Autumn-Spiced Pomegranate Upside Down Cake Recipe

If you're tired of sweating your way through summer and you've been longing for a return to everything fall, why not kick off the season with this autumn-spiced pomegranate upside down cake? This sweet and spiced cake, developed by Tasting Table recipe developer Jennine Rye, is a classy and modern take on the super retro and utterly delicious pineapple upside down cake. 

With its comforting mixture of warming autumnal spices and fresh, juicy bursts from the pomegranate seeds, this cake is sweet, spiced, and fruity, with a light, moist crumb — not at all heavy. It is perfect for serving as a dessert, or maybe as a mid-morning or afternoon pick me up, accompanied by a nice cup of tea or coffee.

This cake has a pretty unique look with its pomegranate bejeweled top, making for a really colorful and eye-catching dessert that doesn't need much to make it look fancy. This autumn-spiced pomegranate upside down cake is a sweet treat that will bring the cozy feel of the fall to any time of year, so if you're looking for something a bit different from the typical pumpkin spice style of dessert, this beautiful cake will surely deliver.

To begin this recipe for autumn-spiced pomegranate upside down cake, first you will want to gather the ingredients. You will need the usual ingredients for a classic cake batter: butter, sugar, eggs, flour, baking powder, and a pinch of salt. You'll also need some of the big fall flavors to give the cake its delicious spiced taste: cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cardamom. If you like, you could also swap in other autumn flavors like cloves or all spice, or you could even substitute in a pumpkin spice mix. You'll additionally need brown sugar, buttermilk, vanilla extract, and some fresh pomegranate seeds too.

The first step is to select and prepare your baking tin. Normally, you would line a cake tin with baking paper, but for this recipe, as the bottom of the tin becomes the top of the cake, instead you will want to spread a mixture of butter and sugar inside the tin to line it. This technique helps to cook the fruit, adds sweetness to the mixture, and keeps the pomegranate seeds from sticking to the base of the baking tin when the time comes to turn it out.

You can buy pomegranate seeds ready to go, or buy whole pomegranates to de seed. Either way, fresh is best for this recipe. If you have opted for the whole pomegranate route, now is the time to chop it open and harvest the vibrant red seeds inside. There are a few different techniques for removing pomegranate seeds which range from easy and mess-free, to more complex and impressive. For a simple and clean approach, you can slice the pomegranate apart in a bowl of water to keep the seeds from flying off in all directions. Alternatively you can cut it in four and split the quarters apart to reveal the seeds. Or, if you're feeling up for a challenge, there is the fanning method. Cut the pomegranate in half, and cut each half into four slices. Place something underneath to catch the seeds, and pull the slices apart. The seeds should just fall out.

Whichever way you opted to extract the seeds, once you've got them, you'll want to place them into the cake tin. Make sure the spread them out into an even layer.

With the pomegranate seeds ready and waiting, it's time to make the cake batter. Start by whisking together the dry ingredients until they are combined. Then cream the butter and sugar together, either in a stand mixer, or using an electric hand whisk. Next up, beat in the eggs, one at a time before adding the vanilla. Lastly, mix in the combined dry ingredients and the buttermilk. Mix it all together to form a smooth, even batter.

Once the batter is ready, carefully spread it out on top of the pomegranate layer in the cake tin, and then place it into center of a preheated oven to bake for about 40 to 45 minutes. You'll know it's done when the top is a beautiful golden brown color, and when you touch it, it springs back. Wait for around 10 minutes for the cake to cool, and then carefully turn it out onto your chosen plate.

You can serve the autumn-spiced pomegranate upside down cake straight away, still warm from the oven, or serve it cold. The cake goes very nicely with some thick cream, and is especially delicious served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream while still warm.