Ingredients:
topping:
1/3 cup butter
1/3 cup light brown sugar
1 tablespoon cognac
1-2 fuyu persimmons, sliced into 1/4 inch thick slices
cake:
1 1/2 cups flour*
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup butter, at room temperature
2 eggs, at room temperature
2 tablespoons cognac
1/2 cup pureed fuyu persimmon (about 2 persimmons)
1/2 teaspoon allspice
2 teaspoons baking powder
pinch sea salt
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350. Butter or spray (with cooking spray with flour) a 9-10 inch springform pan.
For the topping:
Arrange persimmon slices on the bottom of the pan. Set aside.
In a small saucepan, melt and stir together butter, brown sugar, and cognac. Cook over low heat about 5 minutes or until it thickens slightly. Stir thoroughly to combine. Pour over the persimmons. Set aside.
For the cake:
Cream together the softened butter and sugar in a large bowl. Add the eggs and beat until fluffy. Whisk together the spices, baking powder and flour in a medium bowl. Whisk together the persimmon puree and cognac. Add the dry ingredients alternately with the persimmon mixture beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Pour into the persimmon and caramel laden cake pan and bake 35-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool in pan 5 minutes then carefully invert onto a plate. Cool completely, on the plate, over a wire rack.
My thoughts:
I love upside down cakes because while I love cake (and icing!) I hate how making a traditional frosted cake can be so time consuming. I don’t mind for a special occasion but for every day, I don’t always want to go through the hassle of making the cake layers, waiting for them to cool completely, then making icing and frosting them. Oy. But upside down cakes are perfect! They are only one single (small) layer and don’t need frosting because they are covered in delicious caramel and fruit. Perfect for when you have a hankering for cake but not the time. Which isn’t to say upside down cakes aren’t perfect for a festive occasion as well; they are impressive looking and a real crowd pleasure. This one married the flavors of persimmon, cognac and allspice which makes for a cake that really tastes like the best of winter. How good would it be with some mulled cider?
