Cherry Cornmeal Upside Down Cake

I had these in my fridge.

(except they were whole and I had to pit them, which dyes your fingers a lovely color. As well as your lips and tongue if you eat a few that you massacred while trying to get the pit out.)

Then I saw THIS over at my adopted daughter's blog, Eats Well With Others.  She doesn't know I've adopted her, so maybe you shouldn't mention it. It might be a little stalkerish awkward. 

I attempted to re-create her delicious looking Cherry Cornmeal Upside Down Cake.  Cuz I just love anything with cornmeal.  I semi-achieved my goal.  I say 'semi' b/c I ran into some....issues...along the way.  First, I forgot to put aluminum foil (or tin foil as we say in the South) on the bottom of my spring-form pan before pouring my cherry mixture into it.  It leaked. Of course it did.  Then I quickly get the tin foil wrapped around the bottom, with minimal cursing I might add.  Then, while putting it in the oven...I manage to rip the foil.  Of course I did!  Cherry juice starts spewing leaking all into the bottom of the oven - so I quickly yank it out, which results in my slinging juice on my cabinets.  White cabinets.  Have I mentioned the nice maroon color of cherry juice.  And the staining capabilities?  yeah.  Moderate cursing at this point.  (Mr. Clean to the rescue.)

So, I finally get the damn thing cake baked. The verdict?  Well, let's just say I rewarded myself for my efforts with a very large piece! It was goooood.  By the way...this can be made in a cast iron skillet (a must have for all Southern women).  Since I've recently acquired one (Thanks mom!) and I have another bag of cherries sitting in the fridge...I see this cake being made again in the very near future.  I might wait until the PMS has passed.  No need to add fuel (aka cherry juice) to the fire.

Cherry Cornmeal Upside Down Cake slightly adapted from Eats Well With Others

3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature, divided
1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
2 tsp balsamic vinegar
3 cups whole pitted fresh cherries
1 1/4 cups AP flour
1/4 cup yellow cornmeal
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs, separated
3/4 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup skim milk
1/4 tsp cream of tartar (I used 1/2 tsp lemon juice in its place)

Preheat to 350.  Combine 1/4 cup butter with brown sugar and vinegar in a skillet.  Stir over medium heat until butter melts and sugar dissolves.  Increase heat to high.  Add cherries and bring to a boil.  Set aside.

Whisk flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.  In a separate bowl, beat 1/2 cup butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes.  Beat in egg yolks and vanilla.  Add half the flour mixture, then half the milk, beating just until blended, then add remaining flour and milk, mixing just until blended - scraping down the sides as needed. 

Using clean, dry beaters, beat egg whites in medium bowl until foamy.  Add lemon juice (or cream of tartar) and beat until whites are stiff.  Using a rubber spatula, fold egg whites into batter in 3 additions.
Cover the bottom half of a 10-inch springform pan with aluminum foil to prevent leakage. Pour the cherries pan.  Pour the batter over the cherries, spreading evenly to cover the cherries.    Bake cake on center rack until golden and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, approx. 45 minutes.  

Cool in pan, on rack, for 5 minutes.  Run a spatula around the sides to loosen, and remove sides of springform pan.  Place a large serving plate on top of the cake, and flip over.  Remove the base and let cool before cutting.

I'm linking this recipe up at Eat at Home for Ingredient Spotlight: cherries and pomegranates