Cherry-Almond Upside-Down Cake

Cherries and almonds have a natural affinity; in fact, cherry pits have a bitter almond flavor. The ease of this special dessert belies its gorgeous appearance. If you're pitting the cherries, be sure to work over a bowl and save any accumulated juice, which should be added to the recipe with the cherries.

Yield: 9 servings (serving size: 1 piece)

Ingredients

• 1 1/4  cups  sugar, divided
• 1/4  cup  dry red wine
• 2  pounds  dark sweet cherries, pitted
• 1  teaspoon  fresh lemon juice
• Cooking spray
• 3/4  cup  whole blanched almonds, toasted
• 2  large eggs
• 2  large egg whites
• 1  cup  all-purpose flour
• 1/2  teaspoon  salt

Preparation

Preheat oven to 375°.

Combine 1/4 cup sugar and wine in a large saucepan over low heat; stir until sugar dissolves. Increase heat to medium-high; bring to a boil. Stir in cherries. Reduce heat to low, and cook 5 minutes or until cherries just begin to soften, stirring frequently. Remove cherries from pan with a slotted spoon, reserving liquid in pan. Place cherries in a bowl; stir in lemon juice. Arrange cherries in an even layer in bottom of a 9-inch square baking pan coated with cooking spray.

Cook wine mixture over medium-high heat 3 minutes or until reduced to 1/4 cup. Remove from heat; drizzle over cherries in prepared pan.

Place almonds and 2 tablespoons sugar in a food processor; process until finely ground (do not process to a paste).

Place eggs and egg whites in a large bowl. Beat with a mixer at high speed until foamy; slowly add remaining 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar. Beat until thick and lemon-colored (about 2 minutes).

Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour and salt. Gradually sift flour mixture over egg mixture; fold in. Fold in ground almond mixture. Carefully spoon batter over cherries in prepared pan. Bake at 375° for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Cool in pan on a wire rack 15 minutes. Place a plate upside down on top of cake; invert onto plate.

Nutritional Information

Calories:

322 (23% from fat)

Fat:

8.3g (sat 1.1g,mono 4.6g,poly 2g)

Protein:

7.5g

Carbohydrate:

57.8g

Fiber:

3.9g

Cholesterol:

47mg

Iron:

1.7mg

Sodium:

163mg

Calcium:

51mg