Strawberry Mochi UpsideDown Cake

Servings: 8
Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

For the pan

  • 15 strawberries, each hulled and sliced into three
  • 3⁄4 c (150g) light brown sugar
  • 4 tablespoons (2 oz) butter, melted and cooled

For the cake

  • 3⁄4 c (150g) sugar
  • 5 tablespoons (2.5 oz) butter, melted and cooled
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 12-ounce can evaporated milk
  • 1+2/3cup (260g) sweet rice flour
  • 1+2/3cup (260g) tapioca flour or tapioca starch
  • 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon + 1⁄4 teaspoon (16g) baking powder

For the glaze

  • 1c powdered sugar
  • 2 tablespoons strawberry powder (see notes)
  • 2-3 tablespoons milk
  • Pinch salt

Instructions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
  2. Prep the pan. Pour melted butter into a 13×9” pan and coat it completely, using a pastry brush or your hands. There should be butter pooled at the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle brown sugar evenly over butter. Then, arrange strawberries on the brown sugar, pressing lightly.
  3. Make the batter. Mix the rice flour, tapioca flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside. In another bowl whisk the butter and sugar together. Add the eggs and whisk until light yellow and thickened. Add the flour mixture and the evaporated milk to the sugar slurry and whisk until smooth. Pour the batter into the pan, on top of the strawberries. Use a rubber spatula to smooth into a flat layer.
  4. Bake. Bake the cake on the middle rack of the oven for 35-40 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. The cake should spring back when pressed.
  5. Prepare the glaze. Sift the powdered sugar and whisk together with the strawberry powder, salt, and milk. Add more milk if needed–the glaze should be pourable. Set aside.
  6. Flip the cake out of the pan. Allow the cake to cool for 15 minutes. Run a knife along the edges to loosen the cake from the pan. Place your serving plate or board face down on top of the pan and invert it. Leave pan over cake for a couple minutes so the caramel can drip down onto the cake. If any strawberries stick to the pan, remove them and stick them back onto the cake.
  7. Glaze. Drizzle the glaze all over the cake.
  8. Serve. Enjoy warm or cooled, but it’s best warm. Store covered in the fridge.

Notes: Make the strawberry powder by blending freeze dried strawberries in a high-speed blender or spice grinder. Alternatively, the strawberry powder in the glaze can be substituted with two tablespoons of strawberry jam, but the flavor will not be as strong. The extra strawberry powder can be saved in an airtight container and enjoyed to your liking, e.g. on yogurt, ice cream, or in other baked goods.