Yields 1 10-inch cake

Total Time: 1 hr 20 mins

Servings: 10

Recipe and Photos by Christine of Cherry on My Sundae

Pair floral cheese with stone fruits and you get one amazing Upside Down Plum Lavender Gouda Cake! This cornmeal cake is studded with hints of lavender and thyme from the cheese while the juicy plums add a touch of sweetness. Serve it warm with a dollop of homemade lavender whipped cream for a truly sweet culinary experience.

INGREDIENTS

Lavender Whipped Cream
  • 1 cup heavy cream (250 ml)
  • 1 1/2 tsp dried lavender flowers
  • 1/4 cup powdered sugar (32 grams)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
Upside Down Plum Lavender Gouda Cake
  • 2 tbsp butter, melted (28 grams)
  • 3-4 plums thinly sliced into 1/4 inch thick wedges
  • 3/4 cup butter, softened (170 grams)
  • 1 1/2 cup granulated sugar divided
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1/3 cup buttermilk (83 ml)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour (148 grams)
  • 1/2 cup yellow cornmeal (78 grams)
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 3/4 cup shredded Artikaas Raw Milk Lavender and Thyme Gouda (64 grams)
DIRECTIONS
  1. Make the lavender whipped cream. Heat the heavy cream in a small pot over low heat until it starts to steam but doesn't boil. Add the lavender and stir to combine. Remove the cream from heat and cool completely. Chill the cream in the fridge until cold, preferably overnight. Strain the lavender and whip the heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla, whipping until combined. Keep in the fridge until ready to serve.
  2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  3. Prepare the cake. Add 2 tbsp melted butter in a 10-inch cast iron pan or cake pan. Sprinkle 1/4 cup sugar in an even layer on the butter. Slice the plums into 1/4 inch thick wedges and arrange them in the pan slightly overlapped.
  4. Combine the 3/4 cup softened butter with the remaining 1 1/4 cup sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer. Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, fully incorporating one egg before adding the next. Add the buttermilk and vanilla and mix until combined.
  5. Combine the dry ingredients together including the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the batter, stirring just until combined. Stir in the shredded cheese, mixing just until combined.
  6. Pour the cake batter on top of the plums in an even layer. Bake the cake for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let cool for 15 minutes.
  7. Place a plate on top of the cake and carefully invert the cake. Serve the cake warm or at room temperature with the lavender whipped cream.

Helpful Tips & Common Mistakes

The idea behind this upside down plum lavender gouda cake all started with cornbread. Cornbread is one of those savory breads with hints of sweetness. It just made sense to make it the base for a fruit cake that incorporates gouda. The cornmeal also wonderfully highlights the other two key ingredients, plums, and cheese.

What's amazing about the raw milk lavender thyme gouda is not only the creamy texture and lovely sweet floral notes but also the fact that the lavender keeps local bumblebee colonies thriving. The lavender is carefully grown in France without the use of pesticides or herbicides which help protect these insects and surrounding food crops. Adding thyme to the mix only heightens the herbaceous notes of this gouda, making it a favorite during spring and summer! The cheese is fantastic by itself but is versatile enough to pair it with seasonal fruits like in this cake.

Start making the cake by preparing the plums. Since this is an upside down cake, we need to arrange the plums in a baking pan before adding the cake batter.

Melt 2 tbsp butter and pour it into an oven-safe dish. I personally prefer to bake the cake in a cast iron because the pan gives the cake a lovely crunchy exterior.

Sprinkle the sugar in an even layer on the melted butter and arrange the sliced plums on top. You want to slightly overlap the plums to create a beautiful pattern. I don't recommend adding more than 3 large plums or 4 medium ones or else the cake can become mushy.