Benjamina Ebuehi’s upside-down blueberry cake

I grew up thinking the only fruit allowed in an upside-down cake was tinned pineapple, until I discovered there was no such rule. Once that freedom arrived, upside-down cakes became more exciting: I’ve used plums, apples and blood oranges, and today I’ve gone for blueberries.

Because they’re so juicy you don’t need to make a caramel — just toss the berries in sugar. I always add a pinch of five-spice for a warming fragrance. For the topping: 350g blueberries, 50g caster sugar, ¼ tsp five-spice powder. For the cake: 3 large eggs, 120g caster sugar, 45g light brown sugar, 50g olive oil, 80g melted unsalted butter (plus extra for greasing), 70g soured cream, 165g plain flour, 1½ tsp baking powder, ¼ tsp fine sea salt.

Ice-cream to serve. Heat the oven to 180C (160C fan)/350F/gas 4 and grease and line a 20cm x 20cm square tin with baking paper that overhangs. Toss the blueberries with the caster sugar and five-spice, then tip them into the lined tin, spreading them out evenly.

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