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4.43 from 7 votes

Savoury Upside Down Cake (with Mediterranean Veg)

Cheesy, herb-infused, gluten free courgette sponge, baked 'upside-down' with colourful Mediterranean vegetables. A showstopper of a savoury cake.
Prep Time20 mins
Cook Time30 mins
Preparing and pre-roasting the veg1 hr
Total Time1 hr 50 mins
Course: Light Lunch, lunch box, Party, picnic
Cuisine: British, Gluten Free, Mediterranean
Keyword: cake, savoury, sponge, upside down cake, vegetables
Servings: 8
Calories per serving: 373.2kcal
Author: Gluten Free Alchemist - Kate Dowse

Key equipment

  • Kitchen scales
  • measuring spoons
  • Oven
  • oven-proof dishes
  • sharp vegetable knife
  • wooden/silicone spoon
  • 9 inch baking tin
  • baking paper
  • mixing spoon/spatula
  • whisk (hand or electric)
  • cheese grater
  • sieve

Ingredients 

Mediterranean Veg 'topping'

  • 400 g cherry tomatoes halved
  • 150 g peppers yellow, orange and red (I used sweet mini peppers) – deseeded and sliced
  • 1 small red onion peeled and thinly sliced
  • salt and olive oil for roasting the veg
  • 4 to 5 olives green or black - pitted and sliced
  • 1½ tbsp sweetcorn kernels fresh or frozen

Savoury Cake Batter

  • 160 g plain gluten free flour blend Tested with both Gluten Free Alchemist White Blend A and Rice-Free Flour Blend B. See NOTES)
  • 160 g fine-ground polenta cornmeal
  • 1 tsp xanthan gum or 2 tsp psyllium husk
  • 1½ tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
  • ¾ tsp fine sea salt
  • ground black pepper to taste
  • 1 tsp fresh oregano (heaped) finely chopped (or ½ teaspoon dried)
  • 2 tsp fresh basil finely chopped (or 1 teaspoon dried)
  • 130 g mature Cheddar cheese grated
  • 3 large eggs UK large (Canadian ‘Extra Large’; Australian ‘Jumbo’; and US ‘Extra or Very Large’)
  • 90 ml olive oil
  • 150 ml plain yoghurt
  • 130 ml/g milk (depending on flour blend used, this may need to be fractionally increased)
  • 1 medium courgette grated and drained

Instructions

Roasted Mediterranean Veg

  • Pre-heat the oven to 220 C/425 F/Gas 7.
  • Roast the halved tomatoes, sliced onions and sliced peppers (separately) (NOT the olives or sweetcorn) in roasting dishes in the oven with a sprinkling of salt and a drizzle of olive oil, stirring intermittently, for 30 to 40 minutes or until they begin to char slightly on the edges.
  • Remove from the oven, set aside and cool while you make the cake batter.

Savoury Cake

  • Turn the oven down to 180 C/350 F/Gas 4.
  • Either base line (with baking paper) a 9 inch cake tin (square or round)... OR I used a silicone cake mould.
  • Weigh and mix together the flour, polenta, xanthan gum (or psyllium husk), baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, salt and pepper, making sure any lumps are completely broken down (TIP: weigh into an airtight container and shake vigorously).
  • Add the herbs and cheese and stir through.
  • Lightly whisk the eggs, oil, yoghurt and milk together until light, airy and evenly blended.
  • Add the grated courgette and fold to combine.
  • Add the dry ingredients and fold until evenly mixed.
  • Arrange the vegetables on the base of the cake tin – olives and sweetcorn, followed by peppers and onion.
  • Lastly, drain the excess juice from the roasted tomatoes, before also placing them in the base of the tin on top of the other veg.
  • Spoon the cake batter on top of the vegetables and smooth the top (should you have any excess batter, use to make small muffins).
  • Bake for 25 to 30 minutes (15-20 minutes for muffins) until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.
  • Remove from the oven and leave in the tin to cool for at least 15 minutes before turning out 'upside down' onto a plate.
  • Serve warm or cold.

Notes

* Note: nutritional information is an estimate & may vary according to portion size/ingredient variants.
Gluten Free Alchemist Flour Blends A and B can be found on the GFA Flours & Flour Blending Page. Although not tested with other flour blends, the recipe should work well with alternative commercial blends. 

Nutrition

Calories: 373.2kcal | Carbohydrates: 36.9g | Protein: 12.1g | Fat: 20.7g | Saturated Fat: 6.3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 82.5mg | Sodium: 625.3mg | Potassium: 354.1mg | Fiber: 3.8g | Sugar: 5.6g | Vitamin A: 723.5IU | Vitamin C: 32.1mg | Calcium: 243.5mg | Iron: 2mg
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© 2019-2021 Kate Dowse All Rights Reserved – Do not copy or re-publish this recipe or any part of this recipe on any other blog, on social media or in a publication without the express permission of Gluten Free Alchemist