Black Forest Upside-Down Cakes

By Martha Stewart  Updated on July 29, 2020

Prep Time: 15 mins

Total Time: 45 mins

Servings: 2

Ingredients

• ¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• ⅓ cup plus 3 tablespoons light-brown sugar, packed
• 1 ½ cups jarred sour cherries, drained (1 teaspoon juice reserved)
• ⅓ cup all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
• ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• ¼ teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon coarse salt
• 1 large egg yolk
• 3 tablespoons whole milk
• ¼ cup heavy cream
• 2 teaspoons rum

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place 1 tablespoon butter, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon cherry juice in the bottom of each of two 8-ounce ramekins. Microwave ramekins until butter and brown sugar are melted and bubbling, about 1 minute. Arrange cherries in a tightly packed layer in the bottom of each ramekin.
• In a small bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt. In another small bowl, stir together 2 tablespoons butter and 1/3 cup brown sugar with a wooden spoon until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Stir in egg yolk, then flour mixture and milk. Divide batter between ramekins.
• Place ramekins on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center of a cake comes out with only a few crumbs attached, about 30 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack, 20 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, beat cream, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, and rum until soft peaks form. Run a paring knife around edge of each cake and invert onto a plate. Serve cakes with rum whipped cream.

Cook’s Notes

If you can’t find jarred sour cherries, substitute frozen sweet cherries, thawed and drained, and use 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice instead of the cherry juice in step 1.

Originally appeared: Everyday Food, January/February 2010