid a loose, watery jam because it can make the caramel too thin.
The combination of all-purpose flour, rye flour, and almond flour gives this cake its tender but substantial crumb. All-purpose flour provides the structure, while rye adds a subtle earthy, nutty flavor that works especially well with plums. Almond flour keeps the cake moist and tender and adds enough richness without making it heavy. It’s a small amount of rye, but you’ll notice the difference.
Other ingredients: honey, butter, coconut sugar, eggs, fresh ginger, sour cream, cardamom, baking soda, vanilla extract and salt.
Equipment you will need
- 9-inch round cake pan
- Small saucepan
- Small skillet or saucepan
- Mixing bowls
- Whisk
- Rubber spatula
- Microplane
- Serving plate
Top Tips
Use firm-ripe plums. They should give slightly when pressed but shouldn’t feel soft.
Cool the browned butter before mixing – lukewarm is what you’re after.
Don’t overmix the batter. Once the flour disappears, stop.
Let the cake rest before flipping – 15 minutes has been my magic number. When you invert the cake, let the pan sit for a minute or two before lifting so the caramel has time to settle
Step-by-step instructions
- Brown 115g of unsalted butter in a light-colored saucepan over medium-high heat, swirling occasionally, until the milk solids turn golden and the mixture smells nutty, about 4 to 5 minutes. Pour into a bowl and set aside to cool to lukewarm.
- While the butter cools, halve and pit the plums, toss with 1 tsp lemon juice, and set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-inch round cake pan, then line the bottom with a circle of parchment paper.
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt 85g of butter. Add 100g of honey, 2 tbsp powidła śliwkowe, ½ tsp of vanilla, a pinch of sea salt, and ½ tsp of apple cider vinegar. Stir until smooth and glossy, about 2 minutes. Pour the caramel into the prepared cake pan and tilt to spread it in an even layer across the bottom
- Arrange the plums, cut-side down, over the caramel, starting from the outer edge and working toward the center. Pack them in snugly, as they will shrink slightly during baking.
- In a large bowl, whisk together 125g of all-purpose flour, 45g of rye flour, 50g of almond flour, 2 tsp of baking powder, ¼ tsp of ground cardamom, and ½ tsp of sea salt.
- In a medium bowl, whisk 110g coconut sugar into the cooled browned butter until combined. Add 2 eggs, one at a time, whisking well after each. Add 1 tsp vanilla, 130g śmietana, and 12g finely grated fresh ginger. Whisk until smooth.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and fold gently with a spatula until no flour streaks remain. Do not overmix.
- Carefully spoon the batter over the plums and spread it to the edges without disturbing them. Gently tap the pan on the counter two or three times to settle the batter.
- Bake for 40-45 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through. The cake is done when the top is deep golden, springs back when lightly pressed, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool on a wire rack for 12 to 15 minutes. Run a thin knife around the edge of the pan. Place your serving plate on top, hold it firmly, and flip in one confident motion. Let the pan sit for 1 to 2 minutes before lifting it so the caramel has time to settle.
- Serve warm or at room temperature.
Best way to enjoy
Warm from the pan with a spoonful of śmietana or crème fraîche
At room temperature with a scoop of vanilla ice cream
The upside-down dessert category on the blog has a few more options worth exploring if this becomes your thing. My Rhubarb Upside-Down cake follows the same brown butter logic and is worth making in spring when rhubarb is around.
More Polish Desserts You’ll Love
- Polish Plum Crumble Cake
- Polish Plum Cake with Orange Zest
- Spiced Italian Plum Loaf Cake
- Polish Rhubarb Crumb Cake
Storage instructions, reheating
Room temperature: loosely covered, up to 1 day. Best texture and caramel shine happen in the first few hours.
Refrigerator: covered and refrigerated, it keeps well for a couple of days, though the caramel is at its best in the first 24 hours. Bring slices to room temperature before serving or warm them briefly in a low oven or microwave. Cold caramel can be a little stiff straight from the fridge.
Freezing: Freeze individual slices wrapped tightly for up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and warm gently before serving.
Italian Plum Upside-Down Cake Recipe
Equipment
- 9-inch round cake pan
- small saucepan
- Small skillet or saucepan
- mixing bowls
- whisk
- Rubber spatula
- Microplane
Ingredients
Honey Powidła Caramel
- 85 grams unsalted butter
- 100 grams honey
- 2 tbsp plum butter powidła śliwkowe
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- Pinch sea salt
- ½ teaspoon apple cider vinegar
Plum Layer
- 8 Italian Plums halved and pitted, cut-side down, 500–600g
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
Cake Batter
- 125 grams all-purpose flour
- 45 grams rye flour
- 50 grams almond flour
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- 12 grams ginger fresh, finely grated
- ¼ teaspoon cardamom ground
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 115 grams butter browned and cooled to lukewarm
- 110 grams coconut sugar
- 2 eggs large, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 130 grams sour cream full-fat śmietana
Instructions
- Brown 115 grams butter in a light-colored saucepan over medium heat, swirling occasionally, until the milk solids turn golden and the mixture smells nutty, about 4 to 5 minutes. Pour into a bowl and set aside to cool to lukewarm.
- While the butter cools, halve and pit the 8 Italian Plumsoss with 1 teaspoon lemon juice and set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-inch round cake pan well and line the bottom with a circle of parchment paper.
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt 85 grams unsalted butter. Add 100 grams honey, 2 tbsp plum butter, ½ teaspoon vanilla, a Pinch sea salt, and ½ teaspoon apple cider vinegar. Stir until smooth and glossy, about 2 minutes. Pour the caramel directly into the prepared cake pan and tilt to spread it evenly across the bottom.
- Arrange the plums, cut-side down, over the caramel, starting from the outer edge and working toward the center. Pack them in snugly, as they will shrink slightly during baking.
- In a large bowl, whisk together 125 grams all-purpose flour, 45 grams rye flour, 50 grams almond flour, 2 teaspoon baking powder, ¼ teaspoon cardamom, and ½ teaspoon sea salt.
- In a second bowl, whisk 110 grams coconut sugar into the cooled browned butter until combined. Add 2 eggs, one at a time, whisking well after each. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla, 130 grams sour cream, and 12 grams ginger finely grated. Whisk until smooth.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and fold gently with a spatula until no flour streaks remain. Do not overmix.
- Spoon the batter carefully over the plums and spread it to the edges without disturbing them. Tap the pan gently on the counter two or three times to settle the batter.
- Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through. The cake is done when the top is deep golden, springs back when lightly pressed, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool on a wire rack for 12 to 15 minutes. Run a thin knife around the edge of the pan. Place your serving plate on top, hold it firmly, and flip in one confident motion. Let the pan sit for 1 to 2 minutes before lifting it so the caramel has time to settle.
- Serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
Nutrition
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Conclusion
Italian plum season is short. Blink, and it’s over. This beautiful Plum Upside-Down cake is exactly what that window is for.
The honey powidła caramel, the brown butter batter, the rye flour- none of it is complicated, but all of it adds up to make this delicious cake.
Make it before the season is over, flip it confidently, and serve it with a spoonful of honey sour cream on the side.
Don’t let the plums sit on the counter too long. Make the cake.
FAQ
Can I use regular butter instead of browned?
Yes. The cake will still be good. You’ll lose the nutty, toasty notes that run through the crumb, but the flavor is still solid.
Why did my caramel stick to the pan?
Two most likely reasons: the pan wasn’t greased well enough before the parchment went in, or the cake cooled too long before flipping. The 12- to 15-minute window is real – set a timer.
Can I make this gluten-free?
Replace the all-purpose and rye flours with a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend and keep the almond flour. The texture will shift slightly, but the cake will still work.
My cake looks done on top but feels wet in the middle. What happened?
The plums released more liquid than expected, usually from very ripe or juicy fruit. Give it 5 more minutes and tent loosely with foil if the top is browning too fast. Next time, pat the fruit extra dry.
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