Cherry upside-down cake with olive oil sponge

Ingredients

For the cherries

• 1 kg cherries
• 100 g sugar
• 100 g butter

For the sponge

• 6 eggs
• 150 g sugar
• 1 packet bourbon vanilla sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
• 3 drops lemon juice
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon lemon essence
• 200 g flour
• 1 packet baking powder

Preparation

1. Wash the cherries and pit them. Heat the oven to 180°C. 2. In a 35/25 cm pan, sprinkle 100 g sugar, then add the cherries and 100 g butter. 3. Cover the pan and put it in the oven for 12 minutes. The cherry juice mixes with the sugar and melted butter, forming a syrup. Let the cherries cool a little. 4. Meanwhile, separate the eggs. Beat the whites well until they form a firm foam, with 1/4 teaspoon fine salt, 3 drops lemon juice, 150 g sugar and the packet of bourbon vanilla sugar. 5. Mix in the yolks, then add the 4 tablespoons olive oil and the lemon essence, one at a time. 6. Pour the yolks over the whites and fold gently, from top to bottom. 7. When the mixture is smooth, add the sifted flour and baking powder. Don't mix too much. 8. Pour the batter into the pan over the cherries and syrup, then level it with a spatula. 9. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until it passes the toothpick test. If it comes out clean, the cake is ready. 10. Let the cake rest for 2-3 minutes, then put a serving plate over the pan and, with a short, quick movement, turn it over. 11. Cut it after it cools.