Golden peaches caramelize under a buttery cake topcoat in the oven. This Peach Upside Down Cake beats them all. no contest.
I make this for a dessert but secretly always hope there will be a leftover piece for breakfast. The buttermilk cake is moist and has just the right amount of nutmeg that accents the flavor of the peach topping. It’s an easy recipe to make for family or company. The cake part of this dessert is quick and really easy. When I know I’m going to make it, I take my butter out ahead of time. It is best when it’s at room temperature. In the past I have softened the butter in the microwave but the texture of the cakes really is better when you use room temp butter. I have also learned to use fresh ground nutmeg. It is so easy to just rub it across a micro plane grater and the flavor is always spot on!
You make the cake part then set it aside while you get a couple of peaches peeled. Make sure your peaches are ripe, give them a quick swim in some boiling water, dunk them into cold water and then the skins will just slip off. When I see peaches at the farmers market, I always ask if they are a freestone variety. If they are you will be amazed at how easy they are to work with. I only buy cling stone type peaches when I know I am just going to eat them out of my hand, letting the juices run down my arm. A juicy sweet fresh peach is one of the greatest fruits around. I make this Peach Upside Down Cake several times every year when peaches are in season
When you flip Peach Upside Down Cake out of the cake pan, Be Careful! It will be hot and I have had a disaster when it slid off the plate I was turning it onto. Take your time and grasp both the pan and the plate together. There will be plenty of time to lift the cake pan off after you’ve done the flip.
peach upside down cake
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 3/4 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 3 large eggs
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter (room temp and divided)
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 2 medium peeled and 1/4 inch sliced fresh peaches
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F. Butter and flour a 9 inch round cake pan.
- In a large mixer bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and nutmeg.
- Add eggs, buttermilk and vanilla beat until smooth.
- Add 1/2 cup butter, beat to combine. Set this batter aside.
- Place the remaining 1/4 cup butter in your prepared pan. Set in oven to melt butter, about 2-3 minutes. Sprinkle brown sugar over melted butter. Top with sliced peaches, keep peaches in a single layer.
- Spoon cake batter over peaches, smoothing top with an offset spatula.
- Bake until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the center, about 40 to 50 minutes. Cover cake after 30 minutes of baking to prevent excess browning.
- After removing cake from oven, run a knife around the edges of pan to loosen cake. Invert still hot cake onto a serving plate, let cool slightly. Serve warm.
