This upside-down cake is light and spongy, with a nice honey flavour and juicy caramelized quince on top.
The recipe is adapted from Olive magazine (2015'11)
Ingredients:
250 g clear honey
225 g butter
100 g light muscovado sugar
3 eggs
300 g self-raising flour
1/2 tsp ground allspice (or mixed spice if preferred)
Caramelized quinces:
2 medium size quinces
3 tbsp lemon juice
150 g caster sugar
50 g butter
4 tbsp cold water
Method:
Add lemon juice into a large bowl of cold water.
Peel, quarter and core the quinces, then cut them into 2 cm thick wedges, dropping the wedges into the water as you go to stop them discolouring.
Put the 175 g caster sugar and 4 tbsp cold water in a large non-stick frying pan and dissolve the sugar over a low heat.
Bring to the boil and cook for 5 minutes until you have an amber coloured caramel. Remove from the heat, add 50 g butter and swirl the pan until it has melted and mixed in.
Drain the quince slices, dry them well on a clean tea towel, then add them to the pan, cut-side down.
The caramel mixture will turn to toffee, but don't worry - the fruits will gradually release their juices as they cook and dissolve it again. Cook them for 5 minutes, then carefully turn the pieces over and cook for another 5 minutes until they are just tender when pierce with a sharp knife (note: some sorts may need less time to cook).
Using two forks, carefully lift out the slices of quince and arrange over the base of a lightly buttered and lined round 20 cm cake tin.
Return the pan of caramel syrup to the heat and bubble until it has reduced and thickened again. Pour the mixture over the quinces and leave to cool.
To make the sponge, heat the honey, butter and sugar together until it is completely melted, then bring to a boil.
Turn off the heat and cool to warm, then beat in the eggs and fold in the flour and allspice.
Spoon the cake mix over the quince slices.
Bake in a preheated oven (160 C, fan 140 C) for 1 hour or until a skewer comes out clean.
Cool for 5 minutes, then turn the cake onto a serving plate.
Serve and enjoy! (The cake is best when served the same day)
Bon Appetit!
