Recipe: Cocoa-Mango Upside-Down Cake

Sometimes on Valentine's Day the most romantic thing to do is something unexpected. Upside-down cakes are the baking world's version of this kind of whimsy. Build everything from the bottom up and give it flip before serving.

This cocoa-mango upside-down cake combines the winning flavors of ginger-tinged chocolate with a tropical layer of brightly colored mango. Decorating the edges with some chopped macadamia nuts adds a beautiful and simple garnish.

Cocoa-Mango Upside-Down Cake

Makes 8 servings

1 medium mango

1/4 cup light brown sugar

1 tablespoon honey or corn syrup

2 tablespoons butter

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup buttermilk

1/4 cup canola oil

1 large egg

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 cup apricot preserves, strained

2 tablespoon chopped macadamia nuts or almonds

1. Place a rack in lower third of oven. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Set a baking sheet on the bottom rack of the oven to catch any drips.

2. With a paring knife or sharp vegetable peeler, remove the skin from the mango. Slice along the flat central pit to remove the flesh from each side in one large piece. Slice each piece lengthwise into long, thin slices. Set aside.

3. In a small saucepan over medium, combine the brown sugar, honey or corn syrup, and the butter. Stir until the mixture is bubbling. Immediately pour it into an 8-inch round cake pan, spreading the mixture evenly over the bottom. Arrange the slices of mango in a spiral pattern over the sugar-butter mixture.

4. Set a mesh strainer over a large bowl. Add the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, ginger and salt, then sift them into the bowl. Add the buttermilk, oil, egg and vanilla. Using an electric mixer, beat the mixture on low just until combined. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes longer.

5. Pour the batter over the mango. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, or until a skewer inserted at the center of the cake comes out clean. Run a knife around the edge of the cake to release it. Invert a serving plate over the cake. Turn both cake and plate over again, letting the cake fall out of the pan onto the plate. Replace any fruit that sticks to the pan.

6. In a small saucepan, heat the preserves until bubbling. Brush over the top of the cake. Sprinkle the chopped nuts around the edge of the cake to garnish.

Nutrition information per serving (values are rounded to the nearest whole number): 256 calories; 106 calories from fat (41 percent of total calories); 12 g fat (3 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 36 mg cholesterol; 38 g carbohydrate; 4 g protein; 2 g fiber; 247 mg sodium.