Description
Michael Symon’s lemon upside down cake delivers a tangy, sweet dessert with caramelized citrus topping. Zesty lemons and rich butter create a memorable treat you’ll want to share with friends and family.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 lemons, sliced paper thin, seeds removed (about 20 slices)
- 1 cup (240 ml) olive oil
- 1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- ¾ cup (150 g) light brown sugar
- 2 cups (480 ml) all-purpose flour
- 1 ¼ cups (300 ml) whole milk
- 4 tbsps (60 g) unsalted butter
- 3 large eggs
- 2 tbsps confectioner sugar
- 2 tsps pure vanilla extract
- 1 ½ tsps kosher salt
- Juice and zest of 1 lemon
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- 1 pinch cinnamon
Instructions
- Grill Preparation: Configure grill for indirect heat – arrange charcoal on one side or set gas grill to medium-high temperature on a single zone.
- Dry Ingredient Fusion: Whisk flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and ground cinnamon together until completely integrated.
- Liquid Ingredient Harmonization: Blend eggs, whole milk, extra virgin olive oil, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, lemon juice, and lemon zest into a silky, uniform mixture.
- Batter Creation: Delicately fold dry ingredients into liquid mixture, stirring until just combined with no visible flour streaks.
- Butter Transformation: Position Dutch oven on grill, melt unsalted butter until golden brown with a rich, nutty essence.
- Caramelization Process: Mix brown sugar into browned butter, creating a texture resembling damp sand.
- Lemon Arrangement: Remove Dutch oven from direct heat, strategically layer thin lemon slices in an elegant, overlapping design.
- Baking Technique: Pour batter evenly over lemon slices, then close grill lid and bake for 50-60 minutes until a wooden skewer emerges clean.
- Cooling and Presentation: Rest cake for 5 minutes post-heat, then invert onto serving platter, revealing beautifully caramelized lemon topping.
- Whipped Cream Finale: Chill glass jar, pour heavy cream, add powdered sugar and vanilla extract. Shake vigorously for 5 minutes to create luxurious whipped cream. Slice cake into 8 portions and accompany with freshly whipped cream.
Notes
- Master Grill Temperature: Indirect heat is crucial for even baking, preventing burnt edges and ensuring a perfectly cooked cake with golden-brown surface.
- Whisk Wet and Dry Separately: Combining ingredients in separate bowls prevents overmixing, which can lead to a dense, tough cake texture.
- Brown Butter Technique: Browning butter adds deep, nutty flavor and enhances the overall complexity of the dessert’s taste profile.
- Lemon Slice Placement: Carefully overlapping lemon slices creates a stunning visual presentation and infuses the cake with bright, citrusy essence.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Grilling
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 550
- Sugar: 45 g
- Sodium: 250 mg
- Fat: 32 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 24 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 58 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg