Chai spice upside-down plum cake recipe

Ingredients

• 6 tablespoons / 90 ml coconut oil or ghee, melted
• ¼ cup / 30 g coconut sugar
• 4 to 5 small plums, pitted and thinly sliced
• 2½ cups / 300 g whole spelt flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1½ teaspoons ground cardamom
• 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
• ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground star anise
• ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup / 240 ml pure maple syrup or raw honey
• ¾ cup / 190 ml milk of your choice (nut, seed, rice … )
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F / 180°C.
2. Coat the bottom of a 7-inch / 18 cm springform cake pan with ½ tablespoon of the melted coconut oil, and sprinkle the coconut sugar evenly over it to cover the base. Neatly lay the plum slices in concentric rings on the bottom of the cake pan.
3. In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and the ginger, cardamom, fennel seeds, cloves, cinnamon, star anise, salt, and pepper. Whisk to combine.
4. In a medium saucepan, melt the remaining 6 tablespoons coconut oil. Add the maple syrup, milk, and vanilla and whisk to combine. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk to remove any lumps. Add the vinegar and whisk quickly to incorporate.
5. Pour the batter into the cake pan, and put the pan on a rimmed baking sheet (to catch any liquid that may seep out while baking). Bake the cake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 50 to 60 minutes.
6. When the cake has cooled, loosen the springform latch to open the pan. Invert a plate on the top of the cake, and swiftly invert the two together so that plums are now on the top. Serve.