Ingredients (Serves 8 – 10)
For the caramel topping
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup honey
1 1/4 cups sliced or slivered almonds, lightly toasted
For the cake
1 1/4 cups cake flour ( You can replace it with 1 cup all purpose flour + 2 tbsp corn starch/corn flour)
1/2 cup cocoa powder, preferably Dutch-processed ( I used Hershey’s unsweetened cocoa powder)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk (I used 1 cup low fat yoghurt)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Method
1. Generously grease a 10-inch round cake pan. To make the topping, pour the melted butter into the cake pan and swirl to coat the bottom; then sprinkle in the brown sugar. Drizzle in the honey and sprinkle the almonds evenly over the bottom.
2. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
3. To make the cake batter, sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt together three times (this is to make the cake extra light). Beat the butter in a mixer fitted with a whisk attachment until smooth and fluffy. Add the sugar and mix. One at a time, add the eggs, mixing after each addition. Beat until fluffy and light, about 3 minutes. With the mixer running on low speed, add a third of the dry ingredients and mix to combine. Mix in half of the buttermilk, and then another third of the dry ingredients, before adding the remaining buttermilk. Finish with the remaining dry ingredients and mix until smooth. Pour the batter into the pan.
4. Bake until set in the center and springy, about 30 – 35 minutes (It took me about 40 – 45 minutes) or until a tooth pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Run a knife around the edge of the pan and immediately invert the pan onto a serving platter. Let it sit with the pan still on top for 5 minutes so the caramel can soak into the cake a bit, before removing the pan. If the topping is sticking to the pan, warm the pan surface over a low burner to loosen the caramel and then pour it over the cake. Let cool completely. Cut into wedges with a serrated knife. This keeps at room temperature for up to 2 – 3 days.
Recipe Source – Chocolate and Vanilla by Gale Gand
Tips
1. The recipe calls for a 10 inch pan. Since I didn’t have it, I poured 3/4 th of the batter into a 9 inch pan and made 5-6 cupcakes with the rest of the batter. If you fill the batter till the top of the pan, it will overflow so make sure you leave a little space for the cake to rise.
2. Almonds can be replaced with lightly toasted walnuts, hazel nuts etc. Here’s a chocolate-walnut upside-down cake..
Beautiful……The cake looks so moist & delicious……Please send the leftovers here .
Looks super moist and delicious….I made a chocolate pound cake…Its just out of the oven 😉
Devilish delicious!! Wow sooo moist!
Like the click too!!1
Tempting and beautiful presentation.. looks so tempting!!
Cake looks fab and super moist…Adipoli ayitundu.
Super moist cake,love the combo..adipoli..
perfect cake..the topping looks very super!!!yum yum!
Superb cake dear…Adipoli ayitundu..
very moist and super looking cake
Delicious looking, choc cake cant be any better than this…..yummmmmmyyyy
looks perfect yummy
Chocolate -almond upside down! sounds wonderfully sinful and looks absolutely tempting!
Omg, wat a gorgeous and super delicious cake,seriously drooling over that tempting slice..
Cake looks so perfect, moist n delicious …lovely pics ..Inbtw I have to convey Thanks on behalf of my friend. He made Onam Sadhya following your blog and trust me the meal was super hit. So thanks on his behalf, he asked me to convey the msg 🙂
cake looks superb n yummm..love to have a slice 4m it
Can I use Self rising flour instead of Cake flour, keeping the same measurements??
Absolutely moist and a heavenly cake. Perfectly made with chocolate and almond combo.
Cake looks just marvelous.I am planing to make this little beauty soon.
Wow looking at this makes me jump ryt into the screen and grab it Yummmm
Thank you all for your lovely comments 🙂
@ Priti,
Thank you so much for letting us know about it 🙂 Really glad to know that the sadya was a hit. Please convey our thanks to your friend for trying out our recipes.
@ Rusheeda,
I am not sure if you can substitute self-rising instead of cake flour for this recipe. Sorry about that 🙁
Awesome awesome gals!
I was lucky to get a taste (actually more) of it and I have to say that this is one amazing cake that I crave for from time to time! 🙂
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yummmmmy…..Hi, First time to you blog and you have a very lovely space here…do visit my space when u find time… http://pran-oriya-recipies.blogspot.com/
hi..i luv baking and this recipe was very tempting. i tried and it was a super hit. i tried using walnuts too..yummy is not the word..thank u so much for sharing this recipe..:)
Pavita,
Thanks a ton for trying this recipe and for your feedback…Great to hear that you loved it 🙂 Please keep visiting..
Tried this cake and felt that the taste of baking soda was a bit overpowering.
how do u measure butter in cup and spoon ? Do u melt it and measure?
Beautiful recipe Maya
Thank you! 🙂