This Blackberry Upside Down Cake is an old-fashioned made from scratch cake recipe that has a delicious vanilla cake baked on top of a sweetened blackberry bottom. When flipped the blackberry bottom becomes the top.
This cake is a great weekday dessert recipe to serve your family. It can be served by itself, with some sweetened whipped cream, or with a scoop of blackberry ice cream.
Quick overview:
- From-scratch vanilla cake, baked right over a sweet blackberry layer.
- Tips for a clean flip, plus a cake-mix shortcut.
- Swap in lemon zest, raspberries, or blueberries.
- Serves 8, 337 calories a slice.
Jump to:
A Family Cake Tradition
Each family member had their own birthday cake recipe request. My Dad would request a Pineapple Cake Upside Down Cake for his birthday. He has also requested this Apple Upside Down Cake.
I happened to be spending a day with Dad, and he was telling me about the blackberries he had picked over the summer and was talking about wanting to make a Blackberry Cake. His love of upside-down cake inspired us to make this Blackberry Upside Down Cake!
Key Ingredients
- Blackberries: Fresh in summer, or frozen (do not thaw) the rest of the year.
- Brown sugar: Gives the topping a caramelization that's common in upside down cakes.
- Softened butter: Creams up smoothly for a fluffier cake.
How to Make Blackberry Upside Down Cake
Start with the blackberry layer: melt the butter and brown sugar together in a saucepan, stir in the berries just until coated, and pour it into the cake pan.
For the cake, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, then beat in the eggs. Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt together, then add it to the butter mixture, alternating with the milk and vanilla. Starting and ending with the flour keeps the batter smooth.
Spoon the batter over the blackberries and bake until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool the cake in the pan a full 30 minutes before flipping it out.
Blackberry Upside Down Cake with Cake Mix
The blackberry topping stays exactly the same. Melt the butter and brown sugar in a saucepan, toss with the berries, and pour it into the pan. For the cake, swap the from-scratch batter for a box of yellow or white cake mix. Prepare per the box directions, and pour it over the berries. Bake at the same 350 degrees, but start checking it a few minutes early since box mixes tend to bake faster than scratch batter. Cool the same 30 minutes before flipping.
Variations
- Raspberry or Blueberry Upside Down Cake: Swap in the same amount of either berry and the bake time stays about the same.
- Cinnamon Blackberry Upside Down Cake: Stir in a half teaspoon of cinnamon with the blackberry mixture to add some warmth.
- Blackberry Lemon Upside Down Cake: A tablespoon of lemon zest in the batter brightens the whole thing up without changing anything else.
Tips for a Successful Cake Recipe
- Use fresh or frozen blackberries for this cake recipe. If using frozen, to not thaw.
- Allow the cake to cool at least 30 minutes before flipping it over. This gives the cake time to pull away from the edges of the pan on its own.
- Before flipping the cake over, as an extra precaution, run a butter knife around the edge of the cake pan to make sure the cake is not stuck to the sides.
- When flipping the blackberry upside-down cake, be sure to use a plate or platter that is a larger circumference than the cake.
- Gently pull up when removing the pan. if it feels stuck, flip it back over and run the butter knife around the edge again.
- As an extra precaution, parchment paper can be used to line the cake pan to prevent the berries from sticking.
Serve With
- Serve with homemade whipped cream. Make the whipped cream with ½ cup of heavy cream and a tablespoon of powdered sugar.
- Sweeten some sour cream with powdered sugar and a sprinkling of lemon zest and drizzle over top of the cake.
How to Store
This cake is best the day it's made, but leftovers keep covered on the counter for a day, or in the fridge up to 3 days.
More Family Favorite Cake Recipes
Cake is one of my favorite things to bake, so there's always another family favorite in the mix. Check them out below:
- Mom's favorite: German Chocolate Bundt Cake
- Dad's favorite: Pineapple Upside Down Cake
- My son Justin's favorite: Rhubarb Upside Down Cake
- My son Chris' favorite: Banana Cake with Browned Butter Maple Frosting
- My favorite: Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake
When you make this recipe, please comment below and let me know what you think. I'd love it if you tag me on Instagram @grumpyshoneybunch or #grumpyshoneybunch so I can see your photos!
If you love this recipe, please leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating
📖 Recipe
Blackberry Upside Down Cake
Equipment
- Round cake pan
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Ingredients
FOR THE TOPPING:
- ⅓ cup Brown Sugar
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 cups blackberries fresh or frozen
FOR THE CAKE:
- ½ cup white sugar
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- 2 large eggs
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoons salt
- ½ cup milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
- Melt the butter and brown sugar over medium heat in a large saucepan. Add blackberries and toss to coat. Let cook 1 minute.
- Remove from heat and pour into a 9-inch cake pan sprayed with cooking spray.
- Beat the sugar and butter together in a bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs.
- Place the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium-sized bowl and stir to combine.
- Add the vanilla extract to the milk and alternately stir the flour and milk into the butter mixture, beginning and ending with flour.
- Spoon the batter over top of the blackberry mixture in the cake pan.
- Bake the cake in a preheated oven for 35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the center of the cake.
- Let the cake cool on in pan on a rack for 30 minutes.
- Loosen the cake from pan by sliding a knife along the inside edge of the pan. Place the cake plate over top of the pan and flip. Lift the pan slowly to release the cake.
John Palmer says
To make the recipe it says to put it in a nine inch pan. The same if you double it and if you triple it. That can’t be right.
Shelby Law Ruttan says
Hi John, the recipe card only doubles and triples the ingredient amounts, not the instructions. You would need to adjust accordingly. If you are going to triple it, I don't recommend flipping it over. However a 9x13 pan would work, or you could divide it up between 3 (9inch) pans.
Pat says
Tried this tonight with homegrown blackberries, yummy.
Tiffany says
That cake looks so yummy! My favorite dessert for birthdays is ice cream cakes.
Priya Shiva says
The cake looks delicious! going to try this soon..
Rusthawk says
Italian Cream Cake
Katerina says
Great cake love it!
nanirose says
Oh boy does that look good. I will have to try it when the blackberries are ripe. My favorite thing to have for birthdays is apple dumplings
HeiLin (Heidy McCallum) says
Blackcap Upside Down Cake and a Kitchen-Aid Giveaway? Be still my heart...awesome recipe for me to make and hopefully I win a a Kitchen-Aid! Love this recipe and crossing fingers I am winner!
Jennifer Essad says
I celebrate w/my favorite dessert: Cheesecake
Tammigirl says
Birthday or anniversary? I'm not drawn to one specific food all the time, but I do love a good four course fondue - so delicious and so much fun.
Besides that I go for a nice meal on the grill - salmon or filets, potatoes, onion, tomato, cucumber - gooey chocolate cake!
granolagina says
I can't wait to try this recipe, thanks,
Renee Paj says
Happy Bday to Justin and happy blogiversary to Michele. The cake looks great!
Brandi Bryant says
My favorite birthday supper is mac and cheese and fried chicken....and homemade cake and ice cream. Thanks for the giveaway. Good luck everyone.
Auntiepatch says
Lobster!
Tracey Posner says
My favorite birthday dinner! SUSHI 🙂 And Ice Cream cake as my birthday cake <3 <3 <3
MJ-1986 says
Ooops, I forgot to add: My favorite is definitely ice cream cake!
MJ-1986 says
I've never heard of the term "blackcap"... I guess you learn something new each day. Thanks for the delicious looking recipe and the giveaway!
Life Tastes Good says
Happy Birthday to Justin!! The cakes looks amazing, Shelby!! Have a great day!
Michele @ Flavor Mosaic says
Hi Shelby! Happy birthday Justin! Thank you for being a wonderful mentor and friend. I can't thank you enough for all the wonderful advise you have given me this past year.
Meganscookin says
Layer cake is a necessity!
Jeanne Valencia says
My favorite food for my birthday is seafood fettuccine...Happy Blogiversary!
Kim Mancuso says
I need to make this cake! Happy Birthday to your son, Shelby . . . and Happy Blogiversary to Michelle!