Sunshine Cake

My favorite fruit of the season-Mandarins-adorn the upside of this mini version of the upside down cake.  The recipe was based on one in this month's issue of Eating Well magazine.  I made mine in a small 5-inch baking dish and cut the total sugars to 2 teaspoons per portion.  

Mandarin Upside-Down Cake

(Serves 5)

Beat egg and sugar in bowl of electric mixer.
1 egg
2 tablespoon sugar

Prepare baking dish by cutting a piece of parchment paper to fit the bottom of the dish.  Slide in place.  Mist it and insides of dish with an olive oil spray.
Melt buttery spread in a small saucepan.  Stir in brown sugar. Spread over parchment paper.  Place a slice of mandarin in center of sauce, then overlap slices to cover.
2 tablespoon Earth Balance Buttery Spread
2 tablespoon brown sugar
2-3 mandarins, peeled and sliced thing

Stir together dry ingredients.
3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour 
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon mandarin zest

Stir together liquid ingredients.
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
6 tablespoon skim milk
2 teaspoon mandarin juice

Alternately add dry, then liquid ingredients to egg-sugar mixture.  Stir just to combine.

Add batter to baking dish over the sliced tangerines.  Bake at 350 F. for 35-40 minutes, until pick inserted into center comes out clean.

Cool 10 minutes on wire rack.  Remove from pan, inverting bake upside down.

This cake is a perfect size for senior citizens and provides just the right amount of sweetness after a meal to prevent snacking later on.