Upside-Down Cherry Polenta Cake with Balsamic Caramel

This is a gorgeously hearty number that’s good for those of you who’d like to take the cake out of the oven and call it a day, without more fussing about with layers or icing. The balsamic caramel is truly to die for, and alone is stunning over ice cream or with custard and poached fruit. You can replace the cherries with pineapple, pears, poached quinces, plums, peaches, apples – anything with a bit of acidity is best.

FEEDS 12–14

CAKE BATTER

600–700 g (1 lb 5 oz–1 lb 9 oz) fresh OR frozen cherries, pitted

3 eggs, separated

¼ teaspoon cream of tartar

220 g (7¾ oz/1 cup) caster (superfine) sugar

120 g (4¼ oz) unsalted butter, softened

¼ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract OR vanilla essence

185 g (6½ oz/1 ¼ cups) plain (all-purpose) flour, sifted

50 g (1 ¾ oz/¼ cup) fine polenta (cornmeal)

2 teaspoons baking powder, sifted

Finely grated zest of 1 lemon

125 ml (4 fl oz/½ cup) milk

BALSAMIC CARAMEL

90 g (3¼ oz) unsalted butter

110 g (3¾ oz/½ cup firmly packed) soft brown sugar

3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

TO SERVE

1 quantity Yoghurt Mascarpone Cream OR Crème Chantilly OR Vanilla Sour Cream OR Vanilla Crème Fraîche (for all three, see here)

METHOD

Line the side and bottom of a 24 cm (9½ inch) round cake tin with baking paper. Arrange a single layer of the cherries over the bottom of the cake tin. Set aside.

To make the balsamic caramel, combine the butter, brown sugar and balsamic vinegar in a small saucepan. Bring to the boil, then reduce and simmer for 2 minutes. Drizzle a few spoonfuls over the cherries in the bottom of the cake tin, and reserve the rest for serving.

Preheat the oven to 160°C (315°F) fan-forced.

So you don’t have to clean your beaters in between, whisk the egg whites and cream of tartar first – in a medium mixing bowl with an electric mixer on high speed until medium peaks form. Add half the sugar, but only 1 tablespoon at a time, whisking well between each addition. Set aside.

In a separate medium mixing bowl, beat the remaining sugar, butter, salt and vanilla with an electric mixer on high speed until pale and fluffy. Add the egg yolks one at a time, beating well between each addition. Fold in the flour, polenta and baking powder, then the lemon zest and milk.

Whisk in one-third of the egg white mixture to loosen, before adding the remainder and stirring gently with a whisk to combine. Pour over the cherries in the prepared tin. Bake for about 1 hour, or until an inserted skewer comes out clean. Cool the cake in the tin only until warm, then carefully turn it over onto a serving plate. Pour the balsamic caramel over the top, so the cake is nice and glossy, and serve immediately with your choice of dolloping cream.