Cherry-Apricot Upside Down Cake

This dessert is an unusual spin on pineapple upside down cake--the pineapple slices and maraschino cherries are replaced by apricots and fresh sweet cherries. It's also not overly sweet despite all that sugar, because the fruit and sugar topping is combined with a delicious, not-too-sweet rustic yellow cake. The apricots also add a slightly tart note (or at least the variety I used did!).

The cake is easy to pull together, and the fruit topping makes it really special. I used a fancy muscovado sugar because I had it on hand from another recipe, but any brown sugar would work well. Make sure to unmold the cake from the pan while it is still warm so that the sugar doesn't solidify and make the fruit stick. I love the presentation of this cake, with the pieces of fruit like little jewels all over the top! Enjoy!

Cherry-Apricot Upside Down Cake (adapted from Eating Out Loud, original recipe here)
Topping
1/4 cup butter
3/4 cup muscovado or brown sugar, packed
In a large skillet, melt the butter and add the sugar. Cook over medium heat just until sugar begins to bubble. Remove from heat and allow to cool while you prepare the cake.
Cake
1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 /2 cup milk
1 1/2 cup flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp fresh lemon zest
6-8 apricots
1/3 cup cherries, pitted
1. In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add the eggs and milk, and beat until well combined.

2. Slowly add the flour, mixing just until blended. Add all remaining ingredients and beat together until the mixture is smooth, about 1 minute.
3. Check the skillet. If the sugar has totally hardened, you may need to place it back over a burner for a couple of minutes until it softens. Arrange slices of apricots and cherries on top of the butter and brown sugar mixture, pushing them down slightly.

4. Pour cake batter over fruit, using a spoon to gently spread it smooth and to the edge of the skillet. Bake at 350F for 40-45 minutes or until a tester comes out clean.

I'm sending this post off to BSI: Cherries, hosted this week by Jax House!