You don’t need frosting, icing, streusel, or fondant to adorn the top- it’s already decorated for you! The simplicity comes from a cake that doesn’t need any additional decor in order to sit proudly on the table for serving.

As upside-down cakes bake it can be difficult to tell when they are fully baked, if the bottom is still too liquidy, or if the fruit layer has caramelized. This type of cake is part mystery, part simplicity, part confidence. Upside down cakes of any flavor scream nostalgia to us! The iconic pineapple upside-down cake was popular in the early 1900s and upside-down cakes have come in and out of style every few years since then. Here’s an easy clementine upside-down cake recipe to make in the dreary months of winter when mandarins & clementines are at the peak of their flavor and freshness! This mandarin upside-down cake is approachable for all bakers- if you’ve never made an upside-down cake before, this post will walk you through how to succeed! Why upside-down cakes?

Mandarin clementines