American Cake - Cake #21: Mary's Cherry Upside-Down Cake

Time Period: 1946 - 1962

The entry for this cake is a little strange. It details a short history of Mary Drabik, a woman who had to make every penny count, so she grabbed every free sour cherry she could from her sister's trees, and made all sorts of things out of them, including this cake, which won first prize at the Minnesota State Fair in 2014. Why is some random lady's recipe included in a book meant to be a holistic representation of the country's cake history? Unclear. I suppose I could see an argument for it, since cherries are so popular nationally, and heirloom recipes are important when describing the evolution of American cake over time.

Here's another fun fact: I hate cherries and anything cherry-flavored. Still, a deal is a deal, and I agreed to bake every cake in this book. I used the opportunity of a Memorial Day BBQ to bake it for a potluck, and foisted it off on friends instead of eating any myself. I'm told it turned out very tasty, and will take their word for it!