The 15 Best Ingredients For Truly Unique Upside-Down Cakes

It's about time that you make an upside-down cake with something other than pineapple or cherries. Although tart pineapple, candy-like maraschino cherries, and brown sugar syrup are a flavorful combination, it's worth expanding your horizons beyond these traditional ingredients. The basic idea of an upside-down cake is to make a syrupy mixture, then put it in the base of a cake pan — along with fruit, nuts, and other components. Then, you make cake batter and pour it over the top, gently spreading it in the pan, so you don't disrupt the other ingredients.

Upside-down cakes certainly have a signature, distinct look, but that doesn't mean you can't upgrade them. Whether you want to stay semi-traditional and make yours with fruit, or you want to venture out, these ideas are here to help. The unique ingredients included here supply the cake with a delightfully unexpected taste and appearance. Many also harmonize with different cake flavors, allowing your creativity to shine.

Plums are vibrant and sweet when you cook them, making them the perfect candidate for upside-down cakes. To use them, take some fresh plums, remove their pits, and cut them into wedges. Sometimes, you can find whole, canned plums, but they are usually packed in syrup, so you must drain them or thicken the syrup first. If you don't take one of these precautions, the plums bleed too much into the cake. Next, add other ingredients to the topping to complement the fruit, such as fresh vanilla bean, ginger, or cardamom.

In terms of batter flavors, recipes like sour cream or brown butter cake work wonderfully with plums. But if you want to branch out and make a more elegant cake, use a recipe that has ground hazelnuts in it. This type of cake batter has a slightly gritty texture and nutty flavor, contrasting the sweet and tender plums on top.

Fruit isn't the only thing you can use for your upside-down cake topping. You can use nuts, such as pecans, as they supply a nice crunch that softer ingredients don't provide. They also offer an earthy flavor that works well with many types of cake. And, if you want them to have a pronounced toasty flavor, you can cook them in the oven beforehand. Use whole pecans and intricately layer them in the dish before pouring the cake mix over them. Alternatively, you can make your pecan upside-down cake topping by first chopping the nuts into smaller pieces, then sprinkling them in the pan. 

Some ingredients you can pair with pecan upside-down cake include cherries, brown butter, or cinnamon. Use them in the cake mix or in the syrup that will be mixed with your nuts. Another fantastic idea is to mix tasty pecans with a caramel-like sauce, then drizzle these items on top to create a dessert reminiscent of sticky buns. You can enjoy this as a dessert, or alongside your morning coffee.

Make a bright and citrusy upside-down cake with the help of blood oranges. These types of oranges have an enticing look because of their deep red-orange color, which is more eye-catching than other orange varieties. You can use blood oranges with strawberry cake to make the dessert extra fruity and colorful. As another option, stick with a classic vanilla bean cake batter for a more simple base that allows the blood oranges to shine.

The nice thing about this fruit is that you can remove the skin or leave it on. When you leave the peel intact, the individual slices are well-defined. Without the peel, the orange slices will blend into each other, visually. Also, blood oranges have plenty of nutrients; these fruits are high in vitamins C, A, and potassium, according to WebMD. When you include them in your upside-down cake, your body benefits from them, too.

Use strawberries for a sweet and fruity upside-down cake. Not only do they taste delicious, but they also give the sweet treat a charming appearance. In terms of look, fresh strawberries turn out best because they are brighter and hold their shape better than frozen ones. Place them in the pan carefully, so they look nice when you flip the dessert to reveal the underside.

However, frozen fruit works perfectly fine, too, preferably IQF (individually quick freezing) strawberries, since they don't stick together in clumps. It's best to put them in the pan directly before you bake them, rather than wait for them to thaw because they become mushy. If you use dried strawberries, choose the freeze-dried ones rather than the dehydrated, chewy ones that might have a funky texture. You can use this strawberry upside-down cake topping as a base for chocolate, lemon, or honey cake mix — since the flavors harmonize well. For the sugar and butter syrup, mix in fresh chopped basil to bring out the best qualities in the fruit.

You can make delicious upside-down cakes with fresh or dried figs, depending on the look and texture you are going for. Either way, prepare the figs by removing stems and cutting them in half. You can even cut the dried figs into quarters so they are easier to chew. Place the fig pieces with their insides face-down on the pan. This way, when you flip the cake out, the pretty side with the seeds will be shown on the face of the cake.

No matter which type of fig you use, they caramelize when you bake them, which gives them a deeper flavor. Additionally, the sugar mixture becomes a beautiful amber color. This ingredient is suitable for all sorts of cake flavors, ranging from buttermilk cake to classic chocolate. Decorate the baked dessert with fresh rosemary sprigs or walnut pieces to complement the taste of the fruit and upgrade the presentation.

Peaches are a versatile ingredient to include in desserts. You can combine them with other ingredients if you wish. If you don't, the flavor of peaches is enough to appreciate by itself. For optimal results, use fresh or canned peaches. Fresh ones will take more time. Canned ones are pretty convenient since companies chop them for you, and you don't need to worry about the skin or the pit.

However, some manufacturers might store their peaches in juice or syrup, which you must drain. Otherwise, it makes for a soggy cake. You can also take advantage of frozen peaches and thaw them in a strainer, allowing any excess juice to drain. If you want a sophisticated upside-down cake, include bourbon by putting it right into the buttery syrup, then adding the peaches last. Utilize assorted spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice in the syrup or cake mix for a more classic peach dessert.

If you don't know the significant differences between peaches and apricots, you might wonder how each tastes in a dessert. Although these are both types of stone fruit, they have unique properties. Peaches are much larger and sweeter than apricots, so they give the dessert a honeyed taste, compared to apricots, which provide a lovely tart flavor. Peaches are also much juicier, which is why you must be careful with the moisture content in the topping.

Huckleberries are a more rare type of fruit that grows in the Northwest. If you can get your hands on them, a huckleberry upside-down cake is an exquisite dessert. 

Many folks don't know the difference between huckleberries and other berries. For example, you might not know the difference between a huckleberry and a blueberry. Generally, huckleberries grow in the wild, have larger seeds, and are more acidic than blueberries. They come in gorgeous purple-blue hues and aren't as widely available as blueberries, since they are not commercially grown.

When you use them for your upside-down dessert, entirely cover the base of the pan, so the top layer becomes a dark blue. Or, spread them out with spaces in between, so that when you pop the cake out of the pan, it has a unique polka dot effect on top. Use huckleberries with a citrus cake to amplify their tart notes, or go the opposite route and use a classic white cake to have a balance between sugary and sour flavors.

Use fresh or frozen fruit for an autumnal apple upside-down cake. Frozen apples don't need to thaw, so hold off on removing them from the freezer until you need them. If you take them out too early, they become watery. 

When preparing your apple pieces, you don't have to cut them into large wedges. You can chop them into small cubes or rings if you remove the seeds first. Fresh apples work best because they are firmer, but certain types will give you the best results. Some of the top-tier varieties for baking include Fuji, Granny Smith, and Gala. You can make the cake fancier by fanning the apple slices and making a design with them.

Cinnamon and other baking spices pair wonderfully with the apples. You can put these in the syrup mixture or the cake portion of the dessert. However, banana or ricotta cakes are impressively scrumptious with apples, too.

Whether you use store-bought granola or make your own, it's already seasoned with spices, sugar, and probably even a pinch of salt. So you don't need to worry about giving it more flavor. Place the granola in the bottom of the pan with the syrup, then entirely cover it with the cake batter, as usual.

When you flip the cake out, the granola resembles a streusel topping, which usually consists of sugar, flour, butter, and salt. This ingredient is a good option for upside-down cake because you can give your dessert a sweet, salty, and nutty topping all in one. 

Experiment with different flavors of granola, such as honey or maple. It is also a bonus if your granola already contains dried fruit or nuts since you don't have to spend time chopping anything. Drizzle some caramel sauce over the cake after it bakes to boost all of the flavors.

Although bananas are a softer fruit than other options on this list, they're fantastic in upside-down cakes for display and flavor. You can slice them into small rings and create a design, or simply cut them lengthwise and cover the bottom of the dish with them.

Concerning cake flavors, they pair well with chocolate or peanut butter cake. But of course, if you want to go simpler and make a vanilla cake, that will also work. There are many ways to experiment with this ingredient, such as making a bananas Foster-style upside-down cake with rum. Or, make a fun banana split-inspired cake with cherries and a chocolate drizzle. Arrange all of the components on the bottom of the cake pan. When you flip it out, it looks like a baked version of a banana split that you can top with ice cream.

If this ingredient sounds good to you, but you only have unripe bananas, there's a hack that helps ripen bananas quickly. All you need to do is put the whole, unpeeled banana on a pan, bake it for 45 minutes at 300 degrees Fahrenheit, and then let it rest for 30 minutes. Then, it is ready for use in your baking endeavors.

Almonds are a tasty and nutrient-packed ingredient for your next upside-down cake. To be specific, they are high in protein, manganese, and vitamin E. Healthline reports that with just one ounce of almonds, you receive 48% of the estimated daily value of vitamin E. 

This ingredient works with so many different types of upside-down cakes. For example, you can combine almonds with honey syrup to make an orange cake, or you can even use almonds to make a spiced carrot cake. Also, if you are a fan of Almond Joy bars, you can turn your upside-down cake into something similar. First, mix up the chocolate cake batter, then pour it over a base of coconut and almonds. 

Almonds come in many forms — slivered or sliced are the best options since you can buy them ready to go, making it easy to sprinkle them into the pan. For a more complex flavor, use an oven or air fryer to toast the almonds for a few minutes before you use them.

Blueberries work well in fruity desserts, such as lemon or strawberry cakes. Additionally, if you use a yellow cake mix, the upside-down cake will taste like a blueberry muffin. Both options are great, it all depends on what you prefer. 

Making a blueberry upside-down cake doesn't require much preparation at all. Since the blueberries are already relatively small, you don't need to chop them. If you use fresh berries, rinse them and allow them to dry first. You can also use frozen blueberries which are usually pre-washed.

Add some lemon zest to complement the berries when you make the cake's syrup mixture. You need just enough to enhance the fruit's flavor. The berries turn soft and remain juicy after you bake them, so you don't need to worry about them drying out. Also, blueberries' color makes the cake look extra appetizing, so they're beneficial for multiple reasons. This type of upside-down cake is hard to mess up. 

You might think of butternut squash as a savory food, but it works in all sorts of sweet dishes, including bread pudding, pie, and custard. After all, pumpkin is also a type of squash, and people use it in desserts all the time. Butternut squash has a similar color to pumpkin, providing the cake with a yellow-orange top layer. When it's done baking, you can use a clear pastry glaze to brush the butternut squash that is exposed. It gives it a glorious shine and brightens the color.

To make the cake as tasty as possible, make sure to first roast the butternut squash in the oven. Chop it and cook it until it slightly shrinks, which helps it to have a deeper flavor and more appetizing texture. Some cakes bake rather quickly, so it's not worth it to risk using raw butternut squash. This ingredient is already naturally sweet, but its sugary notes intensify when you use baking spices, caramel, honey, or maple with it.

You can use apricots for your upside-down cake, whether you want to chop fresh apricots into cubes or use canned apricot halves. With fruit slices or halves, it's easy to take your time and make a pattern that makes the cake stand out. Alternatively, you can use dried apricots. When you do, it might remind you of fruit cake. You can make a fruit cake-inspired upside-down cake using chopped dried apricots, pineapple, raisins, and other ingredients that people typically use in the traditional dessert. 

Spiced or white cake batters are fantastic options in this case, because they allow the apricots to take center stage. Serve your cake with a hefty scoop of ice cream on top. The creamy ice cream perfectly balances the tart fruit. 

When you compare the nutritional profiles of fresh versus dried apricots, the dried fruit is richer in vitamins and minerals, due to the drying process they go through. For instance, dried apricots have around three times more fiber than raw, fresh ones. They also have vitamin A, vitamin E, and potassium — according to Apricot Power. However, nutrition is just a bonus when you eat apricots. They already taste great.

You might think that marshmallows burn on the bottom of a cake pan. But if you include them correctly, they are a wonderful addition to upside-down cakes. For the best results, don't use full-sized marshmallows. They are quite large and don't soften as easily as the smaller ones. Mini marshmallows are the perfect option for this dessert.

Mix the marshmallows with fruit — such as raspberries or blackberries — and the butter and sugar syrup. If there is enough liquid with the marshmallows, you can effortlessly flip the cake out of the pan without any trouble. 

You can also use gelatin powder, fresh berries, and marshmallows instead of traditional syrup. When you flip it out, the gelatin creates a Jello-O-like coating on the cake. There is a semi-transparent layer that looks quite captivating with the fruit floating inside. Plus, some marshmallows end up in the cake, making it extra soft.