This kumquat upside-down cake starts on the stovetop and finishes in the oven. The result? A sweet-tart, deliciously stunning masterpiece to savor all winter long.

kumquats in pan

What do you do with two pounds of kumquats? Why you make a kumquat upside-down cake, Silly. What else would you do?

No, seriously, what else would you do? I have been getting them every week in my CSA (which has been wonderful), but had it not been for a friend who pointed me to this recipe, those kumquats would still be sitting in my fridge. Fortunately, the little orange jewels store well for weeks.

This stunningly beautiful cake starts in a cast-iron skillet on the stovetop, then finishes in the oven. It tastes sweet, tart, and totally delicious, a perfect cake to make all winter long.

PS: Orange and Olive Oil Cake, another favorite winter cake.

How to Make Kumquat Upside Down Cake, Step by Step

First, halve 1.5 pounds of kumquats.

kumquats

Caramelize them briefly in a skillet with butter, brown sugar, honey, vanilla, and salt.

kumquats in pan

Beat together the batter, then carefully spoon it over the kumquats:

batter

Bake for roughly one hour, let cool for another 30 minutes, then turn the cake out onto a serving platter.

Kumquat Upside Down Cake

Slice and serve.

A kumquat upside down cake with a slice removed.
Kumquat Upside Down Cake (side view)
Print
clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon

Kumquat Upside Down Cake

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 11 reviews

Print Recipe
Save Recipe

Description

This kumquat upside-down cake starts on the stovetop and finishes in the oven. The result? A sweet-tart deliciously stunning masterpiece.

Source: Beauty Everyday

Ingredients

For the kumquats:

  • 1½ pounds kumquats, halved
  • 1 stick (4 oz | 113g) unsalted butter
  • ¾ cup light brown sugar
  • 3 tablespoons honey
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla
  • ½ teaspoon salt

For the cake:

  • 1 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1½ teaspoons baking powder
  • ¾ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup (8 oz | 226g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 1/3 cup sugar
  • 5 eggs, room temperature
  • 1 tsp. vanilla

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 325ºF.
  2. Melt butter in a large cast iron pan over medium heat. Be careful not to burn the butter. Add brown sugar and stir until mixed. Remove from heat. Add vanilla, honey and salt, and stir to combine.
  3. Add the fruit to caramel mixture — fit as much as you can inside. (WARNING: I used about 1½ lbs. of kumquats, and squeezed them all in. About half-way through baking, the syrup bubbled up and spilled out onto my oven floor. Smoke was everywhere. So, you can either place the kumquats in just one layer, or you could take your chances and maybe place a cookie sheet on the rack below the pan to catch any over flow.)
  4. Make the batter: Put softened butter and sugar in a large bowl and beat until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating on high. Add vanilla.
  5. In a separate bowl, sift together dry ingredients. Add to wet ingredients and mix on low speed until combined.
  6. Carefully spoon or pour batter over kumquats, taking caution not to disturb the fruit. Carefully smooth the batter.
  7. Place cake in oven on the middle rack. Bake for about 1 hour, checking after 45 minutes. Test the cake with a toothpick, making sure it is cooked in the middle. Take a butter knife and loosen edges along the pan. Put cake on a wire rack and let it cool for about 30 minutes.
  8. Put a large platter face down over cast iron pan and flip.
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 1 hours 5 minutes
  • Category: Cake
  • Method: Oven, Skillet
  • Cuisine: American