UPside DOwn Cake

I'm a terrible baker because I HATE to follow rules and directions. Baking just doesn't work out well for me. However, I saw a dessert in a Real Simple magazine this week, and I followed the directions (almost), and oddly, this dessert really turned out pretty good! It was supposed to be a plum upside down cake, but I like peaches better. And, I threw in a few handfuls of blueberries, and drizzled the top with sweetened, condensed milk. This cake was so good that I wanted to show the pictures off :)

Plum Upside-Down Cake (or peach, or blueberry, just whatever you like : )

1/2 cup (1 stick) plus 1 tbsp. unsalted butter, plus extra for the pan, at room temperature

4 firm, ripe, plums (peaches), each cut into 8 wedges

1/4 Cup plus 2/3 cup granualated sugar

1 cup all purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1 large egg

2/3 cup sour cream

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 8 inch cake pan and line the bottom with parchment paper

2. Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the plums and 1/4 cup of the sugar and cook, tossing until the sugar dissolves and the juices from the fruit become syrupy, 3-4 min.'s. Arrange the plums in the cake pan in slightly overlapping concentric circles, starting from the outside. Spoon any pan juices over the top.

3. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and the salt.

4. With an electric mixer, beat the remaining 1/2 cup of the butter and 2/3 cup of the sugar until fluffy. Beat in the egg, sour cream, and vanilla. Gradually add the flour mixture, mixing until incorporated.

Pour the batter over the plums and bake until the toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 50-55 minutes (mine only took about 48 minutes). Let cool in the pan for 1 hour (very important!). Invert on a large plate. I put berries on top and drizzled with condensed sweetened milk.

Very, very good recipe!