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scratch - Peach Upside Down Cake

Source of Recipe

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Recipe Introduction

This is a classic upside-down cake, and as such you will need a 10-inch (25 cm) cast iron frying pan if you want to make it. You can use fresh plums, mangoes, and pineapple instead of peaches, so change this recipe with the seasons as different fruits become available.

List of Ingredients

Peach Upside Down Cake

For the topping:
4 Tbs (60 ml) butter
3/4 cup (180 ml) brown sugar
4 peaches or nectarines, pitted and cut into thick wedges

For the cake:
1 1/2 cups (375 ml) all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp (7 ml) baking powder
3 Tbs (45 ml) cornmeal
1/2 tsp (2 ml) salt
8 Tbs (120 ml) butter
1 cup (250 ml) sugar
4 eggs, separated, at room temperature
1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract
2/3 cup (160 ml) milk

Heat the butter and brown sugar in a 10-inch (25 cm) cast iron skillet
over moderate heat. Cook until foamy and pale, 3 to 4 minutes.
Remove from the heat and arrange the peaches attractively in the
skillet. Set aside. Mix together the flour, baking powder, cornmeal,
and salt in a mixing bowl and set aside. Cream the butter and sugar
in an electric mixer until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the
egg yolks and vanilla and beat until incorporated. Add the dry
ingredients and milk gradually in 3 or 4 steps and beat just until the
batter is smooth. In a separate bowl beat the egg whites until soft
peaks form. Fold about 1/4 of the whites into the batter, and then
fold in the remaining whites until thoroughly incorporated. gently
pour that batter into the skillet, spreading it carefully to cover the
peaches without disturbing them. Bake in a preheated 350F (180C) oven
until the top is golden brown and puffy and a toothpick inserted in
the center of the cake (not the topping) comes out clean, about 50
minutes. Cool the skillet on a wire rack for 2 minutes. Cut around
the edge of the skillet with a paring knife to free the cake. Place a
serving platter over the skillet and invert them both. Carefully
remove the skillet. If any of the peaches stick to the skillet,
replace them on top of the cake. Serve warm, chilled, or at room
temperature. Serves 6 to 8.


Recipe