The Last Berries....

I promise, like the 26 strawberry posts I have done, that this is most likely the last berry one!  I can't help it!  They are so fresh at the market and the prices...I couldn't beat them!!

I made this a few years ago for my in-laws.  Then, like most recipes that I like, I lost it.  But alas!!  Last week I found it in a pile of magazines (along with $5.00 and a really cute picture of my kids at Holiday World).
Yes, I have a problem with making piles.  BUT, just in 1 room.  The rest is fairly organized ;)

I digress...back to the food.  So, I made this upside down cake that uses cornmeal.  It is  like cornbread and cake combined.  It has a great crumby texture and you can substitute whatever berries you have on hand.  The trick in this cake, and if you make it just see if anyone can point it out, is the addition of BASIL to the batter!  Oh my, you knew I had an herb-crush on basil anyway but this cake just screams SUMMER!!  Or maybe that's just me!

Berry Upside Down Cornmeal Cake

2 to 2 1/2 C fresh blueberries, raspberries, and/or blackberries
1 1/3 C all-purpose flour
1/2 C yellow cornmeal
1 TB finely snipped basil
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs lightly beaten
1/2 C sugar
2/3 C milk
1/3 C canola oil
*basil and mint for garnish with additional berries leftover
Glaze: juice of 1 lemon, zest (optional) and enough powdered sugar to give the right consistency.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease 8-inch round cake pan, line bottom of pan with parchment paper; butter or spray with non-stick spray. Arrange 1 1/2 cups berries in bottom of pan; set side. In bowl stir together flour, cornmeal, basil, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. In another bowl whisk together eggs, sugar, milk, and oil. Add egg mixture all at once to flour mixture. Stir until combined; Spread evenly over berries. 
Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool cake in pan 5 minutes. Run knife around edge of the pan to loosen sides . Invert. Remove parchment. Top with remaining berries, basil and mint.

Let cool (if you want to) before drizzling glaze.  I didn't wait and it slid all over the place.  Not good when you want to get a good picture!  But, man was this good :)

Before the 'flip'

fresh out of the oven...before the glaze

This is why I said let the cake cool before the glaze..

Hot cake + glaze = running all over the place :)

This recipe is featured on Mangia Mondays at: