Upside-Down Plum Cornmeal Cake

serves 6–8

3–5 plums, sliced ¼ inch thick
1½ Tbsp. + ¾ cup granulated sugar
2 Tbsp. flax meal
6 Tbsp. water
1½ cups all-purpose flour
½ cup cornmeal
2 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
½ cup unsalted plant-based butter, melted and cooled
½ cup orange juice
1 tsp. freshly grated orange zest
1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 Tbsp. hazelnut liqueur

Preheat an oven to 350°. Line an 8-inch springform pan with a circle of parchment and lightly grease the pan and parchment.

Arrange the plums in a single layer on the bottom of the prepared pan. Sprinkle the plums with 1½ tablespoons sugar and set aside.

In a small bowl, mix together the flax meal and water. Set aside for about 5 minutes to allow the mixture to thicken.

In another bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt.

In another bowl, whisk together the remaining sugar, plant-based butter, orange juice, zest, vinegar, extract, and liqueur. Then whisk in the thickened flax meal until well combined. Fold in the dry ingredients until just combined.

Pour the batter over the plums in the prepared pan and spread into an even layer.

Bake for 30-45 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

Let cool in the pan for 10–15 minutes, then tip the cake out of the pan and gently remove the parchment. Allow the cake to cool fully before serving.

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In this recipe, we used Queen Mab, a hazelnut liqueur from locally based Second Sight Spirits in Ludlow Kentucky. Any hazelnut liqueur or orange liqueur would work well. Alternatively, you can add more orange juice to replace the alcohol. You can also make this recipe with dairy-based butter or oil, such as melted coconut oil. The overall flavor of the cake will change slightly. This cake is great alone but can also be served with accompaniments such as coconut whipped cream, vanilla bean ice cream (dairy or non-dairy), and candied nuts.