Peach Upside Down Cake

Oh if only you all could have seen me as I made this cake. I wish I’d had the presence of mind to film it, even just to watch again myself and LAUGH! I’d laugh because I decided to whip this baby up a mere 19 minutes before an afternoon appointment.

I went into turbo mode. Notice the cell phone live on the baking powder container. Notice the hack and whack I did to the peaches. I chopped them up so fast there wasn’t time for pretty! Notice the flour smattered across my kitchen counters and the crumbs from dinner sprinkled on the stovetop! Wow.

Add to that the irony of this Peach Cake and Monday’s post inviting all of my friends and faithful readers to take on a September Sweat Session with me. I want you to know that I have hit the gym every day since that post. So maybe we should save this cake for our celebratory meal at the end of Sweating it out in September… Or maybe not.

Regardless, the important part of this story sits before you. A perfect Peach Upside Down Cake. Heaven!

I was late to my appointment. I was sweaty and flour sprinkled. I probably had a bit of batter on my chin (because I wasn’t kidding about the part where I licked the bowl. See below.)

For all of it’s beautiful turnout, this cake is pretty straightforward. I used a 9 inch cast iron skillet, though the recipe calls for a 10 inch skillet. I would double the peaches if I made it again. Meaning I would load those puppies up two rows deep on top of the brown sugar buttery goodness.

Other than that, I am patting myself on the back for this one. I am also thanking the gracious friend who alerted me to the recipe! Thank you, Mel!

Without further ado, Peach Upside Down Cake!

XX, Megan

Peach Upside Down Cake

Topping (in the bottom of the pan)

3 tbsps unsalted butter
3/4 cup light brown sugar
3-4 large peaches, peeled and sliced thick (like 3/4-inch thick)

Cake

8 tbsps unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs, room temperature
1 1/2 cups (210 g) flour
1 1/2 tsps baking powder, aluminum-free
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup (125 ml) whole milk, room temperature

Place 3 tablespoons of unsalted butter and the light brown sugar in your skillet or cake pan over high heat and stir until the sugar has melted. It should begin to bubble, remove it from the heat and let it cool. Place the peach slices down in the pan (just make it look nice).

Preheat the oven to 350°F while you start the cake batter. Beat the 8 tablespoons of butter and sugar together until they are fluffy. Add the vanilla, then beat an egg in until smooth and repeat for the last egg. In a separate bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, and salt together. Stir half of the dry ingredients into the batter. Stir in the milk. Then stir in the rest of the dry ingredients until just mixed (don’t overmix the batter).

Pour the batter over the peaches in the pan, spreading it around to nooks and crannies in the fruit. Bake 45-60 minutes or until the edges of the cake pull from the sides and the center is not gooey. Remove pan from oven and let cool 20 minutes. Flip the cake onto a plate. Serve warm. Serves 8-10.

Notes: Use a 10-inch cast iron skillet or a 9-inch cake pan for this recipe. This recipe originally comes from David Lebovitz, on his blog David Lebovitz: Living the Sweet Life in Paris. But I got my recipe from use real butter. Also a food blog, by Jen Yu, which I heard about from my friend Melanie. Enough attribution? I think.

Peach Pictures

First, melt your butter and your brown sugar, waiting for them to meld together and bubble.

When you have base that looks like this (or is even more bubbling and enmeshed), remove from heat to await peaches.

Take three or four ripe peaches.

Peel them and chop them up into 3/4 inch slices.

Place the peaches prettily in the pan atop the sugary butter mixture.

You can preheat your oven to 350 at this point. Cream sugar and butter in a mixer. Then add vanilla and eggs, one at a time.

As you finish creaming, mix together flour, baking powder, and salt. Add half the dry ingredients, to your creamed ingredients. Stir through. Then add the milk. Mix through, again.