STRAWBERRY BASIL UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE

From cocktails to cold summer soup, the combination of strawberries and fresh basil is a classic.  In this late spring season of red ripe strawberries, every way we can use them, do it before they disappear.  In my farm days, berry picking was the kid’s job.  I loved filling my square wooden baskets with those big, beautiful strawberries—checking each one for the perfect ripeness, taking care not to disturb the straw the plants were resting on.  And one day a year during berry season, dinner was big soup bowls of strawberry shortcake!  This classic upside-down cake exceeds expectations—be sure to use a big enough baking dish, because it also can exceed its boundaries! 

Cake:

• 1 tblsp fresh basil, very finely chopped
• 3 tblsp olive oil
• 1 ¼ cup flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 4 tblsp butter, softened
• ½ cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla
• ½ cup milk

Strawberry layer:

• ¼ cup butter, melted
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 pint strawberries, sliced in half vertically

Combine the basil and olive oil in small bowl and mix thoroughly—set aside.  Whisk together flour and baking powder.  In a separate bowl, beat the sugar, butter and olive oil/basil until smooth.  Beat in the eggs, vanilla and milk.  Add the dry ingredients and mix until well combined. 

For the strawberry layer, mix the melted butter with the sugar—-spread over the bottom of a well buttered, deep, 10” pie pan, or a little larger if you have one.  Arrange strawberries, cut sides facing you, in a dense layer.  Spread batter evenly over strawberries.  Bake in a pre-heated 350’ oven for 35-40 minutes—until top is nicely browned and toothpick inserted in center comes out dry.  Place a layer of foil on the lower oven rack to catch any drips.  Let cake cool for 15 minutes before inverting on a large serving platter.

The Kitchen Hive