Amish Dump Cake

Often referred to as an upside down cake, this is normally made with home canned fruit slices, or with halves that are then sliced, or with plumb halves, but you could also just use 2 to 3 cans of purchased canned sliced fruit. They may be spiced or un-spiced.

While I am providing the original recipe, I would like to point out that both the brown sugar and granulated sugar may be reduced to 1/2 cup each or even replaced with sucralose and a sucralose brown sugar blend. Additionally, home canned fruits made with sucralose or store purchased canned fruits without added sugar or syrup may also be used. Save the liquid from these canned fruits just as you would the syrup in the recipe. Note: Sucralose is the only “zero calorie” sugar substitute that can be safely used in cooking, baking, and canning.

Additionally, I have found that Smart Balance works pretty well in place of the shortening and the eggs can be substituted with 1/4 cup egg whites for heart healthier version.

Preheat oven to 350 F degrees. Grease or butter the bottom and sides of a 13 x 9 cake pan.

Drain fruit keeping the syrup in reserve.

Add enough water to the remaining syrup in reserve to make 1 cup, if required, and set aside.

Sift together the baking powder, salt, and flour; set aside. TIP: If you do not have a flour sifter or anytime you have a large quantity to sift just use a large mesh strainer.

Melt butter in a skillet.

Add brown sugar, 2 tablespoons syrup, and the fruit slices to a skillet, stir, bring to a boil, stir, reduce heat and simmer five to ten minutes stirring every 2 minutes. Remove from heat.

Cream together shortening and sugar until light and crumbly. Then add eggs and vanilla. Beat until fluffy.

To the creamed mixture, add 1 cup of flour mixture whisking until smooth. Next, add 1/2 cup of syrup whisking until smooth. Repeat.

Use slotted spoon to remove fruit slices from skillet — or drain in colander — and spread the fruit into the bottom of the greased or buttered 13×9 inch cake pan.

Spread cake batter over fruit slices and bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes, until brown and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Run a knife around the edges then “dump” onto a very large serving platter, onto a cake board, or onto a wooden flouring board.

A flouring board is a portable, smooth, sturdy, solid, wooden board or plank used for rolling out pie pastry crusts or any other pastry that does not contain raw eggs which can be fit easily into a snug draw string linen sack covering. The thick linen sack is coated lightly with flour, the pastry rolled out, then the draw strings are loosened so the sack can be carefully removed along with the pastry or crust. It helps with lifting and moving the crust or pastry without any tearing or stretching. The sack is then taken outdoors to be shaken and given a really good dusting off before going into the wash.