Black Forest Upside-Down Cakes

I love Black Forest Cake, actually anything that combines chocolate and cherries! I'm excited to try this new recipe, from the pages of Everyday Food magazine, for the dessert accompanying our At-Home Valentine's Day Dinner.

I will be doubling the recipe to serve 4. I can't wait!

So I discovered my ramekins are only 7 ounces, instead of 8...I didn't use all the cherries, but I packed them in, maybe about 1/2 cup per ramekin. Also, I broke out the Kitchenaid. Sorry, but really, mixing brown sugar and butter "with a wooden spoon until light and fluffy??" Riiiiight. I tried, but it just didn't happen. Kitchenaid was a necessity here. Or at least use an electric mixer. Just take my word for it. I had to bake the cakes an extra 10 minutes, but if you don't live at altitude you probably won't have to adjust it that much.

These cakes are delicious! We added just a touch of rum to the cream and Number One whipped it up. I had doubled the recipe to make four cakes, he quadrupled the cream to make a decent amount of whipped cream. I don't think it was too much, and we used it all on our four cakes. You should make more whipped cream as well. Really, isn't that the perfect amount?


The magazine's quick tip: Bake the cakes after you prep the salad, then make the steak and shrimp.


Black Forest Upside-Down Cakes
Serves 2
Active time: 15 minutes
Total time: 45 minutes + cooling

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.

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/3 cup plus 3 tablespoons packed light-brown sugar
1 1/2 cups drained jarred sour cherries (1 teaspoon juice reserved)
1/3 cup all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
1 large egg yolk
3 tablespoons whole milk
1/4 cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons rum

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 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.

2. 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.

3. 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.