Sticky, Syrupy Cumquat Upside Down Cake

I am so happy to be living in this town. There is a sense of community, so many nice things happening and so many lovely people making them happen.

Just in the last few days I have been offered for free a whole range of different fruits and vegetable by people that just have too much for their own use. 

If you are one of my locals (you know who you are)  and you are reading this - THANK YOU SO MUCH!

Having managed to score more Cumquats - thanks - more jam that's for sure because the last lot I made has almost gone, and I have decided to try a Cumquat Cake. I want something syrupy and gooey and squishy - you know what I mean and I believe I have an idea on how to achieve this.

After much searching I found an old recipe for a syrupy pineapple upside down cake. With a few adjustments I was able to get just what I wanted. I think a combination of bitterness with the cumquats and sweetness of a syrup makes a wonderful combination.

My daughter in London tells me that cumquats are very much in right now, being offered in cakes, sauces, salads. Amazingly, it just happens to be the season for them here in Adelaide. We are so trendy here in the Adelaide Hills!

Enjoy!

Sticky, Syrupy Cumquat Upside Down Cake

240g unsalted butter

200g caster sugar

150g cumquats washed

4 tbls demerara sugar

4 tbls orange marmalade

4 eggs

210g SR Flour

juice and grated zest of an orange

60g almond meal

1. Grease and line a 23-25cm solid-bottomed cake tin, about 9cm deep, with non-stick baking paper. The cake tin must be solid or all that lovely sticky sweetness will seep away.
2. Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan160°C.
3. Using your fingers spread about 20g of the butter over the base of the cake tin and sprinkle the demerara sugar over the top.
4. Take the washed cumquats and slice them thickly, remove all the pips and lay them in a nice circular pattern around the base of the tin on the sugar and butter.

 

1. Cream the remaining butter and caster sugar until light and fluffy. Fold in the marmalade and the beaten eggs, a little at a time. Add a few spoons of flour with the last of the eggs to prevent curdling. Fold in the remaining sifted flour, a pinch of salt, ground almonds and orange zest. 
2. Add enough orange juice to make a dropping consistency.
3. Spoon the mixture into the cake tin, spreading it over the cumquats. 
4. Level the mixture using a spatula, making a slight depression in the centre. Bake in the middle of the oven for 50-60 minutes or until the top is springy and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.It should be a nice golden colour. 
5. Let the cake cool in the tin and then invert it onto a serving plate.
6. Serve with cream, yoghurt or sour cream.

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