Two of this weeks’ desserts break my cardinal guideline of no fruit in dessert. I say guideline because by making it a “rule,” I’ve faced countless comments of censure from my apparently hard-nosed friends. Therefore, I take a book out of Captain Barbosa’s book and say it’s a guideline. One which I pretty much always follow. Except on my birthday, but then, rule or guideline, it’s meant to be broken. With this peach upside down cake.

While this is technically a dessert, I think it can also be eaten as a breakfast. I mean, it’s no worse, and probably better than all of those cream cheesy danishes out there. And since birthday week is definitely when it’s okay to eat cake for breakfast, I present to you this one.

Why is this so special? Well, the story goes like this…

My brother and I both have summer birthdays, roughly two weeks apart (making us the same age until this Wednesday). While we suffered through the hot and gross Florida weather ten months of the year, we’d spend every summer break visiting my grandparents up in Fort Erie, Canada, just across the Peace Bridge from Buffalo, New York. To grandpa, it was heaven, and if such a place exists on earth, Fort Erie with the grandfolks was pretty close. They lived on an expansive park, where Brother and I played endless games of baseball, swung from any available tree, and earned numerous bumps, bruises and scrapes as we roller skated, biked, camped and played. Basically doing what one is supposed to do on summer vacation. Television was not an option, but why would we want it to be?

peach upside down cake

To add to all of the above awesomeness, one of my fondest memories was, come birthday time, grandma would make her peach upside down cake, because inevitably LB’s or my birthday would fall during those two summer weeks a year when peaches are at their best. And grandma definitely helped them to shine. This is one of my most visually impressive dishes, but it honestly couldn’t be easier. Easy to whip up for a last minute guest or just because you’re feeling peachy. I actually had not known that the famous pineapple upside down cake was the most popular version of this until three or so years ago.

One note on the peaches: While I admire the time and effort it takes to peel and use fresh peaches, ever since I’ve been a grown up on my own, I just use canned. I told Mom this and she was a bit appalled, since she’s always used fresh. However, have you ever peeled peaches? You have to boil water, drop them in for about 20 seconds and then somehow peel them without burning yourself. No thanks, I’ll let others do the work on this one. However, if you are so inclined, here’s a how-to.

Peach Upside Down Cake

August 12, 2013

Servings: 8

Prep: 20 min

Cook: 40 min

Total: 1 hr 15 min

Difficulty: Easy

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A summer favorite, this peach upside down cake starts with a simple white cake topped with caramelized peaches for the absolute perfect dessert.

By: Chrissy

Ingredients

Ingredients
For the topping:
¼ cup butter, unsalted
½ cup brown sugar, firmly packed
2 cans peach halves, rinsed of the gross syrup, and sliced thinly (or 6 large fresh peaches, peeled and sliced)
For the cake:
¼ cup unsalted butter
¾ cup granulated sugar
1 egg
½ cup milk
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/3 cup sifted cake flour
2 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
whipped cream or ice cream, for serving

Directions

Step 1 Preheat the oven to 350F.
Step 2 Melt 1/4 cup butter in a round pie plate (I just put the glass pie plate directly on the flame. Not sure if this is good or bad, but I’ve never had a problem with it. Just be careful because it gets hot) or a cast iron skillet. Add the brown sugar and heat on medium until it gets good and caramely and starts to bubble, about five minutes.
Step 3 Arrange the peach slices on the sugar mixture and set aside.
Step 4 Sift together the dry ingredients (baking powder, salt, and flour). In another bowl, cream the butter and sugar. In yet another measuring cup, mix together the milk, egg and vanilla.
Step 5 Add the dry ingredients to the butter/sugar mixture, alternating with the liquids. Stir until well combined, but do not over beat.
Step 6 Pour the batter over the peach slices in the pan. Bake for 40-50 minutes or until the cake springs back when lightly touched or a cake tester comes out clean.
Step 7 Cool the cake in the pan for 3 minutes, and then invert on a serving plate, and let stand one minute before removing the pan.
Step 8 Serve with whipped cream (or ice cream) and pecans, if desired.