Cherry Cornmeal Upside-Down Cake

Steps

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and set an oven rack in the middle position. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil (the purpose of the baking sheet is to catch any caramel drips).

2. Make the Topping: In a 10- to 11-in (25- to 28-cm) ovenproof skillet with 2-in (5-cm) high sides (preferably cast iron), combine the butter, brown sugar, vinegar, and salt over medium heat. Stir until the butter melts and the sugar dissolves, a few minutes. Increase the heat to high; add the cherries and bring to boil for about 30 seconds. Remove the skillet from the heat.

3. Make the Cake: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

4. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a hand-held electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla and almond extracts.

5. With the mixer on low, add one-third of flour/cornmeal mixture and mix until just combined. Mix in half of the buttermilk, followed by another third of the flour/cornmeal mixture, the remaining buttermilk, and finally the remaining flour/cornmeal mixture. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Spoon the batter over the cherries in the skillet and spread evenly over top to cover the cherries.

6. Place the skillet on the prepared baking sheet and bake until the top is set and golden brown, about 45 minutes. Cool the cake in the skillet on a rack for about 15 minutes. Place a platter over the skillet and carefully invert to remove the cake. If necessary, rearrange any cherries that may have become dislodged (if any cherry "goo" sticks to the pan, you can use a butter knife to spread it back over the cake). Cut the cake into wedges and serve warm or room temperature with vanilla ice cream or sweetened whipped cream (optional), if desired. The cake is best served fresh on the day it is baked, but leftovers will keep in a covered container at room temperature for up to 2 days.