Salmonberry or Raspberry Upside-Down Cake

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, divided
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 pound salmonberries (raspberries work, as well, if you're not in the NW US)
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sour cream

Heat oven to 350-F.  In a 2-quart saucepan, melt 1/4 cup butter and brown sugar over medium-low heat, stirring to combine.  Pour into a 9x2-inch round cake pan (I used a 9 3/4 x 3 3/4-inch bundt pan).  Tilt the pan to spread the brown sugar mixture evenly.  Arrange salmonberries in pan; 1 layer only.  Set aside.

Melt remaining 1/2 cup butter.  In a medium bowl, combine butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla.  With a mixer, beat at high speed until smooth, about 2 minutes.  Reduce speed to low and add the flour, baking powder, and salt, mixing just until combined.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix for 15 seconds.  Add sour cream and mix until combined.

Pour batter over the top of fruit in the cake pan.  Smooth gently.  Bake cake until lightly brown and center of the cake is clean when a cake tester is inserted, about 1 hour.  Cool on wire rack exactly 5 minutes.  Place a cake stand or serving plate onto the cake pan and turn the cake upside-down onto the cake stand.  Carefully life the cake pan straight up and away.  Let cool 10 minutes.  Serve warm or room temperature.  Enjoy!



*Salmonberries are raspberry-like but light orange when ripe.  Traditionally they were called salmonberries by Alaska natives because they look like salmon eggs.  Raspberries would work in this recipe.
**Recipe is from "A Taste of Kodiak" and "Best of the Best from Alaska Cookbook"
***My cake is in the oven as I write this.