Meyer Lemon Upside Down Cake
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Meyer Lemon Upside Down Cake by Reese Moore Photography
I just had cake for dinner, if you want to know how my day was, and it was delicious. I’ve literally gone from giving up carbs as a New Year’s resolution to cake for dinner, which I am justifying because it’s cheaper than therapy and no one raises an eyebrow when you eat cake alone (unlike my beloved wine)… and I’m still working from home in a strict spandex-only uniform. It’s best to lean into those pandemic silver linings, y’all.
But let’s get to why you’re all here (even if it’s just you, Mom!): a gooey, fluffy, slice of citrusy goodness. You’re jonesing for some Meyer Lemon Upside Down Cake.
As I’ve mentioned like, ad nauseam, at this point, I picked a glorious bundle of backyard-grown Meyer lemons when I was down in Florida, and I’m committed to using up every last bit of these yellow gems during these gloomy winter days - yes, I’m eating the Meyer lemon peels.
Before you grimace and wonder about the state of my finances (somewhere between a Claire Danes ugly cry and Britney Spears circa 2007, if you must ask), there are reasons other than stretching your food budget to chomp down on some lemon peels.
Meyer lemons are actually a hybrid between traditional lemons and mandarin oranges, so their peels are soft, fragrant, and yummy when done right, and they’re also packed with fiber, vitamins, and nutrients.
They still pack a zippy punch, however, that I adore and my husband makes grumpy llama faces about. Sooooooo, for my take on a Meyer Lemon Upside Down Cake, we’re going to macerate those lemon slices to mellow them out a bit.
I hope this goes without saying, but you should read the recipe before you start cooking. I’m also a hot mess in the kitchen (think the Swedish Chef from the muppets but with a rich vocabulary of incredibly creative swear words), but hey, there can only be one Martha, right?
Let’s do this.
This recipe was adapted from an Epicurious Orange Upside Down Cake and inspired by reading Martha’s Shaker Lemon Bars - which incidentally have some really terrible reviews. I guess we all have bad days, even the Queen herself.
Meyer Lemon Upside Down Cake Recipe
Ingredients for Meyer Lemon Upside Down Cake Caramel Topping:
1 whole medium Meyer lemon
3/4 cup granulated sugar
4 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Ingredients for Meyer Lemon Upside Down Cake:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 cup granulated sugar + 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
4 and 1/2 tablespoons Meyer lemon juice
1 cup whole milk
powdered sugar (optional)
Special Equipment:
9 inch round cake pan
parchment paper
Directions for Meyer Lemon Upside Down Cake:
Wash your whole Meyer lemon, pat dry, and slice into thin rounds. The thinner you’re able to make them, the better. Slice a couple of the rounds into quarters. Remove seeds and discard (or compost or use to make pectin). Layer them in a bowl or on a plate and sprinkle half of your tablespoon of sugar onto the Meyer lemon slices. Flip the slices, repeat, and let macerate, covered in the refrigerator for approximately 4 hours.
Once your Meyer lemon slices have macerated, remove the slices from their juices and set aside, but don’t throw out that juice!
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Place your 4 and a half tablespoons of Meyer lemon juice in a one-cup measuring cup, and pour enough milk in to fill the cup. Transfer to a bowl, stir, and let sit for around 10 minutes.
Lightly grease the sides of your round cake pan and place a round of parchment paper in the bottom (I am NOT about wrestling with a cake pan to give up the goods when it comes to an upside-down cake; ain’t nobody got time for that).
Gather your ingredients for the caramel topping. In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar and 6 tablespoons of water over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture turns an amber color, about 10 minutes. The transition will come on all of the sudden, now is not the time for an episode of Schitt’s Creek.
Remove your pot from heat and carefully whisk in the butter and salt until smooth. Carefully pour the caramel onto the parchment paper in the cake pan, spreading with a spatula if needed. It’s ok if it doesn’t touch the edges - and in fact, DO NOT touch the caramel. It will burn the dickens out of your finger, like it did mine, which is why my grumpy ass had cake for dinner.
Layer your Meyer lemon slices on top of the caramel. Have fun making a design and filling in the holes, but remember that putting too many orange peels on top of each other will be a pain to cut. Set aside.
In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. In another bowl, stir together the cooled, melted butter and sugar, and add the eggs, the vanilla, and reserved juices from the macerated Meyer lemons. Stir until smooth and well blended.
Make a well in your dry mixture, and mix in your egg mixture into the flour mixture until well-blended cake batter. Pour the batter over the caramel and Meyer lemon slices, and bake until a knife inserted comes out clean, about 35-40 minutes.
With an offset spatula or a knife, loosen any parts of the cake that seem to be sticking to the side of the pan. Invert the cake (quickly!) onto a plate or platter while it's still hot. Remove the parchment paper, if it didn’t stick to the bottom of the pan.
Let your Meyer Lemon Upside Down Cake cool until warm or room temperature, then cut into wedges with a serrated knife to serve. Sprinkle with powdered sugar, if desired. Pro tip: Use a pair of kitchen scissors to snip through any peels in advance of your serving knife, if the presentation is important to you.
Are you still swimming in Meyer lemons? Check out my Whole Lemon Greek Chicken Soup Recipe or my delicious Whole Lemon Brussel Sprouts with Red Chili Flake!
Til next time,
Reese
