Step 1

Prep the fruit and preheat oven. Preheat your oven to 350°F. If you are using fresh fruit, be sure it is washed and dried. Slice it into wedges or dice it into large 1" chunks. Most berries can be left whole and smaller stone fruit such as cherries and apricots can be halved. If using frozen fruit, do not defrost.

Step 2

Make the sugar glaze. Place your baking pan or skillet on a burner over low heat and add the butter. Once the butter has melted, add the sugar and stir it gently.

Step 3

Arrange the fruit. Add the chopped fruit to the pan and arrange in a single layer on top of the butter and sugar mixture.

Step 4

Whisk together the dry cake ingredients. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour , baking powder and salt.

Step 5

Add the fruit to the pan. Arrange the fruit in a single layer in the baking pan, being sure to crowd the pan as much as possible. The fruit will shrink a little when cooked. If using herbs, sprinkle them on top of the fruit.

Step 6

Cream the butter and sugar together with a hand mixer. Combine the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Using a hand mixer, cream the butter and sugar together until lightened and creamy, about 5 minutes. Add the eggs and mix until smooth, an additional minute of mixing.

Step 7

Add the flour mixture and milk in alternating batches. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture in three batches, alternating with the milk, like this: Add 1/3 of the flour mixture and mix until incorporated about 30 seconds. Add half of the milk, mixing until smooth, about 30 seconds. Add half of the remaining flour, mixing again for about 30 seconds, followed by the remaining milk and 30 seconds of mixing. Finally add the the remaining flour and mix until completely smooth, about 1 minute total.

Step 8

Top with the cake batter. Dollop the fruit with the cake batter, being sure it is evenly distributed. Smooth with a spatula.

Step 9

Bake for 40 to 45 minutes. Place the cake in the oven. You might want to put it on a baking sheet to catch any overflow (sometimes the fruit bubbles up). Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the top of the cake is golden brown and a thin knife or toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Step 10

Transfer to a cake plate. Remove the cake from the baking sheet and place it on a cooling rack. Let the cake settle for a minute, until any fruit that has leaked up the sides has stopped bubbling. Do not let the cake cool or you will not get it out of the pan! Run a knife around the edges of the cake. Place your cake plate over the cake and, using hot pads, carefully flip the cake over. Gently remove the cake pan. Be careful, as the fruit and glaze is still quite hot and will burn your hands!

Step 11

Re-arrange the fruit and let the cake cool. If any pieces of fruit are stuck to the cake pan, gently scrape them up with a knife and replace them on the cake. Let the cake cool.

Step 12

Serve. Serve the cake at room temperature or slightly warm. Top with barely sweetened whipped cream if desired.